Aluminum Boiler Hazard!

[Prairiepiss]

I know its not common practice to use aluminum for a boiler. Because of pitting and breaking down. But I have seen a few that said they do or have used them. I thought this mite be of interest to those who do or those who mite. This mite also change your mind if you do. Also thought its a good all around safety tip too.

I was talking to a friend the other day about frying turkeys for the holidays. Recipes and processes always like to hear new ways. He informed me that this past Christmas he was heating up his oil in a aluminum pot outside. He went inside to get the turkey ready and bring out to the fryer. When he returned back outside. The burner that he had left on high had melted a hole in the bottom of the pot and the oil was spilling out over the burner. I said you got to be kidding me? Nope. He said he shut the fuel off and ran got a fire extinguisher came back and put the fire out. Luckily he had it out in the yard away from everything and he caught it when he did. Couldn't imagine if he would have had it under an overhang or nearby something flammable.

So I will give you 3 lessons from my friends unfortunate mishap.
1 If using a aluminum pot don't run on full blast for any amount of time! It may just melt away!
2 Keep a fire extinguisher handy at all times!
3 Don't leave your post! Or have someone who knows what they are doing man it for you!
You just never know what could or would happen until it does!

[Kentucky shinner]

I have noticed before that allot of those turkey fryers are not very heavy. I have alway wondered if a propane burner could possibly melt some of them... Thanks for question answered. Imagine if that would have been a wash...

[cob]

aluminum melts at 1220 degrees f. far above the flash point of any frying oil. there must have been an underlying problem. just one more good reason not to use aluminum boilers. cob

[Prairiepiss]

aluminum melts at 1220 degrees f. far above the flash point of any frying oil. there must have been an underlying problem. just one more good reason not to use aluminum boilers. cob

The only thing I can think of is the burner had a more concentrated heat pastern in one area. The aluminum isn't going to move. But the oil inside it will so as soon as the oil gets heated a little it would rise and cooler oil would take its place. Natural convection. So it wouldn't see those temps as quick as the aluminum. But the Aluminum couldn't take any more heat in that one area. I don't know I wasn't there. I don't think he knows since he wasn't out there when it happened. I just hope it helps others out. I know I won't be leaving my turkey fryer untended any more. I have a SS keg for this stuff and wont be using gas.

[TK Spirits]

Same thing happened to a friend of mine, back when I was in Boy Scouts, he had an aluminum mess kit, and left his dad's cooking pot(5L? (also Aluminum)) on the fire to boil some drinking water... walked off for 10 minutes to get a fork and a plate, came back to a puddle of water and a empty aluminum cylinder. His dad wasn't too happy..

[flip]

aluminium can ,could promote alzheimer is what i have heard

[Ruddfan]

when I started this Hobie I got a old turkey fryer and Pot
I thought it was stainless and when she gave it to me But I knew it was aluminum as soon as I saw it the Pot
had 7 pinholes in the bottom of it and this was only from frying turkeys imagine what a hot wash would do

[Prairiepiss]

aluminium can ,could promote alzheimer is what i have heard

This is misinformation that was pushed on the public. If you do the research you will find. The test samples were tainted. And or the tests were tainted.

So I'm guessing you heard wrong.