your thoughts on dephleg

[jayka]

How well do you think this will work as a dephleg?
will it have enough surface area to produce reflux? most other ones I have seen have had more of a shotgun setup.

[still_stirrin]

How well do you think this will work as a dephleg?
will it have enough surface area to produce reflux?

It will produce reflux if you feed it coolant. But will it knockdown “full power”?? ... it depends how much power that is. Not exactly the best design/build though.

most other ones I have seen have had more of a shotgun setup.

Certainly multi-tube desgns will be more efficient. But this condenser will work, although marginally.

Probably not the best tool for the job if your goal is vodka. But, YMMV
ss

[zapata]

Well said. Said differently, it will absolutely produce some reflux. Your goals, the still beneath it, power, and coolant flow rate will determine how well it works in the grand scheme.

I will also add that it will return all reflux straight down the walls. Not a problem if using it over plates, terrible if using it over packing without some way to redistribute that reflux.

[Saltbush Bill]

The only time I see those condensers used is on stills that the sellers call " Multi Purpose Pot/Reflux Stills.
We all know how well that works.
Its an old design that people used when Noah was a boy as I see it.

[jayka]

Ok cool. So don't be such a tight ass and get a proper one.

[jonnys_spirit]

If you haven’t gotten it yet. If you already have it try packing some copper mesh in there to conduct a little better.

[shadylane]

If you haven’t gotten it yet. If you already have it try packing some copper mesh in there to conduct a little better.

Jonny that sounds like a good idea and I've tried it
It's counter intuitive, but copper mesh will make the dephleg less efficient

[XDStill]

Not quite sure what I’m missing here with the negatives and comments about not being able to run full reflux with a collar style dephleg. I have one one a 3” column, have it packed with a copper mesh roll, and can run full reflux no problem.

[Saltbush Bill]

As a condencer to knock vapour down for a reflux still it might work stuffed with copper mesh......is it a dephleg?......not imo.

[OtisT]

Not quite sure what I’m missing here with the negatives and comments about not being able to run full reflux with a collar style dephleg. I have one one a 3” column, have it packed with a copper mesh roll, and can run full reflux no problem.

Interesting. What is the max power are you applying and still seeing 100% reflux? What do you use to re-center the liquid reflux? Otis

[acfixer69]

If you just want something that will work, yep that will. It's old design and not built by those who know better, but it works. As an extra you get channeling on the cool walls. But it works yep.

[Desvio]

My two cents, I have one and it's a pain to work with, yes (as was said) packing it with scrubbies complicated it a tad more. I even capped off a copper tube and suspended it in the center, this was a slight gain, still had to keep my still dialed down way below my attention span.

[XDStill]

Not quite sure what I’m missing here with the negatives and comments about not being able to run full reflux with a collar style dephleg. I have one one a 3” column, have it packed with a copper mesh roll, and can run full reflux no problem.

Interesting. What is the max power are you applying and still seeing 100% reflux? What do you use to re-center the liquid reflux? Otis

I stabilize my runs around 1500w at full reflux for 30 mins before reducing water flow to pull fores. I have my copper roll shaped in a downward pointing cone so that the lowest point of the copper mesh is in the center, I do see reflux dripping near that point, but admittedly also see plenty of reflux on the walls of my sight glass as well. I have 40” of small lava rock as packing. I pull temp corrected 190p consistently.

Perhaps I’m just not experienced enough (nor have I used a shotgun style dephleg to compare) and just don’t know what I’m missing.

[zapata]

You don't know what you're missing. You're running at half power and half speed for a 3" column. Which is fine. But would you like to make as good or better in half the time? Because your column can handle it. Maybe your condenser can, IDK, personally I'd push it and find out. 1500 watts is for drip driiip drrrrriiiiiiiip 2 inchers

[Saltbush Bill]

1500 watts is for drip driiip drrrrriiiiiiiip 2 inchers

2500 is under powered for a 3 inch reflux still.

[Bushman]

1500 watts is for drip driiip drrrrriiiiiiiip 2 inchers

2500 is under powered for a 3 inch reflux still.

I think SBB meant 1500.

[Saltbush Bill]

I meant that even 2500w would be less than optimum for a 3 inch reflux.Bushy.
1500 would be very slow and way under powered as Zapata stated.
Least thats been my experience with a 3 inch boka.

[shadylane]

Just guessing, I'd say 3 - 3.5kw would be about right for a 3" LM
But the dephleg wouldn't be able to knock that down.
Stuffing it with scrubbies would increase the vapor speed.
And that would lower it's knock down power, because the vapor would have less time to condense.