Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

croweater wrote:STARTED LEAKING :-o its brand spanking new isn't it fuck that I'd be on the vendors case

Yeah I have been, I emailed him this morning, and he has been in contact with the manufacturer today. Apparently there could be a problem where the small column meets the black end piece at the top, so it was suggested I try to manipulate it into position. He is now asking for the serial number of the condenser which I will send him tomorrow.

audistiller wrote:Apparently there could be a problem where the small column meets the black end piece at the top, so it was suggested I try to manipulate it into position.

What exactly do they mean by " manipulate it back into position" Does anyone here own one of these stills that doesnt or hasnt at some stage leaked there????
Not trying to bag them out...........just pointing out that it is a very common problem.....and that just maybe the manurfacturer should have remedied the problem long ago.

Its a well known problem with these stills - they rely on using a little clip attached to the reflux coil (copper tube out of the end cap) to apply pressure to keep it sealed. giving the cap a little tap will probably put it right, or if you're wanting to fix it permanently it will take 5 mins to disassemble and reassemble with a wrap of ptfe tape.

SBB wrote:What exactly do they mean by " manipulate it back into position" Does anyone here own one of these stills that doesn't or hasn't at some stage leaked there???? Not trying to bag them out...........just pointing out that it is a very common problem.....and that just maybe the manufacturer should have remedied the problem long ago.

I told the guy yesterday that I bought mine from that many people are having these issues, and I expect he passed that on to the manufacturer. From what I understand, it must dislodge somehow and need to be pushed back in to make it seal properly. I shouldn't need to be fixing something that shouldn't have happened in the first place, especially something brand new that I have only owned for two weeks.

Al Qaemist wrote:Its a well known problem with these stills - they rely on using a little clip attached to the reflux coil (copper tube out of the end cap) to apply pressure to keep it sealed. giving the cap a little tap will probably put it right, or if you're wanting to fix it permanently it will take 5 mins to disassemble and reassemble with a wrap of ptfe tape.

Thanks for that, I don't want to start pulling it to pieces just yet in-case I have to take it back, otherwise they might see I tampered with it, and say its my fault, but I will keep that in mind, and I will pass on the information you posted and suggest he forwards it to the manufacturer. I'm going to send him the serial number he requested and see what happens. I wont be waiting weeks months to hear back, if he doesn't reply in a few days, I will push all the buttons I need too.

I don't regret buying this product just yet, it is a good easy way to learn before building something myself in the next 12 months or so.


Regards

I got mine at the beginning of their production, serial 1029 and I have never had a leak.

Its water that was leaking from mine, although it was at the very start of the run before alcohol production, so I gather it must be the cooling water under slight pressure being forced out. I cant remember who it was, but someone here mentioned they had alcohol leaking from theirs. I would be interested to know actually how many people here using the Turbo 500 have problems with their units leaking.


Regards

Mine leaked alcohol from the end cap- I put it right myself, but only because the manufacture was at the other side of the planet. You might see a leak from around the cooling output\thermo housing - this is just a threaded fitting and a little turn will tighten it up.

Mine leaked from the end cap.........Ive had the other water leak problem too.......in my case the water leak problem was from having to much water pressure to the still while having the needle valve fully off.................I turned the kitchen tap down a bit and solved the problem.

SBB wrote:Mine leaked from the end cap.........Ive had the other water leak problem too.......in my case the water leak problem was from having to much water pressure to the still while having the needle valve fully off.................I turned the kitchen tap down a bit and solved the problem.

Turning the tap down won't change the pressure?

only the flow.

yeah ya right 5Star............its a fair while ago now.......thinking more about it Im begining to think the needle valve was open and that I turned the main kitchen sink tap down to reduce the flow......anyway it stopped the problem.

I got an email reply today from the place I purchased mine, he just wanted to let me know the distributor has all the info, and he is awaiting a reply from them. I replied back with a further list of comments I have found around the net, showing what a widespread problem this is, hopefully this will shake them up into finally doing something about it.


Regards

Will have a look for the serial number on my T500 after I finishing moving house as mine has never leaked.

Al Qaemist wrote:Mine leaked alcohol from the end cap- I put it right myself, but only because the manufacture was at the other side of the planet. You might see a leak from around the cooling output\thermo housing - this is just a threaded fitting and a little turn will tighten it up.

If I remember correctly, yours has never been the same since you "played" with it :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

QLD.Andy wrote:If I remember correctly, yours has never been the same since you "played" with it :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

A hacksaw tends to have that affect :))

In all seriousness - I took mine to bits several times, and rebuilt it better than it arrived with me with no ill consequences. It was time to move on and I cut it to make a dedicated gin still - I now use something simpler for that too, so its on the spares pile for the "next thing" what ever that will be
The coil\cooling thermo housing might get a new use - someday

Al Qaemist wrote:and rebuilt it better than it arrived with me with no ill consequences.

Without getting deep into the details, what did you do when you rebuilt your T500...?

I wouldn't mind building a new T500 column sometime with a similar design just improving it, maybe up scaling it a bit. I thought it would take longer than it has, but I am already keen to build a master piece, I just need to learn a fair bit more than I do to know what I'm doing. I have the metal working skills, I've been welding all my working life, and I am pretty anal about quality & presentation, I just don't know what to build & what all the parts are for. Fuck I need a workshop, I miss being able to make shit.

Oh crap, there`s another all nighter reading, reading and more reading (-|


Regards

audistiller wrote:Without getting deep into the details, what did you do when you rebuilt your T500...?

Just to fix the leak from the cap

remove the packing
unscrew the 2 brackets holding the condenser on - remove the condenser
unscrew the cooling thermo probe housing (careful to retain the o-ring) - push the threaded connection into the column.
remove the cap with the coil still attached - wrap a few winds of PTFE tape, and reassemble.

Update:
Well, what can I say, the guy I bought this unit from has been bloody great to deal with, and replying to my emails trying to sort out this issue. The Distributor has also been pretty quick to respond to him with a resolution. The Distributor has acknowledged the problem, and they are sending me directly, a Brand New Condenser tomorrow, so I am supposed to receive it early next week. Its been 6 days from when I sent the first email, and regardless of anything else, I think that's pretty good support from where I sit.

Nothing was mentioned about sending this one back, so unless there is something in the box when the new one arrives asking me to return it, looks like I will have two T500`s for the price of one, how good is that Andy. :teasing-neener:



Regards

You'll have one T500 and a spare faulty condensor you mean... :teasing-neener:

5Star wrote:You'll have one T500 and a spare faulty condensor you mean... :teasing-neener:

ThatsActuallyWhatIMeantPunkin :laughing-rolling:

when you replace the condenser , mind put a photo up of the old one . Just out of interest , I've looked at mine and without splitting the pipe it can't leak .