Please help me get on track

[Eki_Thump]

Hi everyone,

Following on from my hello in the welcome centre yesterday, I would like some advice to help me improve my current still please. I will attempt to upload a photo of the full system at the bottom of this message but essentially it is comprised of;

50L beer keg fitted with 2 x weldless keg king 2200W elements
I had the flange to the keg modified to accept a standard 32mm brass thread and copper stand pipe (packed with SS scrubbers)
The distillation head is the EBAY one, I have had to try some home soldering to stop leaks. I am not good at soldering, this was my first attempt so whilst it looks ordinary it did stop the leaks.
Overall height of the copper stand pipe and head is 1200mm, all brass threads are standard 32mm

I am thinking about the MacBoka kit to substitute my copper work, would this be a simple changeover? Maybe I will need to source a standard flange for the keg so a pipe clamp fitting could be used to fix it in place?

Secondly, provided I can check the integrity of the existing copper I was thinking I could remove the packing and use it as a pot still for stripping runs. With the packing installed I managed to extract 5L @ 55% from a 25L TPW on Sunday so it seems like it might be OK as a secondary still? or is the consensus to just scrap it?

I am relatively inexperienced, have completed around 12 Turbo washes and one TPW. At this stage I am only interested in making a nice neutral and on reading the forums think I should at least upgrade my still head.

I would appreciate any advice, thankyou.

Eki_Still.JPG

Eki_Stand_pipe_&_condeser.JPG

Eki_keg_flange.JPG

[coffe addict]

Hi mate I have no experience with your rig but I run a book a with a modular head. So I can remove a 1m packed section and use it for stripping or if I add the 300mm copper packed section it'll work as a pot still very versatile.
For neutral I can easily get 96% but I tend to run it through a bit quicker for the majority of the hearts and happy to get 95%.
The element on that keg are dangerous they have way to many failures and could electrocute someone. So that's the first thing I'd change.
The fsd store has much better ones available later.

Cheers and welcome

[rumdidlydum]

Is there brass in the path of alc vapour? Brass contains lead and can leach it into the product.
The spout on your keg when you remove your column is the perfect end for a 2inch tri clamp to join your new column.
Have a look at the easy flange method.
I'm prity sure that macs boka will go straight ont the keg.
Good luck mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Eki_Thump]

Thanks for the advice guys. I only just bought a replacement keg king element as one of my first bubbled at the end and no longer heats. The replacement I purchased seems to be a better manufacture, it is encased in rubber. Maybe this just hides the ceramic? All the same, I will only use the newer version and just keep the other in the pot as a plug for the moment until I can work out the new build. Thanks Coffe Addict, I also didnt think to remove the extension on my setup for stripping, this would reduce my column to around 600mm height and save a lot of time.

However, I didnt realise brass leached lead? I used brass pipe fittings sourced from plumbing supply because my still head came with one fitted to its mounting point. I used heaps of thread tape on the joints but there would still be exposure where the male brass thread screws into the stainless at the exit of the keg. Thanks rumdidlydum for bringing this up, like I said I have run a few batches through this system so likely have had my share of lead now. I have had a look at FSD and reckon you are right, there is a 3" to 2" reducer that might sleeve over the stainless extension I modded to the keg flange and then it shouldnt be a worry to join the rest of the system. Will check it out with MacStill pending any further comments / advice.

I appreciate the help fellas, thanks again.

Eki