Help with batch sizes

[bigjimmy1972]

So I'm getting myself ready to run a 52 inch tall vm column that has a 50 liter keg as a boiler.

What is the maximum volume that should be put in the boiler at one time?

Also I found a guy that sells plastic barrels near me. He says they can be used in wine making and are made of HDPE #2 (Recycled high density polyethylene) The seller says "All barrels and tanks have been cleaned and well rinsed out" Do these seem like suitable fermenters?

If these containers are suitable and assuming that I will be doing 40 - 45 Liter batch's, what size would you go with? Will the 57 liter container have enough head room or would I have to move up to the 208 liter size?

Thanks in advance!

[rad14701]

So I'm getting myself ready to run a 52 inch tall vm column that has a 50 liter keg as a boiler.

What is the maximum volume that should be put in the boiler at one time?

The amount of head space is up to you but most folks running kegs leave 20% - 30% head space which is roughly 10 - 13 gallons of wash...

Also I found a guy that sells plastic barrels near me. He says they can be used in wine making and are made of HDPE #2 (Recycled high density polyethylene) The seller says "All barrels and tanks have been cleaned and well rinsed out" Do these seem like suitable fermenters?

If these containers are suitable and assuming that I will be doing 40 - 45 Liter batch's, what size would you go with? Will the 57 liter container have enough head room or would I have to move up to the 208 liter size?

Based on the figures above, a 57 liter container is plenty big enough for a single boiler charge... Just make sure those containers held food rather than hazardous chemicals...

[kiwistiller]

I don't put more than 40l of wash in my keg, but you can put in a little more low wines, as they don't foam like some washes do. And yeah, the barrels sound great.

[bigjimmy1972]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.