Still Spirits Super Reflux ideas / modifications

[OzKev]

I picked up a 5 still

Still Spirits Super Reflux 5L still
Still Spirits EZ filter
Fermenter/airlock/tap
5L graduated jug (good quality)
1L stericlean
alcometer
My winning bid was $55 ($63.05 inc fees), so I'm pretty happy with a new toy.

I already have a pot still for my rum and whiskey, so this new one is just a toy for playing. I know they are not the best still but I'm thinking of removing the packing and running it as a small pot still. Then I can make small random fruit washes and throw it through a single pass. A 5L wash is not so bad compared to a 50L to loose. So any produce I can get locally cheap will be fermented and distilled.

The other idea is to also for some neutrals/vodka as SWMBO drinks vodka, and the neutral can be hit up with the Still Spirits cordials. I'm thinking of building an extension tube. The head bolts onto the lid. So if I got an extension between the lid and head, and packed it full of some sort of packing. Has anyone done this?

[Yummyrum]

Is that the still with a single marble....or ceramic saddles.?

I tried an extension just with the 1/2" fitting and It tended to want to flood.I think the small hole was not ggod for letting liquard fall nack to the boiler with upcoming vapour...that was on my larger boiler though

Think the 5liter only has around a 900w element.

The other issue I remember was that I could not hold full reflux even with full flow through the reflux condenser....again this might be less of a problem on the smaller boiler.Also themodel with the saddles has a larger reflux jacket compared to the single marble job

[OzKev]

It's the ceramic saddles one. I was thinking about 1" for the riser, just not sure how tall.

[Yummyrum]

As it is ,your super reflux will pull 80% abv on a 20% wash.
Those ultrapure stills only have about 400-500ml packed column and push out 92-93% .

It all depends how hard you want to push it.I wouldn't go more than around 500mm with a 1" but its just my opinion

[Smbjk]

Hi oskev can you post a pick of your still so we can make a better decision on what could work. Im just throwing this out there but extend the pipe to at least 1m and pack with ss scrubbers. This might give better refluxing capabilities :handgestures-thumbupleft: which will pull higher abv

[OzKev]

Another idea my mate said last night is not modifying this one. I could use the 5L boiler and then my liebig from the pot still, and just build a new reflux column to suit. not sure best way.

[Mad]

I just bought one of these little fellas. As my very first introduction to distilling. Have 2 TPW's on the go can't wait to try it all out. How did your modifications go if any? Mine has th saddles but I will be pulling thm out and trying to jam some ss scrubbers in it but you don't get a lot of room with such a small opening at either end

[benpandaae86]

Hi mate i have a reflux with extension tower and it works pretty good mines on a adaptor on a keg boiler though (its a bit small for the keg but it works) the threaded parts are 3/4 bsb which goes out to 2" and is about a foot tall it also has a copper coil at the top to het a bit more reflux mine if packed with ceramic saddles and copper saddles normally for the t500 hope this helps

[Mad]

Thanks for the pic. Do they need that cone shape when headed back To the old column or could it be a flat top with reducer? I'm wondering if a flat top would help with condensate falling back down to be distiller again or just hinder the whole thing

[benpandaae86]

Not sure mate this is a proper still spirit upgrade but for some reason is no longer available in aus

In sayin that the vapour will take the easiest path so being square on top wont matter i would make it min 2 foot and put a double rapped coil near the top to run water throuh for more reflux

[OzKev]

I ended up scrapping modifications to mine. I decided to put the time and effort towards a boka.

I notice benpandaae86 is using the Still Spirit Reflux, and not the Super Reflux. You can tell the difference by the main reflux chamber is a lot thinner on the Reflux. I'm not sure what differences to the product it has.

I did do a few runs with mine prior to getting the boka up and running, and found a few notes
- Removing all the packing and bypass the cooling from the reflux condenser does work like a pot still.
- Stripping the TPW using a pot still first results in a much higher abv% output from the super reflux still.
- Running the cooling water faster does help the reflux, hence slowing the output a bit.
- Overall using 40% low wines, a voltage controller and increased cooling water I could achieve an avg 91-92%; which tastes very nice.

[OzKev]

benpandaae86, do you use low wines or straight from the fermenter? What speed and abv% do you achieve using that setup?

[benpandaae86]

I get about 92% but it would be alot less with out the extension tower

Im only using it till i build the bubbler with packed section

[Mad]

Thanks kev the whole wines talk etc I'm still getting my head around... I'm going for a rough entry level sniff test cuts hope I get something drinkable at the end of it lol and I'll improve from there I've lost $9 and a few weeks waiting time if it goes wrong lol first distil ever so trial and error is it for me, as long as I disgaurd the forshots (right term?) I'm going to be happy lol even if I have to re boil it and try again hoping to get near enough to 90% with hi water flow and ss scrubber packing to begin with. It's all uphill learning and lots of reading ATM lol

[Sam.]

Mad have you seen the glossary of terms can make a good read :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Mad]

Sure have Sam just tryin to remember them all and what they mean. Spent lots of time so far in there and the newbie section .So if you see me start talking bout something on some weird tangent I've either used the wrong word or am totally shat faced off what I've created lol. Possibly both so don't take it too heart.

[Sam.]

:laughing-rolling: all good mate, good to see your doing your research :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[wildburkey]

Hi Sam I hope you don't mind me jumping in on your thread, I am currently working on a SS super reflux mod myself and thought this would be the appropriate place to share. I can't take any credit for the ideas, I have compiled everything I could find on what others have shared from a number of forums etc. This is completely theoretical thus far but I am nearly ready to slap it together and give it a whorl. Main thing I am worried about at this stage is if I will have enough grunt to push it through cause I'm not sure how many watts my element is.

[wildburkey]

Here are a couple of other plumbing configurations, I be thinking 3 taps might get a bit much to control although the coil should be easy set. I'm still deciding on packing options incorporating copper saddles like ben, a centering ring if I can figure out how to insert one in the bottom reflux, and copper scrubbers.

[benpandaae86]

Ive tried a few combos but with only 1 inlet and outlet i was finding that the pc was gettin cold at the end of the run so i put the inlet on the bottom coil (on the tower) then into the r/c on the main column in the bottom then out the top and then to the p/c and out to the garden i found i got better reflux (higher abv)

Once my boiler is hot and running i remove the insulation off my column and put a fan on this adds passive reflux abv goes up a bit more i can push 95%
But water needs to be cut back when doing this as the fan drops bout 2 deg c off the temp hope this helps mate