Propane grill/burner advice

[TheNamelessPoet]

So I've got a 3 burner turkey frier grill. I just got a new pan, but I'm not sure I'm optimizing it here.

How far do I want the pan away from the burner/flame? atm it is about an inch if that.

I am getting a pretty distinct area directly above where the burner is, in the middle section of the divided pan. the 2 outside 9nes get a slight boil on the edge of the middle but the middle boils well.

Should I lift the pan with bricks about 2-3 inches to try and spread the heat out?

I guess I'll have to upload the picture from the computer since my phone isn't letting me.

[TheNamelessPoet]

Here is a quick video
https://youtu.be/5O7Wqdhc8MU

[TheNamelessPoet]

Here is the picture of the Burners on the bottom of the pan.

https://imgur.com/a/zR8L4Da

[SDdave]

Nameless Poet,

Check out this thread, I think it may help.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?33812-New-Pan-and-propane-question

I run a 2x4 SL continuous flow, and I've experimented a bunch with the turkey fryer style burners. What I've seen is most have an effective boiling diameter of about 11". The stand in the picture in the above thread is adjustable as well (if memory serves correctly I think it was made to be adjustable by my FIL so I stopped asking for adjustments:confused:), I have never adjusted it since after finding the right height. I can measure that distance later tonight if you would like.

SDdave

[TheNamelessPoet]

The 3 burner rings on mine appears to be larger that, but that is an excellent point about the effective boiling diameter. Now did you find that when your burners were further away you had a lot of heat loss, or that you could effectively get a slightly larger diameter?

I do like the idea of yours having 2 rows of burners like that however.

I was thinking of using the frame I have currently, and putting few (4-6) longer and skinnier burners on it. This is the one but this kind of burner. https://www.flamecreation.com/18-u-burner Obviously it has to be capable of high BTU's which might be why the turkey fryer ones like what you have, are better.

[TheNamelessPoet]

Nameless Poet,

Check out this thread, I think it may help.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?33812-New-Pan-and-propane-question

I run a 2x4 SL continuous flow, and I've experimented a bunch with the turkey fryer style burners. What I've seen is most have an effective boiling diameter of about 11". The stand in the picture in the above thread is adjustable as well (if memory serves correctly I think it was made to be adjustable by my FIL so I stopped asking for adjustments :confused:), I have never adjusted it since after finding the right height. I can measure that distance later tonight if you would like.

SDdaveI forgot to say, yes I would love if you could measure it thank you! I am thinking about using brick to raise it 2-4 inches higher so its 3-5" above, but still has the brick around the edge to help hold in the heat. I am just concerned with the heat retention of the brick burning the pan. I don't THINK it is an issue, but... that is one heck of a mistake lol.

[SDdave]

Nameless Poet,

Just measured top of burner to the bottom of the pan & it is 2". TBH I do have a problem wanting to crank up the burners to get boiling faster. While doing that the sides get extremely hot, which causes the boiling sap to start to burn on the sides. If that happens dont scrub, dont use any cleaner just fill with water above any burnt sugar, heat to boiling and use a light sponge when you can tolerate the water temp. It comes right off.

You had mentioned using bricks, and I assume fire bricks. Those should not "burn" your pan at all. Remember air flow for your burners so dont choke them out.

The biggest issue you will have to conquer is heat distribution. From my experience if you dont have even heat you will be making syrup on the "hot" side and it will more batch boiling then a continuous flow. Not a horrible problem at all just something to consider.

Just wanted to throw some issues/solutions that I've come up with over the years. I'm on year 7 now with this pan and 9 or 10 with this current propane assembly.

BTW nice thinking on doing the RO! You'll love it more & more every year!

SDdave

[TheNamelessPoet]

Nameless Poet,

Just measured top of burner to the bottom of the pan & it is 2". TBH I do have a problem wanting to crank up the burners to get boiling faster. While doing that the sides get extremely hot, which causes the boiling sap to start to burn on the sides. If that happens don't scrub, don't use any cleaner just fill with water above any burnt sugar, heat to boiling and use a light sponge when you can tolerate the water temp. It comes right off.

You had mentioned using bricks, and I assume fire bricks. Those should not "burn" your pan at all. Remember air flow for your burners so don't choke them out.

The biggest issue you will have to conquer is heat distribution. From my experience if you dont have even heat you will be making syrup on the "hot" side and it will more batch boiling then a continuous flow. Not a horrible problem at all just something to consider.

Just wanted to throw some issues/solutions that I've come up with over the years. I'm on year 7 now with this pan and 9 or 10 with this current propane assembly.

BTW nice thinking on doing the RO! You'll love it more & more every year!

SDdave

I ran into the burning along the outside edges last year on the small pan, but this one, is designed specifically for this grill frame which is AWESOME. I kind you not, it does not overhang even 1/8 of an inch which is actually a problem lol. I may get some steel channel and just put that on the inside edge of the grill frame to raise it up to above the lip. That will get me over an inch away anyway, without creating an opening on the sides for the heat to escape. In hindsight I probably should have gotten a flat pan, but the allure of the divided pan with all the fixin's sucked me in lol.

I most likely will be taking it very close (around 58-60 Brix) on the pan for now anyway and finishing it inside on the stove. I have to pretty much batch it anyway because I don't have that much (sap or time.)
Thanks about the RO, I expanded this year so the RO was the only way to do it lol. Hey that alone even if I only run it 1 time, to 4-5%, cuts my boil time in half so a couple hours at night won't be until the AM, and still getting up early. When it becomes a chore, it isn't fun anymore.

The burners get enough O2 from below, it is wide open like yours, but I was thinking about getting some insulation and then wrapping the whole thing in it above the bottom opening, with some type of flashing along the outside. Keeping as much heat going "up" to the pan as possible.