Question about "windows" on plate still

[dgomes]

I have just aquired some 4" copper and am starting to plan a build. I am wondering why all the plate stills have windows in them? Is it necessary to view the bubbling and reflux happening in there

[Yummyrum]

Its not necessary but it really helps especially when you first start or are commissioning a new still .Getting the power right for example . If you dont have enough the plates wont load , too much and it will flood .This really needs to be observed until you find the ball park . Things like leaking plates/ seals an cause a plate not to load .... again if you couldnt see it you wouldnt know .
Insufficient ABV in the wash can be seen as fogged windows either due to poor wash fermention or onset of tails.

Amount of reflux falling compared to how much product you take gives you another indication of how the still is running .

If you ran the same wash day in day out on the same power with the same coolant flow at the same coolant temp then you could get away with no windows . But when I think back to all the issues I've come across that having windows has helped I can only take my hat off to the few fellas that have managed to rn a plated still without them

[Saltbush Bill]

Is it necessary to view the bubbling and reflux happening in there

The short answer is yes, as Yummy has already pointed out you can tell a whole lot about how your still is running, what point of the run you are at, and whats going on with that wash.
No windows on a plated column its kinda like trying to drive a car blindfolded , sure you can do it , but your gong to do a half arsed job of it.

[rgreen2002]

...Plus...it's one of the best free shows on earth. Besides, what else are you gonna do while you wait several hours!

[hellbilly007]

I've seen some plated columns built with just one sight glass on the bottom plate to see the transition to tails. Perhaps that was just one still I've seen. Not a bad idea IMHO

[dgomes]

Thanks,

All the videos I have seen of plate stills running are definitely amazing to watch. Most people that post the videos are the ones that know what they are doing and make it look great. I guess I "see" why you would want the sight glasses when you are learning to drive the new still or adjust for conditions. Every wash is a bit different and temperatures and pressures can cause differences in performance too, espcially in the home distilling world and not in a professional and more controlled environment.

I will start looking for Sight Glass parts in Canada

[acfixer69]

Yummy's post is right on. I remember when I was building my first plated column if I hadn't had sight glasses on all plates I never would have figured it out. Not distilling, but that column. The big guys use them and there not at the vision level but when something goes out of normal parameters a ladder and and easy peak can locate the problem and that was enough for me. Wouldn't consider a plated still without them.

AC