My first reflux build (tips and advice Please)

[Hidden1]

Hi everyone i am designing my first build of a reflux column and would like any tips and advice on my design i have been doing a lot of research on here and the net and i think this design will work well fingers crossed the only thing i am not sure about is the condenser coil length/design i already have 3m of 9.5mm copper pipe so plan on using it for the condenser coil i already have the pipe filled with water and placed in the freezer so it won't kink when winding.

Also forgot to say there will be a hole in center of top end cap for thermometer.

messy Diagram.

11798203_456586781189457_449366298_n.jpg

[WTDist]

Looks like a cousin to the T500 but maybe better design lol.
Should work fine but i dont think you will need the thermometer but if you can put it in with no leaks then that will be fine.
Are you just wanting a reflux still or pot-still/hybrid in one?

What i mean is that if you make it right it can be a reflux when you want and pot still when you want making it a hybrid. easy strip runs followed by spirit runs. Something T500 cant do :handgestures-thumbupleft:

800mm for condenser will work great for liebig
Have you considered a shotgun condenser? uses less water and is far superior. My first soldering attempt was my 500mm shotgun PC. Its easier than it looks :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Hidden1]

Hey WTDist i just want it as a reflux but i have another end cap so can just pull the one off with the condenser coil and pop on the blank end cap if i wanted to use it as a pot. As for the thermometer i was using a glass one with a rubber bung to keep in place and sealed, the coil size is the only thing i am not sure about i am thinking around 25cm long coil of the 9.5mm copper coil and should the top of the coil be just below the collection pipe or does it not matter. I will be putting it all together tommorrow will throw up some photo,s once done.

Cheers

[WTDist]

Shouldn't matter if its up the top (the condenser). Pulling caps on and off? do you have a silicon seal? if it is just a snug fit it will leak, my T500 leaks and i dont use it anymore and this is a very small leak.

Unless this cap is sealed then vapor will get out. I once lost half my run through a small pinhole leak and i wont do it again, wast of product and it is also dangerous. vapor will escape into the air, flammable vapor.

If you want to use it as a pot there is no need to take the coil out, just re rout the water so its just in the condenser and not the coil. With no water in the coil it wont reflux :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Hidden1]

800mm for condenser was longer then i thought i would need???

the shotgun design looks good but i don't have any copper sheet at the moment so working with what i have but i have already thought that i could make one up later and hook it up as a removable section with a couple of ferrules/tri clamps

[WTDist]

the T500 is 400mm and i think is too small for a condenser.

[WTDist]

For the copper sheet, i dnt have any also. I just cut off a piece of 2 inch, cut a line on one side. heated it up until i annealed it then opened it up and bashed it flat with a hammer

[Hidden1]

Shouldn't matter if its up the top (the condenser). Pulling caps on and off? do you have a silicon seal? if it is just a snug fit it will leak, my T500 leaks and i dont use it anymore and this is a very small leak.

Unless this cap is sealed then vapor will get out. I once lost half my run through a small pinhole leak and i wont do it again, wast of product and it is also dangerous. vapor will escape into the air, flammable vapor.

If you want to use it as a pot there is no need to take the coil out, just re rout the water so its just in the condenser and not the coil. With no water in the coil it wont reflux :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Ah thanks for the tip i will have to make sure it is sealed properly and once happy with performance braze it up main reason i wanted the removable cap is it makes it easy to pack and clean. as for the water flow i will be running each condenser on it's own fresh supply instead of one to the next.

[Zak Griffin]

I would seriously consider either an LM or VM reflux still mate, the old style CM rigs are famously fiddly to run and a lot of the time struggle to hit 95%.

[WTDist]

Im with Zac on this. The control is fiddly. If you make it similar to a boka with the condenser coil above some slant plates and a liebig this will work much better.

[benpandaae86]

Have a look here mate

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8307

I have a 3 inch reducer boka it is a weapon 93% @6.5l/ph i will be buildin a 3 inch slant boka usinh this template just photo copy it onto a3 paper at 150% for 3 inch

[drinka]

93% at 6.5 litres per hour! Mate how much power are you throwing at it? :shock:

[benpandaae86]

3000w temp was 23deg c after my pc i refluxed for a hr didnt no long to reflux for and 50l boiler charge of 40% tpw low wines

Also in my strippin runs i didnt drop below 40% as to cut out the most od the tails

[WTDist]

is that 6.5 L/h on a spirit run? with low smearing? :o

[benpandaae86]

Spirit its the cleanist nuetral ive had too date but i was using a hbs reflux still before

[Hidden1]

Hi Guys Just finished my build and first run and am quiet happy with the results huge improvement over the little super reflux still i was using. i went with a u pipe condenser setup as i only had 9.53mm copper pipe to make a coil and found that to big to wrap a small enough coil to fit in a 2" pipe so used what i already had in the shed for the u pipe design, The u pipe condenser i made up easily knocks back anything thrown at it and using about half ltr a minute of water during the run and was collecting 94% at 18 degrees.

11872890_459150474266421_93377463_n.jpg

11854093_459150584266410_976359339_n.jpg

11868832_459150487599753_2092258519_n.jpg

11830321_459150504266418_797008409_n.jpg

11830844_459151124266356_1435393294_n.jpg

[hsv8]

Very nice work Hidden1! I'm looking at doing something quite similar for my first still too, but using 1/4" pipe for the coil in the RC. Hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions!

1) Did you solder the end cap onto the top of your column or just push it on? If not soldered, did it leak?

2) How did you go soldering the 2" ferrule to the 2" pipe? Was that one from Mac? What solder and flux did you use?

3) What sort of output did you get? I.e. how long did it take to finish your run?

4) What packing did you use? Did you hold it in there with anything?

5) Did you end up running a thermometer at the top of your column? Can't see in the pictures.

6) Where'd you get the 2" to 1/2" reducer from that hangs off the column?

7) I noticed you're using a brass olive to connect your PC to the column. You're not worried about the lead leaching from the brass?

8) How's that little flow-restrictor tap go? Is it easy enough to control? Where'd you get it from?

Really appreciate any help you might be able to give me.

Cheers,

Hsv8.