Ball Valve Melting

[iskra092]

Hey guys,

So ive been having an issue with my ball valve getting scorched. I recently purchased a SS Brewtech 10 gallon kettle. With it, im using a Bayou Classic burner, the one pictured in the below URL.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1486418895&sr=1-3&keywords=Bayou+Classic+burner

I put the ball valve over the heat shield that covers the propane line, but it does nothing. The handle melts and the inside plastic pieces are melting as well. The heat is also causing wort to leak out of the O ring where the ball valve is inserted.

I had used this same burner previously with a bayou classic pot, almost the same dimensions with no issues.

Im kind of at a loss here, has anyone installed their own heat shield for their burners? Im going to purchase a heat shield but want some advice in making sure its being used properly. Any advice is welcome, thanks guys!

[voltron]

Turn the heat down a bit. The rubber is melting because the flames are likely licking over the side, which is wasted energy.

Or put a larger piece of sheet metal under the valve, similar to how the Boilermakers are set up.

[23152]

I want to say that those burners are 10 inch burners from lookin at the pic. 10 inch burners are large and even my 6 inch burners cause flame to round the bottom of the 10 gal kettle. Not sure if you can fabricate something to shield the ball valve, but I’ve had similar issues with even a 6inch burner. Hopefully someone can chime in with a quick fix other than replacing the burner or simply turning the heat down.
FYI: I literally wrote this as @voltron submitted his post!

[sneezles61]

you could add a short piece of pipe to get it further away from the heat… Sneezles61

[brewman]

I just use a piece of sheet metal under the valve and sight glass like @voltron no more melting.
Got the metal at ace 3 or 4 dollars.

[porkchop]

@sneezles61

you could add a short piece of pipe to get it further away from the heat…

This is what I did. Full coupler welded to the pot instead of a half coupler. Haven’t had any issues with my blichmann burner, and it throws some serious heat. I use it both for brewing and for maple syrup, and the ball valve has held up just fine over that flame thrower.

[iskra092]

Can you post a picture? Im curious to see this.

[porkchop]

Nothing special, but it gets the valve far enough away from the edge of the kettle to keep it from getting damaged from the heat.

This one’s just to show off the worksmanship of the guy that welded it. Love seeing a nice weld. (Lets see if I buggered this all up on mobile…)

[wilcolandzaat]

I did put a longer. Extention 1/2 inch conector. Between the. Kettle and the ballvale. So it sticks further away from the burner. Seems to work