Gas or electricity

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

User avatar
thecroweater
retired
Posts: 6079
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:04 am
Location: Central Highlands Vic. Australia

Re: Gas or electricity

Post by thecroweater »

If I was a city boy I'm sure I'd want to hang with the kool kids going electrical. I've watched a few runs here and in the US and the duel elements with one controlled are the bee's knees but ..... one ya need the surplus power supply, two the set up cost is harsh and three gas back up system is still wise to have. Elements don't work great in blackouts nor are they easy to run thick ferments, guys running fruit washes like plums would either waste a lot or have a dern nightmare on their hands. Thing is with pulpy fruit is the last run of Marc has a hell of a lot ( read most of the) flavour so not running it is loosing a lot more than just alcohol. The answer here is horses for courses. Ya want loud burners? Wish I still had pictures of my crab cooker burner build, on another forum years ago a guy posted instructions for a simple burner we called the BD747, that guy big don is a member here but hasn't longed in anywhere for years, guess why it's called a 747 :lol: high reg full blast the flame was prolly 10 or 12 foot high and set off the neighborhood car alarms :wtf: . I used it for a fair while but turned down enough for stilling it would soot the kettle something awful.
I never had serious scorch issues with gas not even plum chutney and that burner.
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
Ronin frog
Novice
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:19 am

Re: Gas or electricity

Post by Ronin frog »

HDNB wrote:Larry will be so happy.

Go electric, you'll never look back.
I can say I look back and say “I will never use open flame around distillate ever again...”
I use dual water heater elements,I like the way 220 volt elements ran on 110 feel.good heat up times and no scorching knock on wood.
I also do multiple rackings
User avatar
Kareltje
Distiller
Posts: 2176
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm

Re: Gas or electricity

Post by Kareltje »

acfixer69 wrote:
Kareltje wrote:
acfixer69 wrote: Why would a stirrer be more difficult? I just would be designed to clear it or them. Same as to clear the bottom.

AC
An externally fired boiler has a clean, empty bottom. A simple rotating chain can clear the bottom.
When internal elements heat the slurry, the scorching is on the elements and they need to be cleaned or wiped every so often.
Cleaning these protruding elements is more complicated than cleaning a simple bottom.
If doing a slurry the internal elements would never be used.

AC
All right, that makes a difference.
But then using a stirrer is beyond my imagination. But my elements are vertically protruding upward from the bottom. Maybe when your elements are horizontal, you could stir under them.

I saw an episode of Moonshiners (yeah, I know: :crazy: ) where Digger and his pall made a kind of tunnel in their boiler and a long burner inside it. That to prevent scorching.
User avatar
Kareltje
Distiller
Posts: 2176
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm

Re: Gas or electricity

Post by Kareltje »

I like this thread: it surely shows how everybody finds his own solutions for his problems. And all are good!

Anybody uses a wood fire? Or alcohol?
Post Reply