Column Extension

[prawnz]

Hi all , I have a still spirits super reflux still that I'm about to attempt a column extension on .

I'll chuck some pictures up when i get all the bits in a couple of days , Ive finally manged to source the copper bits at a reasonable price locally , for instance 1mt of 2inch tube for $20.

Ive just got a couple of questions before I take the plunge tho if someone could help .

A couple of the threaded fittings I need are only available in brass , is brass ok in the vapour path ?

Also what would be a reasonable length of extension that i could expect to make a difference ? I'm thinking 35-40cm ?

What sort of solder do I need to sweat the components together ?

Ive been trying to buy the commercial produced extension for this still but they are no longer available so its a make my own scenario now .

Cheers Al

[warramungas]

Honestly. 2" I'd be looking at a min of 1 meter. Longer the better. So long as you have the juice to run it. Just remember to pack it with scrubbers and insulate the column.
I used to run a 700 mm and after a strip and spirit run through packing it was fine (ok).

[prawnz]

Hmm ok , 1 mt eh . Would i be looking at stability issues then ?

Insulate to eh, hadnt considered that .

[prawnz]

So this is what Ive got to work with (the first pic was just a google grab)



That nut that hold the still to the boiler lid has an insert in it , the thread iseperate from the hex bit .





Dont know about anyone else but that looks like rust in there .

[warramungas]

You can use a 12 to 18" column but for a single pass neutral you'll need to carbon filter it. My pda-1 was only a 12" (roughly) packed column and luckily all I had to do was find a longer length of 2 & 1/4" (1/8"? Cant remember) pipe to make a longer column. Made a massive and noticeable improvement to quality and speed.
I packed it with copper scrubbers from 'sifa'. Bought a 5kg roll for about $200 about 10 - 15 years ago. Probably more now.
As your condenser is screw on it shouldn't be too hard to make a column to fit it using stainless eBay bsp fittings (once you know your thread size). Could also use ferrules from mac as he'll know what you need. Either way will probably require at least some copper soldering.
I dont solder stainless. I buy fittings I can 'screw' together to make a seal.
I'm shagged and gotta get up at 3 for work tommorrow so g'night.
Good luck matey!

Aaaaaannnd GO! :)) :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Plumby]

From what I remember of myne, the extension was around 500mm long. You don't want brass in the vapour path as it may contain lead. Yes that looks like rust myne never did that, mabey give it a citric acid soak to clean it.
You can do an easy flange on the end of your extension and solder it to the lid of the boiler that way you don't need to use that rusty nut.
I have been using the tradeflame brand flux and solder from Bunnings, its lead free, it comes in a combo pack with some emery paper to clean everything before you solder it together.

[prawnz]

Thanks Plumby

So is that to say some brass may not contain lead ?

[Plumby]

Well yes but its like fucking a hooker with no rubber, she might say she is clean but do you really wanna take the risk?

[coffe addict]

Love your analogy there plumby another would be a politician saying the fall from a cliff top won't hurt or tax cuts for billionaires is good for the working man lol

The boka I had had 1.3m under the take off 1m of stainless scrubbers and 300mm of copper off cuts as a catalyser at the top. It produced by all accounts very good neutral and I never bothered with carbon filtering.

Good luck

[prawnz]

Took the plunge , bloody deep water here tho :scared-eek:

Got all the bits for $48 . Have a mtr of 2inch , unsure how tall to make it yet . Couple of things to consider , will the single element in my boiler be enough to push up a full mtr and how stable will it be ? Stability I cam overcome with a brace or two .

[Zak Griffin]

Not real keen on all of that brass :think:

I'd leave it at 1m long, this will give you the most flexibility when you cut it up and use it for a PC and bubblecaps on a bubbler :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[coffe addict]

Mine at 1.3m ran fine on 2kw

I also don't think the brass is a good idea. You should be able to do it with stainless parts, harder to solder but it won't be poisoning you.

[prawnz]

The brass is going to have a copper sleeve running right thru it at both ends , so the vapor path will be all copper , had to go with the brass fittings to get the threaded couplings i needed .

Will my single 2400w element be up to the job to push it up a mtr ?

I'm also seeing threads n pics that show cooling coils around these extensions , yet I think it was Rummy that said to insulate this column ?

[coffe addict]

2.4kw is heaps as I said above I ran 2kw with 1.3m and it was fine. Just make sure you get some good insulation around it so your not loosing all the heat.

[Zak Griffin]

You only want the reflux condenser at the top of the still, not all the way down...

[rumdidlydum]

Still not keen on the brass fitting ither, even though you said you have a copper tube going right through, the end will still be in contact. :-B

Yes by insulating the column you will have a better thermal eficancy and it will retain the heat. :D

[prawnz]

Still not keen on the brass fitting ither, even though you said you have a copper tube going right through, the end will still be in contact. :-B

:D

OK yeh , I see what you mean . It will only happen on the topend tho , on the bottom end I'm going to take the 3/4 tube right thru and flare it slightly so it marrys with the nut under the lid n thats the original nut and the inner bit is not brass . So on the top I'm thinking take the 1/2 inch thru the fitting a couple of mm and solder a copper washer on the end to fit .
Thoughts ?
The guy at the suppliers where I got the gear said "no no its lead free brass" but I'll ere on the side of caution and cover it all up :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[prawnz]

You only want the reflux condenser at the top of the still, not all the way down...

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Plumby]

If that's a still spirits boiler you are using they are only 1380 watt elements not 2400 have you replaced the element?

[warramungas]

Mate. You've gone to all this trouble, why not go the whole hog and build a boka or Nixon stone still? Easier to control with a bit less mucking around. Put a coil in the top of your meter of pipe. You'll lose about 300 mm of length. I know it sucks you've got that still head and end up not using it but believe me it will be better.
The pieces you've bought wont be a loss as you should be able to exchange them for the bits you need.
And is your pipe 50 or 54 mm outside diameter? (looks 50).