Silver residue in cap??

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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Bavis54
Swill Maker
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 6:08 pm
Location: Appalachia

Silver residue in cap??

Post by Bavis54 »

Hi guys, today I saw somethin I never saw before n honestly it kinda freaked me out- I was distilling a grain run and I ended up scorching it... badly. Should've strained the corn meal, once I smelled the first distillate I knew it was ruined. And I immediately shut off heat and started tear down still. At the point I shut down I was just barely into fores n maybe heads of the run. Once I removed cap I saw a large slimy silvery grey substance on inside of cap and going into Lynn arm. What the hell is this?? I rubbed it on paper towel n it was grey in color. It had an oil like consistency . I've never seen this junk before but there again I never have shut down n tore still down that early in run before. This is first n last time I'll ever try to distill on the grain. My still is a simple 12 gal copper pot boiler, copper thumper, n flake stand. From pints design. The only thing I can figure is that when I built the collar for boiler I had ran out of copper rivets and I used two steel rivets. At the time I didn't think two steel rivets would hurt but now I dunno. Maybe some of you vets or someone smarter than I can help. Please any help here be much appreciated. If I gna have to build a new set up I need to start like yesterday. I don't think it matters but I was running an all grain honey bear recipe using corn meal . That's wat was in boiler . Thank you.
semper fi
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Still Life
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Re: Silver residue in cap??

Post by Still Life »

Does this apply to what you're seeing?
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=22828
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NZChris
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Location: New Zealand

Re: Silver residue in cap??

Post by NZChris »

Fusel oils. I get the same in mine. Taste it and it'll be on your breath for ages.
Bavis54
Swill Maker
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 6:08 pm
Location: Appalachia

Re: Silver residue in cap??

Post by Bavis54 »

Ok thanks fellas, never opened system during a run, maybe it's normal but it freaked me out to see silver oily looking stuff on underside of cap. It coated whole underside of cap and Lynn arm. Thank you
semper fi
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