Choosing a bolier

johnmac · Post by **johnmac** » Wed May 03, 2006 6:08 pm

I'm looking at new and used boliers on ebay. Are there any particular issues with regards to temperature control and tap fittings to watch out for?

Can all tea urn type boliers maintain a rolling boil?

Some of the Burcos' look like you can't connect a pipe to their taps?

Most, but not all boilers, have a rotary control - is that a temperature setting via a simple thermostat (wich I guess would be fine)?

Post by **Andy** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:23 pm

I've got a 27L Burco, purchased for the sum of Ã‚Â£23 from Ebay. Great for homebrewing with its 3Kw element, maintains a lovely rolling boil when you get the temp dial positioned just so. Regarding tap fitments, I use a three stage approach - a 5/8" ID hose stub fits onto the tap and then a smaller diameter stub fits inside that and finally the PVC hose leading to the counterflow cooler goes inside that. DaaB uses a similar reducing technique to fit hoses to taps, works well. On the inside of the boiler I made a hop/trub filter using a stainless frying pan splatter guard from ye olde quide shoppe rolled up into a cigar shape with one end crimped closed and the other end inserted into the back of the tap fitting.

The large plastic boilers are also great as they're cheap and you can either buy one ready made or build your own up from bits.

Edit: Regarding buying Burco type boilers check if the element is concealed or visible, with the concealed type I'm not sure if they're suitable for homebrewing. (I thought that the element was below a perforated false bottom which if is the case and it's not removable would cause issues with cleaning)

johnmac · Post by **johnmac** » Wed May 03, 2006 8:01 pm

Andy,

Is the tap on yours like this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

or like this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

Any chance of a picture of your hop filter, when you've got time?

tribs · Post by **tribs** » Wed May 03, 2006 11:19 pm

QUOTE (andy @ May 3 2006, 07:23 PM)Edit:Ã‚Â Regarding buying Burco type boilers check if the element is concealed or visible, with the concealed type I'm not sure if they're suitable for homebrewing. (I thought that the element was below a perforated false bottom which if is the case and it's not removable would cause issues with cleaning)
No problems with the concealed disc type element. I have one. Its very easy to clean.

The burco type with the perforated fasle bottoms are all removable, so no problems there either.

Post by **Andy** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:14 am

John, mine is like the second one, the Lincat.

I'll try and get a pic of the filter up.

PeterESB · Post by **PeterESB** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:47 am

Hi Andy,
would you say that your Bronco boiler is better then your twin-element plastic boiler you had, and how long does it take for Bronco to come to the boiler and is it quicker then your twin-element plastic boiler???

Post by **Andy** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:56 am

QUOTE (PeterESB @ May 4 2006, 08:47 AM) Hi Andy,
would you say that your Bronco boiler is better then your twin-element plastic boiler you had, and how long does it take for Bronco to come to the boiler and is it quicker then your twin-element plastic boiler???
Burco boiler!

I've only ever had the Burco, DaaB's your man for a twin element plastic boiler..... My HLT is a 25L plastic fermenting bin with a kettle element added but that's never been used as a copper.

Post by **Andy** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:39 am

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ May 4 2006, 09:20 AM) ..Blanco boiler..bosco...Bosworth boiler....

It's a BLINKO!

PeterESB · Post by **PeterESB** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:13 am

I have one of these fermtain bins, http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/item744.htm could it be used as a boiler???

Post by **Andy** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:21 am

QUOTE (PeterESB @ May 4 2006, 12:13 PM) I have one of these fermtain bins, http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/item744.htm could it be used as a boiler???
Peter, yes - you'd need one (or even better two) kettle elements and a nylon tap fitted to it but the bin itself would be OK as a boiler.

PeterESB · Post by **PeterESB** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:52 am

Wicked!!!

I'll do that as soon as. All I need to do now is work out whether to get kettle or electrum elements. :huh:
I brake up form Uni soon for summer, it's going to be great, still got to go to work though, but the good thing is I wont have loads of Uni work to do at evenings and weekends, so will have more time for brewing and chatting on forum.

Post by **Andy** » Thu May 04, 2006 12:33 pm

See here for an alternative source of kettle elements:-

http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/inde ... wtopic=744

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:03 pm

QUOTE and a nylon tap fitted to it

Interested to see this comment - My coolbox mash tun and my fermenting bin (which will be used to sparge from) both have the W&D drum tap - I presume this is OK - only the boiler needs a nylon tap :huh:

Post by **Andy** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:21 pm

Yup, I use a W&D nylon tap for the HLT and their conventional tap for mash tun, fermenters etc.

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:29 pm

Cheers andy.

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Choosing a bolier

Choosing a bolier