The second wife build

Perforated & bubble cap plated columns

Re: The second wife build

Postby db1979 » Sat May 12, 2018 11:22 pm

Sweet :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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equipment: Eve - 4" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (sieve plates), 330 mm packed section on a keg boiler with 2 x 2000 W elements.
Currently having a makeover: 2" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (1" bubble caps, no sight glasses...maybe not for much longer!) on a bain-marie boiler.

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Tue May 22, 2018 2:12 pm

Run 9 with water only checking for leaks. I think I’m on a winner. Luckily no soldering required but plenty of panel beating easy flanges and a small shim made from a beer can to give a tri clamp a little more bite. Let her cool down now and time for a vinegar run.

Should I put the vinegar in neat? I’ve got 19l stitting here, picked it up free from local bulk produce warehouse as it’s damaged from falling off a pallet.

Getting exciting now.
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby bluc » Tue May 22, 2018 2:29 pm

Think most do 50/50 water vinegar :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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equipment: 2" pot with 2" shotty 400mm long 5x 1/2" on a t500 boiler.
50l keg boiler 4" still mount 4" sight glass 1" drain..
4 plate 4" bubbler, 600mm packed section

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Tue May 22, 2018 3:10 pm

Good man Bluc, cheers.

Bit of a newbie question, and I do remember reading something about this before but I've forgotten more than I've read.

When running just water through the still, all I've done so far. Is water output quite slow?

Running 2x2400W elements at once, I was collecting about 600ml per hour. I have no comparison to go by at this stage, but the PC worked very well, I reckon I could double the wattage and it'll cope. Water temp in was 14C with water temp out 14C with condensed water 14C. admittedly, the PC valve was running flat out.

On the PC, is it OK to run it a bit warmer?

Experience is amazing.
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Tue May 22, 2018 3:14 pm

It's so nice to be able to list my equipment now on my profile :D :happy-partydance:
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Posts: 268
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby bluc » Tue May 22, 2018 3:45 pm

600ml hour how much water flow in rc? Turn the rc water off should increase lots.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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equipment: 2" pot with 2" shotty 400mm long 5x 1/2" on a t500 boiler.
50l keg boiler 4" still mount 4" sight glass 1" drain..
4 plate 4" bubbler, 600mm packed section

Re: The second wife build

Postby coffe addict » Tue May 22, 2018 4:33 pm

Don't get hung up on numbers at this stage it all changes once you've got a proper wash in there.
It'll take a bit of fiddling to find the sweet spot, don't expect the first few runs to be any good but just chuck them in the next wash as low wines.
As the abv in the boiler is increased you'll either needs faster take off or less heat for the same result.
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Re: The second wife build

Postby coffe addict » Tue May 22, 2018 4:33 pm

Oh looks awesome too!
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equipment: 18 gal keg boiler on its side on wheel's with fill port, 1in drain and 2x2.4kw elements
4in 5 plate modular blockhead with optional infusion basket

Re: The second wife build

Postby woodduck » Tue May 22, 2018 5:04 pm

:text-+1: on coffee's comment. Water will react so much different to alcahol so will the vinegar. Don't worry about trying to set your rig on these runs just blast it through. You can reflux for a bit to wash everything but then turn all water off and let it steam out for a while, the vinegar steam will remove more gunk than condenced vinegar.
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Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Tue May 22, 2018 5:43 pm

Cool thanks guys, yeah I’m not too worried, just trying to solidify knowledge and iron out those little grey bits I don’t quite understand. Vinegar run tonight when kids go to sleep :happy-partydance:
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Posts: 268
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Tue May 22, 2018 5:44 pm

Cheers Coffee, I think she’s going to be a keeper ;-)
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Posts: 268
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Tue May 22, 2018 5:48 pm

bluc wrote:600ml hour how much water flow in rc? Turn the rc water off should increase lots.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Yep Bluc, RC turned completely off.
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Thu May 24, 2018 2:21 pm

First wash boiling away. About 30 min warm up on 2 elements then switched off one element and it took about 10min to fully load the plates. :happy-partydance:

7BC73132-349B-4F19-AC48-3A14D688FFF3.jpeg


She’s running full reflux now but some product is slowly having a drip out, so I’ve upped the water pressure from the garden hose. Still drips occasionally so I take that as normal. Both condensers are cold to touch. Awesome learning experience.

1D741B23-07C8-41D1-BBAC-698314084FC9.jpeg
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Posts: 268
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby Astro » Thu May 24, 2018 2:25 pm

What a weapon :clap: :clap:
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Re: The second wife build

Postby coffe addict » Thu May 24, 2018 5:37 pm

It depends on how to rc was designed and water temp and flow.
I designed mine to handle low waterflow and still have heaps of knock down.
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equipment: 18 gal keg boiler on its side on wheel's with fill port, 1in drain and 2x2.4kw elements
4in 5 plate modular blockhead with optional infusion basket

Re: The second wife build

Postby A&O » Thu May 24, 2018 7:18 pm

Cheers Astro.

My problem was obviously not enough water flow/pressure from the garden hose. As soon as I turned it up, no problem, even switch on the other element and it held full reflux without another drip. Very happy. It’s so satisfying to see all the hours of work put into her come to fruition. It’s also mesmerising sitting there watching the plates load the the bubbles running through the caps.

Then learning about the water control through the condensers was very interesting. With the RC shut off and both elements cranking I collected a 400ml jar in a bit over 5 min but my home made funnel at the end of the PC struggled with that rate as it doesn’t have a breather. But I needed to put a piece of copper wire on the RC needle valve and colour in every 5th rib so I had a reference for controlling the water flow. I’ve got great control of output from no output, drop per second, drop drop per second, drip drop dribble, dribble to full on flow, and everything in between. I think changes take between 1 and 2 minutes from adjusting the needle valve to output at the PC. So happy.

388C6468-2D27-485C-89FD-72B859921E60.jpeg


Well Sac run finished with 5.2L of product collected in 13 big jars. I think I need more jars and not fill so much to enable better cuts. Good experience and start of good practice.

C3D8BDCF-0FFF-497B-9F2F-F708FE16FA1F.jpeg


Put product from jar 3 into a test beaker for alchometer for a reading of 92%, jar 8 was 90% and jar 12 was 61%, so it looks like she’s a keeper. I’ll donate all this product to the cleaning fluid drum i’ve clearly marked as poison. And it’s on the top shelf so unless your 6’8” like me, you’ll need a ladder.

Just need to tidy up the coolant lines & get rid of the plastic irrigation fittings from the PC. 50L of TPW went down while the run was going. So that’s next weekend.
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Posts: 268
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equipment: 4" 7 foot Blockhead Column - 5 Plate + 500mm Packed section
50L Converted upside down keg

Re: The second wife build

Postby bluc » Thu May 24, 2018 8:23 pm

6 foot 8 :scared-eek: :D my late best mate was 6'8" I am 6'5.5" he used to make me feel small. Dang I miss that crazy bas@#$%d :laughing-rolling:
Last edited by bluc on Thu May 24, 2018 8:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Location: sunshine coast
equipment: 2" pot with 2" shotty 400mm long 5x 1/2" on a t500 boiler.
50l keg boiler 4" still mount 4" sight glass 1" drain..
4 plate 4" bubbler, 600mm packed section

Re: The second wife build

Postby woodduck » Thu May 24, 2018 8:55 pm

Looking the goods mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Glad to hear she's going well
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equipment: 4 plate 6" copper bubbler, 6 plate 4" glass bubbler with 500mm packed section three way thumper sitting on a 50 ltr keg boiler with 6000watts, 2" pot still and a 2" boka.

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