BG-14, the rise and fall of the flame

[ColeR]

first off i make sure i start with full tanks...

when i start up a single burner it sounds like a jet engine, but slowly over time (45min-1hr) the roar subsides to just a 1 inch flame with all the valves open?

So when i get to the boiling of the Wort i have to change propane tanks and i get the roar again. but it also slowly subsides.

what gives?

Why is this happening?

 

[day_trippr]

Tank or regulator freezing up?

 

[JRems]

It might be freezing up, try pouring hot water over the regulator and tank

 

[ColeR]

I'm thinking the tank, but how does a tank freeze? it happens on all of my tanks, and i got 4 of them, they're not old tanks.

I know the outside gets a nice layer of frost/ice. last nite it was below freezing while i was brewing.

maybe i should experiment with putting the tank in a bucket with warm water to see if makes any difference. (not covering the valve).

its just frustrating, it is lowering my Efficiency, i know it!!!! my last batch of Blonde was only 63%

 

[kellanv]

Propane in the tank is partially liquid and partially gas. As the gas portion is used, the liquid portion evaporates to fill the "head space" in the tank. As the liquid evaporates it also cools down. If you use too much propane too quickly, the liquid will not have the ability to keep up, and will start evaporating as fast as it can which will eventually chill the whole tank. In some cases with siphons, the liquid can be pulled into the regulator. You are most likely using a lot of propane and the tank can't keep up. Keeping it warm will help. Good luck!

 

[ColeR]

Well my next batch is in about 2-3 weeks, i'll post a update. after a bucket of warm water us used..

 

[stlbeer]

I had the same issue and the propane is freezing up in the tank. I've actually had them freeze to my driveway in 50*F weather. I have multiple tanks so now I use 1 tank for my strike & sparge water and a different one for the boil. No more problems there.

 

[yjfun]

You can help to fight the problem by using a larger propane tank as well as putting the tank in a bucket of water. It doesn't even have to be warm water but the more water the better. It has to do with the amount of thermal mass that gets cooled by the expanding propane.

 

[isurf]

You may want to check the size of your jets. When I got my BG-14 they came with the wrong size jets. If you have a high pressure reulator you need high pressure jets.