Chris Frey writes:
When I started brewing some time ago, I remember being told to just tighten the gas lines “finger tight”. Perhaps over the years I have been lucky, or perhaps all those years behind a desk have lowered my PSI finger tip pressures. Regardless, please ensure you tighten them well enough.
This past Saturday, as I was preparing 30 gallons of water by pre-boiling it, I started up my burners and watched patiently as it rose from 60oto 100o. At this point, nature called and I went inside, confident that the water wouldn’t reach boiling any time soon. A few minutes later, Kris came running in the house, calling me to let me know there was a fire in the garage!
Apparently I didn’t tighten either fitting enough, as one was engulfed in flames, while the other had completely burnt through, leaving the nut attached to the burner, and the hose spitting out a three foot flame towards my wooden work bench and several full leaf bags. Fortunately, a quick turn of the gas line and all was ok, but there is a lesson here – make sure you tighten your fittings with a good deal of effort, not just a casual twist!
0 Comments