Still Spirits Super Reflux ideas / modifications

[benpandaae86]

My tower is just full of ceramic and copper saddles this is how i purchased it and it works
I added a ss scubber cut in half to the top of the tower and bottom of the column to to increase surface area

I did soak my whole unit in citric acid for 2 days to remove all the nasties as well

[wildburkey]

Thanks Ben, I had just drawn this thinking of your hint from our earlier discussion on another thread, you beat me to it. How many watts are you running in your boiler? I'm also thinking it would be cool to try experimenting with different lengths of threaded copper in between the reflux's.

[benpandaae86]

I have one of macs 3600 w elements splint into 2 1800 elements

I use 2 to get up to temp and drop back to 1 and wind down to the orginal power of the element for that still 1380w

[wildburkey]

Cool, it's going to be interesting to see how long the next run will take me. I have just joined the two reflux condensers using a threaded chrome plated brass connection for now. I know I shouldn't do this but I realised I am already using one connecting boiler pot to the reflux supplied with my still from SS.
Here is a picture of where I am at with it now I still haven't bought the taps to control the cooling water flow, I am going to give it a test run just in pot still mode in the next few days.

[benpandaae86]

It wont be any faster just higher abv%

[wildburkey]

Just realised this is prob not going to work so well because the connector over hangs on the insides of the reflux's. :angry-banghead: I will keep looking for some threaded copper. And yeah I was thinking it will run slower with the extra height and reflux.

[benpandaae86]

I used a 3/4 bsp ss nipple on mine

[wildburkey]

Ok thanks, I assume you soldered the thread or they were short enough. Do you have any overhang inside the reflux's?

[benpandaae86]

I only made up a adaptor to my keg but a washer to increase surface area where it screws together

[wildburkey]

Cool, thanks again. I was thinking of using washers and I reckon I'm going to have to because if I solder the thread on the top of the bottom reflux I can't remove the packing to clean it. Going to go try find some washers now and will test to see if it will leak.

[benpandaae86]

Im pretty sure i used 1"ss washer but had to file them a lil bit to fit it was a while ago

[Mad]

seeing as you cant purchase these extensions any longer and threaded copper etc seems to be hard to find AND given my difficulties i just had controling mine on top of my keg it got me thinking couldnt you easily find 2inch threaded SS tube use a reducer or 2 on it and end up with a very easily packed extension tube, with 1 coil of copper wrapped around to aid reflux like on the originals. only down side i saw was the heat transition compared to using copper tube. any thoughts from ppl?

[wildburkey]

I'm no expert but I can't see why not mad! I ran the mod in pot still mode the other night and it took 3hr, 50min to run down to 20% ABV, I had never run in pot still mode before the mod so I can't give a time comparison sorry. It took roughly 30min extra to raise the top part of the column to working temp so I would guess other than taking longer to warm up and start it would be roughly the same speed.

[Mad]

Ay wild you probably want to look at changing that offtake tube to copper pipe. Plastic doesn't handle high abv too well

[wildburkey]

Yeah I have been thinking that Oz, I might try make a distillers parrot while I am at it to get some experience copper soldering. Thanks for the tip :-)

[wildburkey]

I stripped two more 25L washes today in pot still mode and just charged the still with 18L of 40% low wines to run with the modified reflux set up. So now is the moment I have been waiting for, I will keep you up to date how it goes!

[wildburkey]

Turned the still on about 11pm and finished the run at 4am. Probably not too bad considering I collected feints down to 10%. I'd Guess I have about 2 - 2.5L of nice warm creamy hearts @ roughly 80% ABV. I will give exact amounts once I have aired it out and cut, I'm still learning the cuts side of things and think I might be a bit picky in what I'm taking however. Having the reflux cooling on a separate tap gave better control although it was so touchy a needle valve would work best.

[wildburkey]

I ended up with 5L of 45% neutral which I have added oak chips to this morning. Best I have produced yet although I really can't say what difference the mod has made other than having a bit more control over the speed because I don't think I got my cuts right on previous runs before modifications were made.

[Sam.]

I just got one of these little stills second hand, I know its not great but it was very cheap. I plan to extend it to see if I can get it refluxing better.
The biggest concern I have is cleaning this... I don't think it was being used for alcohol, it has a strong wacky green banned burned leaf smell that makes your head spin :shock:

Any ideas on cleaning this thing?
cheers

[Sam.]

Try this :handgestures-thumbupleft: