Propane Burners

LP, NG, gas burners of all types. Wood, coal or Steam equipment.

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gmm213
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Propane Burners

Post by gmm213 »

Im sure this has been asked, I just am not searching for the right thing. I tend to over think and word oddly. Basically Im looking for information on propane burners, like the Bayou Classic, etc. Which ones are the best bang for buck and still efficient, etc. Maybe there's a write up?
I come from a long line of brewers and distillers both legal and illegal. Have to do the family name proud
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by ranger_ric »

I will be following this.
I am currently using the side burner on my old propane bar-b-q grill.
It doesn't get as hot as I want... AND it doesn't go as low as I want, However it is what I have, and it is at a PERFECT height for my Liebig and arm (imagine that).
I can do about 12 stripping runs on a tank of propane.
So lets see what everyone else uses...
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by corene1 »

Well I found an old cast iron burner at the ARMY surplus store and modified it by opening up the air intake a bit. I use a gas called Starflame that I get at the welding supply store . It puts out 10% more heat than propane at 1/3 the flow rate and I control it with an acetylene regulator I got at a yard sale. It will bring 8 gallons of wash to boil in 15 minuets and is very controlable with the adjustable regulator. When I finish my new boiler I am going to look into this burner and build a stand for it. It seems to be very efficient and I get the gas through our shop at a discount so it is very affordable. I can do about 20 runs for $30 dollars.
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gmm213
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by gmm213 »

I've read decent things about the bayou classic, its around $50 but I was wondering about others others have used because it seems like its only ok. Somewhere I read on a beer brewing site when they were talking about distilling that you should have a 125,000 btu burner for a 5 gal mash but that seems excessively high considering how people use that Bayou Classic that's around 50 or 60,000 I believe

Strarflame Gas is an acetylene replacement I believe. The only problem with that particular gas is finding it, being a brand name gas only certain places carry it, but I wonder how acetylene works? Anyone use that to heat? I dont have natural gas lines on my property, everything's electric unfortunately
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by Appalachia-Shiner »

I have one of the Bayou Classic single burners.....found it on Craig's list for less than half price. It is very adequate for a 15 gal sanke keg. I was using an old burner that came out of a tobacco barn; it was OK but the Bayou Classic is better. They make some double burners and some really high powered ones also.
If you are going Propane, they are the way to go.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by corene1 »

gmm213 wrote:I've read decent things about the bayou classic, its around $50 but I was wondering about others others have used because it seems like its only ok. Somewhere I read on a beer brewing site when they were talking about distilling that you should have a 125,000 btu burner for a 5 gal mash but that seems excessively high considering how people use that Bayou Classic that's around 50 or 60,000 I believe

Strarflame Gas is an acetylene replacement I believe. The only problem with that particular gas is finding it, being a brand name gas only certain places carry it, but I wonder how acetylene works? Anyone use that to heat? I dont have natural gas lines on my property, everything's electric unfortunately
Starflame is NOT an acetylene replacement it is a propane replacement. Acetylene must have pure oxygen as an accelerator to burn clean and the temps it would reach would melt you burner frame. Please Do not even think of using acetylene. with out oxygen it is very dirty and sooty and has very little heat.
If you have all electric, why not use that to heat your boiler. Look up the thread Jimbos electric conversion. With a 5500 watt element running with 220Volt he can bring 15 gallons to boil in about 15 minuets. This is from memory but check it out
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by gmm213 »

When I say acetylene replacement I mean wasn't it meant to be used as a cutting gas? Thanks for the info. Now that I think about it looking at an acetylene flame in my mind your right it is nasty. I rent my property and cant get 220 volt. Thats why I was thinking propane because I could put a burner in my garage. It my storage/man cave
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by corene1 »

gmm213 wrote:When I say acetylene replacement I mean wasn't it meant to be used as a cutting gas? Thanks for the info. Now that I think about it looking at an acetylene flame in my mind your right it is nasty. I rent my property and cant get 220 volt. Thats why I was thinking propane because I could put a burner in my garage. It my storage/man cave
Do you have a dryer plug in? It should be 220 volt with a 30 amp breaker. Plenty for a single 5500Watt element
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by gmm213 »

Unplug my dryer to run a still? You tryin to get me killed. My old lady would skin my hide.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by hellbilly007 »

Here is the burner I use along with a low pressure regulator, http://www.agrisupply.com/m/low-pressur ... n/p/40282/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow. For the price I had to try it. In the shed I can get a 12 gallon charge going in 45 minutes on average. I've heard of people using these with a high pressure regulator, but I have no experience with that setup. Also, I use a 1/4" ball valve to regulate the flame.

There is also this one, http://www.agrisupply.com/m/Product.aspx?p=30295" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow. This one can burn through the propane, but works good. A friend uses this one.

Check car rim burners too.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by Tokoroa_Shiner »

gmm213 wrote:Unplug my dryer to run a still? You tryin to get me killed. My old lady would skin my hide.

Surely she can spare the plug for a couple hours. Lol
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by gmm213 »

Tokoroa_Shiner wrote:
gmm213 wrote:Unplug my dryer to run a still? You tryin to get me killed. My old lady would skin my hide.

Surely she can spare the plug for a couple hours. Lol

Its hard enough getting her to let me build one at all. lol. I dont even think I could do it in the furnace/laundry room, its tiny and there's stairs going into the house so I couldn't move it out.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by frunobulax »

I have 4 of these from AGRI they are hotter than the sun with the right regulator, (30 psi.). http://www.agrisupply.com/cast-iron-burner/p/64494/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I have mine modified for natural gas, and they work great for that too.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by Appalachia-Shiner »

The one above is really a hot one; Bayou Classic makes one just about like it and they do use a lot of gas to make all that heat.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by john2674 »

The one I used to use was the burner off of one of those Walmart turkey fryers, it worked ok but I just couldn't get the air mixture to adjust properly. if I don't leave the shed doors wide open it will produce lots of carbonic acid and burn the crap outta your eyes.. my carbon monoxide detector never went off with it though.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by masonsjax »

I'm a big fan of the Bayou Classic SQ-14. It's very sturdy, easy on gas, plenty of heat, runs quiet, and doesn't break the bank. They have an SS version as well if that's important to you. Make sure to adjust the air inlet to get a clean flame and it will serve you well.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by SS396 »

Anybody use the bayou kab6?
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by hawgwrench »

Yep SS396, been using the kab6 for a spell. Works great, it'll get a 15 gal keg up an going in 20-30 min's depending the outside temp. I blast it till feel the lyne getting hot then cut it back to a barely burning flame with no noise. From what I can tell it don't use any more gas over a run than the smaller turkey fryer I was using, guess cause it heat's the boiler in less than half the time then cut the flow down....
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by heartcut »

Blichmann is the best I've seen- really quiet, efficient, almost wind proof and stainless. $150 USD is steep, but worth it to me.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by SS396 »

Good to know on the Kab6 as I'm waiting the arrival of mine. Only complaint I've heard on them is the regulator is kinda crappy. I'm hoping to be able to get 2 runs out of a 20lb cylinder....sound reasonable?
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by Jersey »

Here's mine for my li'l 3 gallon boiler. Works great
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by heartcut »

I get 3 12 gal runs from 20#, but get nervous towards the end.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by jb-texshine »

Cheap ass off brand Turkey fryer from Walmart. 25$on clearance... only complaint... sob has a timer max time 15 min...and a thermocouple to control said timer. Wouldn't let me turn down heat...solution...bent bracket thermocouple mounts thru. Now I can go from a double the size of pencil lead(stripping) stream to broken stream(slow spirit r =less taste than twisted stream). It is a cupcake wrapper style burner with red(hi pressure) regulator.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by hawgwrench »

Three runs on a 20# cyl. is average....I keep a spare on hand when I'm cookin though, just in case. The regulator DOES seem to have alotta travel, but adjusting it has never been a prob. Give yerself some room on the first run or two, that powder paint will start scorchin and flakin off an it stinks to high hell. Turn the wick up hard till ya get to cruising altitude then cut it back to a low, almost silent flame. It'll cut alotta time off your warm up...gas use it about the same as the smaller 80-100k burner as it heats up a lot faster this way.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by Hound Dog »

Break down and get a #100 tank and use the #20 as backup :lol:
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by SS396 »

Just a short review on the bayou classic kab6. 3/4 throttle gets 13 gallons up and dripping at about 30 minutes. Knock it down real low and done in about 3 to 3.5 hours stripping. Got 4 runs out of a 20lb bottle with enough to start the next one. Running at 3/4 seems fairly quiet and once you back it off to run speed I can hear the wash in the pot over the burner. The regulator that comes with is decent, flame adjustment is good. Keg fits great with room to spare. Very happy with its performance and would recomend.
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by moosemilk »

jb-texshine wrote:Cheap ass off brand Turkey fryer from Walmart. 25$on clearance... only complaint... sob has a timer max time 15 min...and a thermocouple to control said timer. Wouldn't let me turn down heat...solution...bent bracket thermocouple mounts thru. Now I can go from a double the size of pencil lead(stripping) stream to broken stream(slow spirit r =less taste than twisted stream). It is a cupcake wrapper style burner with red(hi pressure) regulator.
JB
Sounds similar to mine. If it is, just put and adjustable crescent wrench on the timer dial to keep it from moving. I was going to totally by-pass it, but I like the idea of having it when I'm actually using bit to cook turkey and all...shuts off if I step away for whatever reason for too long (something I never do while stilling though)
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by frodo »

gmm213 wrote:
Tokoroa_Shiner wrote:
gmm213 wrote:Unplug my dryer to run a still? You tryin to get me killed. My old lady would skin my hide.

Surely she can spare the plug for a couple hours. Lol

Its hard enough getting her to let me build one at all. lol. I dont even think I could do it in the furnace/laundry room, its tiny and there's stairs going into the house so I couldn't move it out.

go to your main breaker box by your meter

find your dryer breaker...install a 2nd plug directly off of the same breaker

when she is NOT using the dryer, you can run your still,,outside


i put my pot on the stove..and i got the stinkeye..i will be cooking outside
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by v-child »

corene1 wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:55 pm and I control it with an acetylene regulator I got at a yard sale. It will bring 8 gallons of wash to boil in 15 minuets and is very controlable with the adjustable regulator. onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Corene, I realize that this is an old post but I am looking at replacing the crappy "regulator" on my 40 lb propane bottle with a acetylene regulator similar to the one you are talking about. What kind of connector/ adapters did you have to use?
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Re: Propane Burners

Post by corene1 »

I used a Victor Journeyman regulator. The fitting to hook the hose to can be removed. I replaced it with a standard acetylene torch control knob then used a standard acetylene connector and crimped a standard 6 foot propane hose to it with the standard propane connector on the end of that to attach to the burner. You can see the control knob coming out from the regulator. With both pressure control and the control knob heat is very easy to control. Plus it lets you shut the gas off at the regulator instead of the burner.
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