Turkeuy Fryer Smelting Fail!!!!

[casterofboolits]

I've been smelting using an old plumbers pot for about 30 years. It's a real hassle getting it filled these days. I have to drive 25 miles to a commercial yard and be there between 8:00 and 8:30 AM. A real PIA.

So I paid $20.00 for a turkey fryer at a yard sale and a buddy gave me a 4 qt. dutch oven. Filled it about half full with indoor range scrap, put a sheet metal ring around the pot.....3.5 hours later.....No melted lead!

Any ideas? Can you get different burners for these things.

Guess, I'll be getting up early in the morning.

[Gliden07]

Do you have any pics of the burner?? Not trying to be a wise guy but was the burner air adjusted, burner turned up etc... The only other thing would be the regulator?

[Defcon-One]

It is probably a clogged regulator or improper gas to air ratio as stated above.

Tip: It should roar like a jet engine if it is working right. It takes no more than 10-15 minutes to smelt 60-70 pounds in my 7 quart dutch oven on my turkey fryer. If the flame is yellow, something is wrong. My flame is loud and all blue when cranked up to full power.

[jmort]

It takes so little to smelt, here are two guys with a Mickey Mouse set-up, bottom cut off an office waste paper basket and a Coleman single burner propane stove, and showing us all how easy it is to smelt with simple equipment found around the house at around 5:40 of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh4mdoR4Tdk

[casterofboolits]

It is probably a clogged regulator or improper gas to air ratio as stated above.

Tip: It should roar like a jet engine if it is working right. It takes no more than 10-15 minutes to smelt 60-70 pounds in my 7 quart dutch oven on my turkey fryer. If the flame is yellow, something is wrong. My flame is loud and all blue when cranked up to full power.

No roar . May have been the tank was low on pressure and needs to be filled. I'm going to fill the old plumbers pot and then experiment with the turkey fryer later. The flame was yellow.

[BK7saum]

Yeah. Something was not right. On another note. I have found range scrap with intact jackets doesn't melt well without a little lead already in the bottom. The jackets hold the rest of the lead off the bottom.

[twotoescharlie]

high pressure and low pressure burners, high pressure works much better.

TTC

[DRNurse1]

+1 for twotoescharlie. I tried the conventional (low pressure) too and it does not melt lead. Bought the high pressure regulator, mine has a red knob to adjust the flow, and now I have to watch I do not melt the steel frame. Turns cherry red each time I use it so I think I will have to replace it annually.

[bbwhais]

Possible dirty or clogged air intake. I use a low pressure burner and have found that spiders and tiny critters can foul up the air intake if the stove is left unused for a long time. On my burner there is a screen with an adjustment cover that turns to change air flow. To clean it carefully remove the cover then the screen. Use compressed air to blow out any crud and spider webs. Reassemble and see if tbere is an improvement. Give it a try. As for increasing heat output, if it has a cast iron burner, i have use a drill to open up the holes to increase the volume of fuel coming through the the burner itself.

[Defcon-One]

Yellow flame means it is not getting enough air (oxigen). Open the slide valve on the bottom of the burner. It rotates to let in more or less air. Yes, tanks must have gas in it and regulator must work right.

Good luck.

[casterofboolits]

Thanks for the info guys! I at least now have some concept of how to set up the turkey fryer burner after I run the plumbers pot dry. I did get up early and made the run to have it filled this morning.