Lidl Boiler

[FiercelyFuzzy]

I've just got one from the Lidl in Wishaw. There are 3 left if anyone fancies the trip!

Now just need a few suggestions on how to add a hop strainer and upgrade the tap. Looking at the the pictures of the Brupak boiler it seems to be a drilled copper pipe wedged into the tap...

[youreds91]

Now just need a few suggestions on how to add a hop strainer and upgrade the tap. Looking at the the pictures of the Brupak boiler it seems to be a drilled copper pipe wedged into the tap...

I've just picked one up, looks good. Hop strainer should be easy with the existing tap, the hole is 10mm so you should be able to shove a bit of microbore in there, then use a 10>15mm reducer. I'll get the bits tomorrow & knock one up. I wouldn't want to drill out the existing hole at all.
I'm tempted to get another....

CD

[koomber]

Now just need a few suggestions on how to add a hop strainer and upgrade the tap. Looking at the the pictures of the Brupak boiler it seems to be a drilled copper pipe wedged into the tap...

I've just picked one up, looks good. Hop strainer should be easy with the existing tap, the hole is 10mm so you should be able to shove a bit of microbore in there, then use a 10>15mm reducer. I'll get the bits tomorrow & knock one up. I wouldn't want to drill out the existing hole at all.
I'm tempted to get another....

CD

Any chance you could post some pics? Would be nice to see your approach for noobs like me who have just bought one

[youreds91]

Any chance you could post some pics? Would be nice to see your approach for noobs like me who have just bought one

No worries. It will only need a short bit of 10mm microbore, which will be difficult to get hold of as it comes in a 10m coil. Probably best to do it when making an immersion chiller, or stealing a bit if you have a chiller already.

[koomber]

Aye, I've already got a length at work (left over from pimping a cooling coil at my work). I'll have to phone the Swagelok rep and see about getting some fittings. I gotta say that SS Fittings send a shiver down my spine. nice.

[smokin]

i am now officially excited - noticed on the earlier links that some state capacity of 29l - this will explain the headroom of 4cm being 27l in the lidl one - AG no 1 is on its way (thats if the buggers havent sold them all by tomorrow - despite being skinter than a skint thing on st skints day this week (thank you car tax and MOT!!) i will have to find the cash!!!!!

so - if lidl can do em for £40 how can brupaks justify the extra £110 of expense??

atb

chris

[daveyk]

Well I too managed to pick one up on the way home from work. Thanks for the tip off guys. Sadly the Durham store only had one in stock otherwise I would have been tempted to buy a couple!!

I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread regarding the mods to the this to perfect the boiler.... I understand I'll need a hope strainer and was thinking about upgrading the tap as I don't fancy getting any tubing to stay on the tapered sides of the tap.... but then again just hanging it off the kitchen work top and dropping the wort from a height will aerate it nicely.

Anyway this has come at a great time, was fancying trying an extract brew next week.... was going to use the jam pan but don't need to now.... best get on with the immersion cooler..... still that should leave an off cut of 10mm microbore.

[youreds91]

still that should leave an off cut of 10mm microbore.

I left my IC out in the winter with water in & it burst half way down. Easy to fix with a coupler after cutting out the burst bit I thought. Problem was the pipe had swollen & I couldn't get the coupling on at all. A plumber mate of mine got me a 12mm coupler which fitted perfectly, so I don't have a deal of proper 10mm pipe left on the IC. I've no idea if it was the freezing or the constant dipping in boiling wort that made the pipe swell so much. I may have to tap up said plumber again for a bit of 10mm...

[danbrew]

If your struggling for a short length of 10mm then you can get a metre length from ebay or try a plumbers merchant. One near me sells it by the metre. It might knock a couple of quid off that £110 saving you guys have made but hey-ho!

[crafty john]

I rushed to my local Lidl yesterday and bought the last boiler, half filled it with water and turned it on full and the damn thing won't go past 96C so wont maintain a rolling boil Any suggestions anyone at £40.00 I know I could use it as a HLT but I wanted it to do both jobs

[sladeywadey]

just been to my local Lidl (Camberley) to buy one as a HLT and they have another 5 in stock.

[sladeywadey]

I rushed to my local Lidl yesterday and bought the last boiler, half filled it with water and turned it on full and the damn thing won't go past 96C so wont maintain a rolling boil Any suggestions anyone at £40.00 I know I could use it as a HLT but I wanted it to do both jobs

maybe we need to bypass the cutoff switch or something.

[FiercelyFuzzy]

Hmmm... I had to do a similar thing to my Burco Boiler. I just bypassed the thermostat & attached the spade connectors direct to the element.
However, this Lidl Jam Maker is supposed to maintain the boil though (unlike the Burco). It says so on the box!

[crafty john]

Hmmm... I had to do a similar thing to my Burco Boiler. I just bypassed the thermostat & attached the spade connectors direct to the element.
However, this Lidl Jam Maker is supposed to maintain the boil though (unlike the Burco). It says so on the box!

I know bugger all about electrics but I want to use it as a preserver and as a boiler so bypassing the thermostat would inhibit preserving cos it would get too hot and boil the crap out of the fruit, veggies or whatever so I need a solution but I don't know what though HELP

[sladeywadey]

I will have a fiddle with mine later when I get back to try and bypass the cutoff switch or see if the thermostat can be tweaked. - before that I will see if mine boils.