Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

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aref_naa
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Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

Post by aref_naa »

I've been doing piles of research over the past few days, and I think I've settled on some of the basic points for my boiler- I'll be working indoors out of necessity. One thing I haven't found, however, is what to do -under- a boiler when using an electric element. I'll be working on tile- will I have to insulate it to keep the floor from getting screwed up like I would with a lot of materials? If so, what would be best to use? I'll be working with a smallish boiler til I get some experience, probably a 20qt pot as I believe that's the size most easily (and cheaply) available locally.

I'm renting, so screwing up the floor would be a Bad Thing (tm).
moonshine guy
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Re: Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

Post by moonshine guy »

Well either make a stand for your pot or get yourself some 3/4 plywood to set it on!
August West
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Re: Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

Post by August West »

A feller I know just uses a couple of cinder blocks, just sayin'

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Re: Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

Post by Prairiepiss »

I've got two 2x8 planks of oak I sit mine on.
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Coaster
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Re: Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

Post by Coaster »

I ‘insulated’ the bottom of my 15.5-gallon stainless beer keg that has internal electric elements. I place some visqueen plastic on the concrete floor to ensure that none of the Great Stuff insulating foam would get on the concert floor. I then placed a piece of 28 Gauge Galvanized Sheet Metal cut slight larger than the outside diameter of the beer keg on the visqueen plastic covered concrete floor. I placed my beer keg on top the Galvanized Sheet Metal and ensured that the beer keg was correctly centered on the Galvanized Sheet Metal. I then filled the beer keg with water to ensure that the beer keg was heavy and would not shift when the Great Stuff insulating foam started to expand. I then sprayed the entire contents of a large can of Great Stuff insulating foam into the void area between the bottom of the beer keg and the Galvanized Sheet Metal and let the Great Stuff insulating foam expand into the void area. A day later the Great Stuff insulating foam had fully expanded and was completely dried. The Great Stuff insulating foam ‘Glued’ the Galvanized Sheet Metal to the bottom of the beer keg providing insulation between the beer keg and concert floor. I did this over a year ago and have boiled probably 20 or more washes in the ‘insulated’ bottom beer keg without any problems.

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Re: Electric boilers: Do you insulate your floor?

Post by Prairiepiss »

That's a cool idea coaster. After I redo my boiler I mite have to do something similar. :thumbup:
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