Keg spear burner

Post your builds here.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
firewater69
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:55 am

Keg spear burner

Post by firewater69 »

This isn't really a build thread, just thought I'd share in case other folks might find some use from it. I have ran electric from the get go, but was limited to 110 volts and it was painfully slow, so I decided to go to propane but with the drain in the bottom of my boiler it was gonna be tricky. I had several keg spears laying around so I thought I'd make a custom burner to clear my drain, if it worked great and if not, I'm not out anything but time. I cut it on 45°and welded it into a u shape, made a orifice and crossed my fingers. I was able to strip 15 gallons in 3 hours, thats much better than 110 volt power, I still have the ability to run electric also but I'm digging the gas!
IMG_20180204_084810567_HDR-600x800.jpg
Edit: the orifice has a 1/16" hole and the burner slots were cut with a Dremel/zip wheel about 3/8" wide X 5/16" apart.
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
Reverend Newer
Swill Maker
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:41 pm
Location: Q Clearance Patriot

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by Reverend Newer »

Amazing! This is one of the most ingenious uses for the keg spear that I've seen and it appears to be really efficient!

So great to see someone turning away from the cord and getting back to the flame. hehehe :twisted:



I'd love to see a long homemade burner such as this slid into the internal flame tube of a big boiler.
spiritually taxed circa 1791
User avatar
firewater69
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:55 am

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by firewater69 »

Thanks, I'm currently working on a single plated rig (along the lines of Mr P's fu man)that I will be needing more power for, so the burner was the only way I could get there as I don't have access to 220v atm. As far as efficient, well it's better than what I had, 3 hour strips are welcome compared to what I had been doing. It was super easy to make, the hardest thing was welding the thin tube.
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by Yummyrum »

Firewater I'm quite interested in this as I've been thinking about using a keg with a bottom drain .
Can you show some detail and explanation on how you injct the gas into the end of the spear and your air intake method as you flame looks really clean :thumbup: .
User avatar
firewater69
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:55 am

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by firewater69 »

No problem Yummyrum, I'll try to get some more pics when I get home tonight, and give a better explanation of what I did and how.
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
User avatar
firewater69
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:55 am

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by firewater69 »

Here is a few more pics, the orifice is just a 1/8" NPT to 1/4" tube adapter with a press in orifice that I made with a 0.0625 hole in it. I made a small metal strap with a 1/8" NPT female thread and welded it across the end of the belled spear opening, I could've went a little smaller with the orifice size as I'm not restricting the opening at all. It burns clean but could use some more air so a smaller orifice would help. I welded a plug to close the other end but you could crimp the end and solder it closed also. I hooked it up to a 15 psi regulator and it seems to work fine, I don't know for sure what you guys are averaging timewise on a strip run, but I think I'm in the ballpark at 3 hours for a 15 gallon batch, my boiler started life as a 80 gallon soda syrup corny keg, ( there is a pic on her somewhere) I cut it down to 20 gallons and it had a drain tube already in the bottom that I added a boiler valve to. It was ideal for an electric set up, but posed a problem for a burner, this burner worked well and I have a keg boiler that I've also added a bottom drain to and I will make a burner for it too. This will probably be more useful as several folks here use kegs for boilers.
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
Reverend Newer
Swill Maker
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:41 pm
Location: Q Clearance Patriot

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by Reverend Newer »

3 hours for a strip on 15 gallons is very respectable, I'd guess you're pushing around 40,000+ BTU with that quick of a time.


It takes me 3-4 hours to strip on a keg with a 2" tower and turkey burner including warmup.


nice work :clap:
spiritually taxed circa 1791
drotto
Novice
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:20 am
Location: U.S.A

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by drotto »

ok i'm stupid.
can't see the pix and a keg spear burner sounds like an idea i'd dig building.
i can see in the first post where the pix is in text but no visual.
anyone have a suggestion ?
D
hellbilly007
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 581
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 10:59 am
Location: Never one place very long

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by hellbilly007 »

I can't see any pics as well.
drotto
Novice
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:20 am
Location: U.S.A

Re: Keg spear burner

Post by drotto »

got tired of waiting so i did a web search and found these pix on another site.
as it has the same user name i'm going with these are the missing or corrupted pix.
i swiped and pasted the text so it would be with the pix. i LIKE this burner!

admin's if these pix were aced for some reason my apologies and feel free to ace them again!
I cut it on 45°and welded it into a u shape
I cut it on 45°and welded it into a u shape
IMG_20180204_084810567_HDR-600x800.jpg
IMG_20180131_205237101_crop_612x314.jpg
"the orifice is just a 1/8" NPT to 1/4" tube adapter with a press in orifice that I made with a 0.0625 hole in it. I made a small metal strap with a 1/8" NPT female thread and welded it across the end of the belled spear opening"
"the orifice is just a 1/8" NPT to 1/4" tube adapter with a press in orifice that I made with a 0.0625 hole in it. I made a small metal strap with a 1/8" NPT female thread and welded it across the end of the belled spear opening"
I could've went a little smaller with the orifice size as I'm not restricting the opening at all. It burns clean but could use some more air so a smaller orifice would help. I welded a plug to close the other end but you could crimp the end and solder it closed also.
I could've went a little smaller with the orifice size as I'm not restricting the opening at all. It burns clean but could use some more air so a smaller orifice would help. I welded a plug to close the other end but you could crimp the end and solder it closed also.
IMG_20180209_185349421-600x800.jpg (12.8 KiB) Viewed 1727 times
Post Reply