3" CCVM build

[copperlover1]

Starting my 3" CCVM build. I learned When I built my 2" that when you solder in the sanitary flanges they are on the inside of the pipe. So when I ran the reflux condenser up and down it caught on the flange. I wound up just setting it and putting in a valve and going stright VM. So with my new build I am trying to only use flanges to split the column from the tee and the keg to the column.

So far I cut out a 3" hole in the pipe. Scribed and cut out to fit the 90 I made. Put a few notches and bent out some tabs. I am going to use the notches to fill in the gaps.

[copperlover1]

My 1/2" CSST came in today. I pealed it like an orange. I wasn't sure how much I would need so I got 25'. $30 free shipping.

[copperlover1]

I am not sure if anyone has posted pictures of how they wind up there csst. It's so super easy you probably
don't need pictures. But I figured it couldn't hurt. I am winding my condenser for 3" DWV pipe so I wrapped it around 1" copper tube.
This is an 8' piece of csst. I have 16" inside the 1" pipe. Bend it right over 180 degrees.

[Danespirit]

Looking good so far, but you would still have a little gap to fill on the side.
How are you planning to reduce down to your Liebig..?
You may want to wrap a wet rag around the piping just under (or around) the 2x45, if you solder the reducer on.
It will spare you from a probably desoldering problem, due to heat radiation in the pipe.

[copperlover1]

Forgot the picture.

[copperlover1]

Next step. Hold the end and bend a 90 and just start to wrap a little.

[copperlover1]

Put a screwdriver in the end to help hold the coil. Now I used my right hand to wrap the csst. And the left hand on the screwdriver to hold tension. Then I would roll both hands towards myself letting off tension just enough to let it free. Then repeat. I did all the wrapping with my right hand.

[copperlover1]

Finished coil. I than unwind it a little to get a nice fit in the pipe and straighten up the ends. The whole process takes about a minute.

[copperlover1]

I might have to desolder the 90 to get to the inside with a hammer and make sure there are no pockets to hold product. The outside is no problem I can solder wedges in all the way around to fill any gaps. Very good idea about the wet wrag. No Liebig for me. My product condenser will be another csst coil. End loop down and tails up. Going to mill two holes on the top of the 90 for them to poke out.

[still_stirrin]

Nice job.

Thanks for the building (winding) tips. It answers questions new builders haven't asked yet. Now....if we can just get them to read your thread!
ss

[CR33G3R]

Have you thought about flipping your PC 180 so that the tails are down towards where you are going to collect product? I'm not sure you would want holes open in the top of your 90. It would just let alcohol vapor into the air. Of course I could be misunderstanding something. The bigger of the two coils looks like it could knock down 10,000 watts.
Looking good.

[Brutal]

I like it.

[Shiny Coke]

Have you thought about flipping your PC 180 so that the tails are down towards where you are going to collect product? I'm not sure you would want holes open in the top of your 90. It would just let alcohol vapor into the air. Of course I could be misunderstanding something. The bigger of the two coils looks like it could knock down 10,000 watts.
Looking good.

+1 I was thinking the same thing unless the theory is that coil will knock down any steam before it could escape. (Don't think so though)
Better yet, switch to a leibig arm and run your water from that to your primary coil up top. Just a thought.

[still_stirrin]

....The bigger of the two coils looks like it could knock down 10,000 watts...

Meet "the SUPER coil"... http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 5#p7318126

[CR33G3R]

....The bigger of the two coils looks like it could knock down 10,000 watts...

Meet "the SUPER coil"... http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 5#p7318126

WOW! That thing was huge! But that is how I see using that style of coil for a PC. Maybe just a tad smaller would work...maybe

[skow69]

I think you can compensate for the orientation by reversing the flow direction. If you want the tails up, feed water in to the straight center tube. If you want the tails down, feed water in to the curly end. The idea is to establish the temperature gradient in the same direction as the product. I also assume that you are going to solder the tail holes so they don't leak.

[copperlover1]

I was thinking of just soldering the tails in . Or wrapping them with some Teflon tape. Maybe flour paste to test it out. A little more work but I think it will look really cool with the tails going up. Worst case I patch up the holes and turn it over and bend up the tails. Trying to stay away from a Liebig to save a few bucks on fittings.

[DAD300]

Shiny Coke & CR333GR...Yes, the Reflux coil will knock down all the vapor and the top will be open. The top must be open!

With CSST coil as above, it takes less than six coils to knock down all the vapor from a keg, 5-8,000watts, with ~ 1 liter a minute of water flow.

These CSST coils are super efficient. The have more surface area than copper, are thinner than copper. Thus they wind so easy.

[FreeMountainHermit]

copperlover1 , will you be using the factory fittings on the ends of your CSST or soldering on a connection ?

My reading on CSST tells me that there are two kinds made and they are manufacturer specific.

[copperlover1]

I was just going to push some silicone tubing over the pipe and hose clamp it.maybe wrap it first with some Teflon tape just to be safe.

[still_stirrin]

I was just going to push some silicone tubing over the pipe and hose clamp it.maybe wrap it first with some Teflon tape just to be safe.

I question if silicone will hold up to the heat. Perhaps a good coat (parka?) of flour paste?
ss

[copperlover1]

Sorry for any confusion. I am not sealing my product condenser ends with silicone. I was talking about silicone tubing for my water lines to connect to my water pump.

[CR33G3R]

Just to be clear I wasn't questioning the top of the column being open (I run a ccvm I am aware of how it works) I think Shiny Coke was thinking the same thing.
I was questioning holes in the top of the 90 before the product condenser. Wouldn't want alcohol vapor coming out of the top of the 90 before it had a chance to get to the product condenser.

[copperlover1]

Any help info would be greatly appreciated. I was wondering if I could run perforated plates in my column with a VM head? Also need help with math on hole size and spacing between plates. I have 3"x48" column on a 15 gallon keg. Heat is 55000 but propane burner

[DAD300]

Yes you can run plates under a VM head.

[copperlover1]

Are there any benifits to running plates as opposed to packing?

[copperlover1]

Change of plans. I really messed up the all copper head. So I opted for the stainless tee and elbow.

[Kegg_jam]

Whatcha gonna use for condensers?

[copperlover1]

CSST. I have it all wound up and ready to go.

[copperlover1]

i finally finished . Cleaning run and sacrificial run complete. 24" coloumn with marbles. I added the valve. I hung my cooling rig from a rafter. 15 gallons of Gerber wash. Pulled 6 quarts of 92%. First 4 quarts came off at 20 minutes per quart. Last 2 it slowed down to around 30 minutes each. Than it just goes super slow. I opened up the valve a gave it a little more heat . It drops so fast it's not really worth it so I shut it down. Heat up to shut down about 4 hours. That's about 2 hours less than with my 2" set up. And I was able to maintain the same ABV.