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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler 4
#14270167 - 04/11/11 12:03 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Here's the big late winter project around here. The old 55 gallon drum boiler which was entirely hand controlled had to go. It was taking up way too much of our time babysitting it to adjust pressure up and down constantly. Filling it every day by hand with a water hose got old fast in -30F weather!
But, the new one is up and fully operational now. It has a water feed valve that keep the water at the exact set-point. If the water drops 1" below the set-point, the low water cutoff switch shuts down the burner. A vaporstat controller maintains pressure right at 1 psi by cycling the gas valve to raise and lower the flame as required.
Here's a few pictures, more or less in order, starting with last summer when we built the awning and concrete slab for it to set on.
The location:

After the concrete slab was poured and set, I built two supports using concrete blocks with caps made out of 1/4" thick steel plate, framed with 1" angle iron. These are to support the weight of the boiler and sterilizer drum(s). The picture on the right below is the setup as we originally built it last summer, minus wind breaks and insulation.

The New Boiler. Work started with welding(brazing) the fittings for the boiler water feed valve. Note unions placed immediately after leaving the boiler tank. This makes disassembly for later repair much easier.

Once fittings were welded to the 55 gallon drum, it was set in place and put together. Note the concrete blocks around the burner. These serve as windbreaks, but still let sufficient combustion air in through the cracks. The half-block directly under the sight-glass is easily removable for lighting the burner.

The single regulator that served us for almost 2 years was replaced with a dual regulator and electric solenoid valve setup. The electrically operated gas valve is controlled by the Honeywell Vaporstat. The vaporstat control is calibrated in square ounces of pressure, with 16 ounces being the highest setting, which gives 1 psi.

After testing, the unit was fully insulated and then shrouded with sheet metal. The bottom part was lined with fire bricks, which direct the heat up along the sides of the boiler for maximum transfer of heat to the water. There is no part of the boiler anywhere which is too hot to touch, even right where the exhaust escapes from the fire brick.

We're getting ready to build a second sterilizer barrel to go next to the current one, which will let us sterilize 200 pounds of substrate at a time, or 300 pounds at once if I build a third sterilizer. I'm sure this boiler can supply steam to three sterilizers and still be able to heat the grow room in -30F temperatures. It's a beast, and with all the insulation, extremely efficient. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14270277 - 04/11/11 12:27 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Awesome setup RR, did you do all the work yourself or have someone licensed install it.
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 You will be missed
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eLShaMukO



Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 1,685
Loc: far away
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14270459 - 04/11/11 01:49 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Excellent work man 
what material is protecting the insulation from the outside ?
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badman


Registered: 06/14/06
Posts: 4,039
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: eLShaMukO]
#14270788 - 04/11/11 06:12 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Very nice.
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EvilMushroom666
Heretic




Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: TheShroomJew23]
#14270944 - 04/11/11 07:25 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Awesome work as always RR, thanks for sharing some of the details of your project with us. I can see it coming in handy when I finally get the chance to build my own boiler.
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: TheShroomJew23]
#14270950 - 04/11/11 07:27 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
TheShroomJew23 said: Awesome setup RR, did you do all the work yourself or have someone licensed install it.
I did everything. There's only 9 people living in the 100 square miles around our farm, so no licenses required. I'm hoping to build a second boiler this coming summer, which will be bio-fuel fired.
The material around the outside of the insulation on the boiler is sheet metal. It came from the lumber yard, sold as 30" flashing material. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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FractalXplora
Grainiack




Registered: 02/11/06
Posts: 2,494
Loc: UK
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14271258 - 04/11/11 09:14 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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looks great, what a setup, top class!
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GourmetShiitake
Stranger


Registered: 03/15/09
Posts: 129
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14271523 - 04/11/11 10:13 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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''I'm hoping to build a second boiler this coming summer, which will be bio-fuel fired.''
This part caught my attention. What do you have in mind ? Wood ? Biogas ?
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BlueLightRain
WhoaUnbrokenChain



Registered: 01/14/11
Posts: 354
Last seen: 9 years, 25 days
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14271647 - 04/11/11 10:53 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: The New Boiler. Work started with welding(brazing) the fittings for the boiler water feed valve. Note unions placed immediately after leaving the boiler tank. This makes disassembly for later repair much easier.

I love welding. This picture has it all Oxyacetylene with brazing rods? Any more info your welding setup would be great. And did you oxyacetylene the boiler cage or mig/stick weld it?
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mojoganjaman
Stranger


Registered: 07/27/10
Posts: 166
Loc: lost in the delta quadran...
Last seen: 9 years, 4 months
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: BlueLightRain]
#14272265 - 04/11/11 01:00 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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where do you source your drums???...did they contain foodstuffs previously...I need a couple but have no idea where to start looking...I'm sure old fuel oil drums would be counter productive...thanks for any help
mojo
-------------------- if the dog hadn't stopped for a shit he woulda caught the rabbit
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: BlueLightRain]
#14272381 - 04/11/11 01:23 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
BlueLightRain said: Oxyacetylene with brazing rods? Any more info your welding setup would be great. And did you oxyacetylene the boiler cage or mig/stick weld it?
Yes, I used brass because it's more flexible. I was afraid with the expansion and contraction from repeated heat cycles, the difference in temper between the sheet metal drum and the black iron fittings would fail if I used a stick rod.
I also used brazing rod on the first boiler and it lasted 18 months and was still working fine, no leaks. When the rest of the snow melts, I'm going to set up my video camera on a tripod and destroy it by banging on the fittings. I want to see how much corrosion occurred during that 18 months by finding out how hard it will be to break apart.
The 2" cage for the boiler was stick welded using 7018 rods and DC. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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freespeech
disciple



Registered: 12/12/08
Posts: 1,745
Loc: PNW
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: mojoganjaman]
#14272507 - 04/11/11 01:50 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
mojoganjaman said: where do you source your drums???...did they contain foodstuffs previously...I need a couple but have no idea where to start looking...I'm sure old fuel oil drums would be counter productive
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/12068373#12068373
Quote:
RogerRabbit said: The first thing to look for when getting drums is that they're not toxic. My green barrel, which is the boiler, originally contained olive oil, and the blue barrels all had pear juice concentrate.
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: freespeech]
#14274599 - 04/11/11 08:11 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
mojoganjaman said: where do you source your drums???...did they contain foodstuffs previously...I need a couple but have no idea where to start looking...I'm sure old fuel oil drums would be counter productive
Search online for a source in your local area. I get mine in Spokane, WA from earthworks recycling. Scroll to the bottom of that page for the barrel selection. Only use food grade. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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mojoganjaman
Stranger


Registered: 07/27/10
Posts: 166
Loc: lost in the delta quadran...
Last seen: 9 years, 4 months
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14276797 - 04/12/11 07:38 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I'd like to think soy based ink drums would work...thoughts????
mojo
-------------------- if the dog hadn't stopped for a shit he woulda caught the rabbit
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Mike711
friend


Registered: 05/22/10
Posts: 209
Loc: PNW
Last seen: 9 years, 3 months
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: mojoganjaman]
#14277085 - 04/12/11 09:29 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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thanks for making it automated. i was having a conversation with this guy the other day he was whining about having to check the pressure all the time. i told him to look into the automated shut off but hes lazy and blew me off. once again you have confirmed my theory with practical application.
i might be wrong but i thought you said that the last setup you used ran between 2 and 4 psi. what would be the difference in time you have to run since your running it at 1 psi now it if any.
Quote:
mojoganjaman said: I'd like to think soy based ink drums would work...thoughts????
mojo
every time wonder if things like this are usable i ask myself would i eat it and no i would not eat soy based ink or any ink
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Wise Toad


Registered: 06/08/10
Posts: 2,690
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: Mike711]
#14277184 - 04/12/11 10:01 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: Wise Toad]
#14277303 - 04/12/11 10:34 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Food grade barrels have a coating inside which resists rust and corrosion. Regardless if a non-food grade barrel had toxins in it or not, if it's not food grade, it won't last as long due to the missing coating. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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aris
Feline Bovine


Registered: 07/20/10
Posts: 715
Loc: dl
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14282371 - 04/13/11 06:10 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Very cool. Thanks for sharing!!!
Edited by aris (04/23/11 11:55 AM)
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Alkaloids
3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine



Registered: 11/15/98
Posts: 743
Loc: pubis mons
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: aris]
#14284213 - 04/13/11 02:09 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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sharp looking new set-up RR. I don't know anything about welding, but i know a guy who could either do that or show me how to. Thanks for posting.
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bonnahoo
A Friend



Registered: 03/06/06
Posts: 371
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Re: New Fully Automated 55 Gallon Drum Boiler [Re: Alkaloids]
#14285740 - 04/13/11 06:40 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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So, this is where the magic happens, huh? Nice place man... your house and property look amazing. The boiler looks nice too
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