How many BTU's burner to melt lead

[terryt]

Hi:

Is a burner that puts out 30,000 BTU’s enough to melt lead say 20-50 pounds at a time?
Any suggestions on burners.

Thanks,
Terryt

[olafhardt]

There are 3413 btu per 1000 watts so your burner is about 9000 watts (9kw). Ithink my four pound melter is 500 watts. 9000 /500=18. 18x4=72. So you should be okay.

[MT Gianni]

Standard water heater burner is 30,000-36,000 BTU. It should be OK.

[terryt]

Thanks Everyone.

Terryt

[lwknight]

A 30k burner will git er done but a 60k burner will rock.

[midnight]

The $30 fish fryer from Bass Pro that some of us use is advertised at 58,000 BTUs. I can testify it really works. I put a circular wind shield 24in high around 3/4 of it. I might try moving the burner a little closer to the pot and see if that will make it even better.

Bob

[cajun shooter]

What most people forget or have never learned is that propane burners are in two types that look the very same but work quite different. You have low pressure which we use in our outdoor burners for frying and cooking all the great cajun dishes like sauce piquant. We then have the high pressure which is for boiling large pots of seasoned water for crawfish and crabs. The difference is the jet size and the regulator used. Some burners may be used with either system and some are only used for one purpose. We have burners made from welding tips that roar so loud that you can't talk beside them. Those are for boiling and for fast smelting. A old gas hot water heater banjo burner is used for cooking fish and low pressure. It will work on the smelting job but at a slower pace.

[DJ1]

I prefer a 15,000 but burner with low pressure regulator. It takes a bit longer but is easy to control temp as not to get magnesium in melt and get clips out all at the same time.

In a pinch I have used my dutch oven and a coleman "white gas" camp stove, this is my favorite if the nosey neighbors are watching. The reactions of people vary greatly to this. The smoldering of the crud, the flash at flux. I have actually made freinds over the process.

DJ1

[rayzer]

The $30 fish fryer from Bass Pro that some of us use is advertised at 58,000 BTUs. I can testify it really works. I put a circular wind shield 24in high around 3/4 of it. I might try moving the burner a little closer to the pot and see if that will make it even better.

Bob

I moved the burner up on my fryer. I now use much less propane, when smelting.:bigsmyl2:

[hunter64]

What most people forget or have never learned is that propane burners are in two types that look the very same but work quite different. You have low pressure which we use in our outdoor burners for frying and cooking all the great cajun dishes like sauce piquant. We then have the high pressure which is for boiling large pots of seasoned water for crawfish and crabs. The difference is the jet size and the regulator used. Some burners may be used with either system and some are only used for one purpose. We have burners made from welding tips that roar so loud that you can't talk beside them. Those are for boiling and for fast smelting. A old gas hot water heater banjo burner is used for cooking fish and low pressure. It will work on the smelting job but at a slower pace.

I have an old coleman campstove that I mounted a 35,000 btu water heater burner in and it melts lead just dandy.

For some reason I am now hungry. :mrgreen:

[happy7]

This will get your smelting done in a hurry for less than $81 delivered. I can dip 250 pounds out of it before the ladle scraps bottom. I added a 100,00 btu high pressure burner also from amazon for another $35 or so and it flat melts lead in a hurry. Cast Iron pot from Amazon. (http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-16-Quart-Perforated-Aluminum/dp/B00062WTO2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1302922667&sr=8-1)

A low pressure burner will not get the job done with this pot.

My old setup was a pot that held about 65 pounds and it worked ok with a regular colman burner.