 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 6
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"Hey guys,
I'm heating up 2 gallons of water in my new premium kettle to test for leaks, and I'm seeing something very strange.
I have the kettle sitting on the diffuser plate, on top of a glass stovetop. Almost immediately after turning on the heat, the entire unit began rocking violently. I actually had to hold my arm down on the top to limit the rocking. Just letting go for 10 seconds will cause the kettle to rock completely off the burner.
Is this common and is there anything I can do to prevent this??? Thanks!"
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 Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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While this is not common (yours is only the third such problem reported) we are working with the company that produced these parts to find a quick resolution.
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 6
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"Thanks Rick, I topped the kettle up to 5 gallons of water after that, to see maybe if it was just too little water initially but the rocking is still there.
Is this issue primarily seen with the premium kettles? Would I be better off switching over to the standard kettle?"
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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We have never hit this issue with the standard kettle, and only three times with the premium kettle, so I have to assume at the moment that it is confined to the premium kettles, and likely due to the larger diameter and weight of the liquid per square inch. If you would like to e-mail me directly, we do have a fix that we can supply you with.
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 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/4/2010(UTC) Posts: 360   Location: Louisiana
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I have the premium kettle. The only time mine has ever rocked is when the liquid inside it is cool and I apply too much heat to it. When mine starts to rock I just turn the heat down a bit, until every thing heats up. |
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/4/2010(UTC) Posts: 360 Location: Louisiana
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" Originally Posted by: foursnow  Thanks Rick, I topped the kettle up to 5 gallons of water after that, to see maybe if it was just too little water initially but the rocking is still there.
Is this issue primarily seen with the premium kettles? Would I be better off switching over to the standard kettle? Stick with that premium kettle. Its hands down the best." |
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 6
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Thanks Bayou-Ruler, I will try that! I noticed that the rocking was a lot more pronounced on the diffuser plate, rather than right on the stove - maybe the diffuser plate was heating up too quickly for the liquid?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/4/2010(UTC) Posts: 360 Location: Louisiana
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Originally Posted by: foursnow Thanks Bayou-Ruler, I will try that! I noticed that the rocking was a lot more pronounced on the diffuser plate, rather than right on the stove - maybe the diffuser plate was heating up too quickly for the liquid? Give it a shot, it works for me. I always use the diffuser plate & I heat my kettle with this:  |
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 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/7/2010(UTC)
Posts: 14
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"I thought it was because the diffuser was not completely flat.
I have to shim it each time with pieces of aluminum foil.
Rick, I'd like to know about the fix also.
K"
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/4/2010(UTC) Posts: 360 Location: Louisiana
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" Originally Posted by: kvenable I thought it was because the diffuser was not completely flat.
I have to shim it each time with pieces of aluminum foil.
Rick, I'd like to know about the fix also.
K Far as I can tell my diffuser plate is flat. My kettle will only rock when the contents are cool and the heat is fairly high. If I back off the heat a bit and give everything time to warm up it wont rock, not even with the heat wide open. I'll go you one better than that! One time I was running the kettle with my pot still head on it to do some stripping runs. I had the heat cranked up pretty good and kettle actually began to jump up and down and pop & crackle sorta like pop corn. backed the heat off a bit and guess what? It stopped. It never occur ed to me that this was abnormal behavior. I always figured it was from heating it up to fast and the contents being out of equilibrium." |
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"My standard Brewhaus boiler and my keg will all rock on my propane burner. The way I totally eliminated this was with boiling chips. I now use rashig rings in the kettle, but have used pea gravel, broken unglazed terra cota planting pots even pennies a time or 2. Enough to coat the entire bottom a 1/4 inch or so. It stops the big gas bubbles from forming and booming explseivly. Creats tiny bubbles more like a simmer. Stopped it for me completely and also quieter. This will also help with foaming and pucking into the column.
Foursnow. I have 3 pressure canners. Each one warned not to use on a glass top stove. The weight and diameter could damage and break it. Much less a big pot of wash and column and the dancing around on top. Rick also used to sell a permanant glue to attach the diffuser to the kettle.
HTH"
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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Kvenable- please e-mail and I will explain the fix for you.
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 2
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"I too got the rocking while doing my test run to check for steam leaks.
When I ran my first wash I got less intense rocking and it stopped faster. My guess for the speed is that instead of testing on the indoor stove I was distilling outside on a propane burner and was able to reach a temperature equilibrium faster.
In a nutshell, I don't have any problem with the few short minutes it's rocking. Consider it a character feature!:)"
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/8/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5
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"This happens consistantly with mine; however, this action seems more pronounced with electric. Once heated to temp the rocking subsides, then stops. I believe this is the result too rapidly heating the project and that the plate, or the bottom of the kettle expands from the center out, getting hotter in the center of the plate or kettle bottom than the outer edge causing the bottom to bow out until the overall contraption is up to temp.
Boiling chips help to some extent.
I've really seen little difference when using the diffusion plate or not with this issue, while the difusion plate makes for a smoother run.
Just my best guess from half a dozen or so runs."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/14/2009(UTC)
Posts: 92
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"All stills dance, just to different tunes ! that is why you use the chain at top just in case.
popapina"
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