Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Perforated & bubble cap plated columns

Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:03 am

Hi Guys,

I want to speed up my spirit runs. I'm currently running a 2" CCVM still I built. If I replace my column with a 3" glass section with 4 plates and a packed 3inch section will that speed up my runs?

Cheers
Rumble
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby iOnaBender » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:32 am

Hi RP,

4" all the way in my opinion for output increase

Cheers
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby iOnaBender » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:33 am

A mate is running a 3" and is kicking himself he didn't go to 4" first up! :angry-banghead:

Cheers
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:47 am

iOnaBender wrote:Hi RP,

4" all the way in my opinion for output increase

Cheers


I can't afford to go to 4" plus I'm a bit worried about instability of the still going from 2" ferrule to 4" column.

I was planning to add a 1.5m 3" packed section for my neutral runs. I also make whiskey and rum for which plates seem to be the go for single runs. Maybe i need both?
Last edited by Rumblepants on Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby The Stig » Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:14 pm

Benders still can for from 2” up to 4” and so does Wellsy’s and they are stable
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:21 pm

RC Al wrote:1. A 1.5m packed column will produce neutral faster than the plates plus packed as described, the plates without the packed produce rum/bourbon/scotch in a single pass without stripping
1m packed and 5 plates - roughly the same as 1.5 packed



Looks like RC Al answered my question in the next page. Looks like having both is the way to go.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Wellsy » Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:11 pm

Rumblepants, I don’t know what what sort of boiler you have. I have a FSD 50 litre boiler and it handles my 4 plate 4 inch bubbler no hassle at all. Give Andrew at five star a call mate and he will give you honest advice an options that are just not sales for him
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby warramungas » Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:13 pm

Yep. I have a 1m 3" packed column and i run 2x4" plates under it. Seems to be enough. I use steel pipe as i would break glass im pretty sure.
I would also struggle to fit 1.5 meters of packed column in my laundry.
I figure the 2 plates boost the initial packed columns feed strength to ~50 to 65%ish feeding the packed column much higher abv and i can pull 2 to 2.5 liters an hour at 96ish%.
Thats with 2 rolled copper mesh inserts in the top and the rest packed with stainless scrubbers.
Thats running at around 2400 watts. I can do more but 2400 seems pretty good.
Im not sure, maybe someone can enlighten me, but i thought 4" packed columns started giving diminishing returns due to small return rivelets forming in the wider pipes open area.
Anyway, 3" is pretty quick by itself compared to 2".
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby warramungas » Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:41 pm

Wellsy wrote:Rumblepants, I don’t know what what sort of boiler you have. I have a FSD 50 litre boiler and it handles my 4 plate 4 inch bubbler no hassle at all. Give Andrew at five star a call mate and he will give you honest advice an options that are just not sales for him


Follow this advice. A 3" bubble plate column will work but I'd recommend a 4" as well.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:40 pm

@wellsy I have a 5oL keg boiler with a 2inch modular CCVM Still on top of it.I have a 2400w element in the keg.


I got excited to upgrade last year and got a 3inch reducer, tee section, elbow and sight glass hence the lean towards a 3inch setup. I ran out of time to work on building easy flanges for my planned 1.5m column section and CSST reflux coil.


my loose plan is to get hold of 4 4inch plates and top that with a 1m packed column if my garage roof is high enough.

Thanks everyone for the input.

Rumble
Last edited by Rumblepants on Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:00 am

Just posting an update. Due to seriously limited funds I got my hands on some cheap chinese bubble plates. I have three but due to height concerns and the fact I don't have a ladder I'm running two under a 1.2 metre 2 inch column. I'm planning to go to 3inch next year but haven't had the time to make the easy flanges needed.

So here it is my frankenstill. CCVM head with 1.2 metre packed column on top of two 3" bubble plates. My element is 2400w will I need more power than that?

Thanks for all the advice and help.

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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby RC Al » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:34 am

Always! Lols

In all seriousness the watts you have now are heaps to run a 2" with, but an extra one will reduce your boil up times and significantly speed up stripping runs

With the dead space between the fittings and the reducer, you would be much better off filling those 3" sections with packing, there's about 50cm between the bottom plate and the top of the reducer?

Run how you are now a a few time n take notes of power n output speed/abv, then try with the extra packing
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:57 am

Thanks RC AL. Yep there is about 50cm in that space. I reckon I'll do the packing thing for neutral runs.

I also have this setup I'm playnning for running Rums and Whiskies

smallStillBoi.jpeg


Thinking about lashing out for a 5Star 3600w element to replace my 2400w element. Worth it?

Cheers
Rumble
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Last edited by Rumblepants on Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby RC Al » Tue Dec 07, 2021 6:17 pm

Do you have a 15a power point?
The 15a 3600w weldless would add in a heap of grunt in tandem with you current element
If you dont want to drill an extra hole, I'd go the 4800 twin bar and use 2 cords/points otherwise as there is little cost difference for an extra 1200w.
Last edited by RC Al on Tue Dec 07, 2021 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Rumblepants » Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:26 am

Unfortunately I don't have access to a 15 amp power point. I have a 4000w 15a element lying around. Unsure if it works though as the guy I bought my boiler off gave it to me.
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby atec77 » Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:56 pm

Rumblepants wrote:Hi Guys,

I want to speed up my spirit runs. I'm currently running a 2" CCVM still I built. If I replace my column with a 3" glass section with 4 plates and a packed 3inch section will that speed up my runs?

Cheers
Rumble

3" will work fine if a little slower than 4' and cheaper , and uses less power so no need for a bigger 15 or 20 amp supply
, I run a 50 litre 3' 4 plate with packed column for small batches , makes nice gin and vodka
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby Birdman85 » Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:55 am

Just reviving this thread. I'm looking at getting my hands on a 3" 4 plate section as well.

Can anyone tell me if my modular 2" CCVM setup would still work with this for brown spirits? At the top of the packed section I currently have a T-piece with a double helix coil that I raise and lower for reflux. That goes off into my SG PC.

Alternatively, I have some 4" tube. I could cut off 5", slice it and close it in to 3" and make a SG and a blockhead for it???

Another alternative... Anyone got 3" copper sitting around they can spare a tiny amount of?
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Re: Adding 3" 4 plates glass section to CCVM still

Postby RC Al » Sat Oct 08, 2022 1:27 pm

The 2" top will work fine as the reflux section n take off stay the same diameter
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