Gas heated mash tun

[Jaxmickey]

Happy post thanksgiving all. I have a turkey fryer burner that I heat my mash in an aluminum kettle. I'm spending the entire 60/90 min staring at the thermostat, reheating and stirring. Without buying a recirc system or an electric temp monitoring system, is there anything I can do (on the lass expensive side) to hold my temps longer and allow me to take my eyes off the tstat so I can get other things done? Please don't suggest a cooler.... just something to modify my current equipment.

~Cheers~

 

[brick_haus]

Wrap a towel around the mash tun. Should be able to get one at a thrift shop for under a buck. Shouldn't need the burner if its insulated.
Do not use anything flammable if heating with gas...

 

[beernutz]

Like brick haus said, some type insulation like reflectix is probably your best bet without resorting to HERMS or RIMS. I added reflectix to the sides and lid of my HLT before I ended up modifying it into a HERMS vessel and it worked pretty well to keep temps stable. It does melt though so you have to be careful when applying flame to the bottom. I guess some type of fiberglass insulation like people sometimes wrap around water heaters would also work as long as it wasn't flammable.

The type metal and thickness of your mash tun is also a factor in the heat loss.

 

[day_trippr]

A fiberglass welding blanket folded and wrapped tight will work - and survive...

Cheers!

 

[skraeling]

A towel sounds like a terrible idea to have near an open flame...

 

[brick_haus]

A towel sounds like a terrible idea to have near an open flame...

Clarified

 

[skraeling]

Clarified

Its also kind of in the op's thread title

 

[dokken5]

If you are not going to use a cooler, you are going to watch the thermometer. Maybe you could get a wireless camera to fix on it.