Trial without Thermostat and it really helped

[artooks]

Hi Guys,

Today I have made an experiment, I purchased 1.3 lt of Pure 95% Ethanol from the Pharmacy, filled my boiler with 15 litres of water poured 1.3lt of Ethanol in it, which makes up 7.975% in the wash and X 0.95 = %7.58 100% Ethanol in the wash, fired the still up and disconnected the thermostatic control, so now I only have my power supply which can be dimmed and thats all, 1 hour later when the vapour heat reached 79.4, drips started to come from the still, I dimmed the power supply by a quarter turn, then I find out that even I disabled the thermostat the still was stable around 78-82 degrees which was really great, I finally understand that there is no need for thermostat and even it makes things worse when it goes into off mode for 3-4 minutes where there is no heating and no dripping, so after I checked my alcohol percentage with the alcoholmeter it was %87 it was so good I did not even hit this number until now, I collected about 1 liter and after that the heat started to rise when it reached 92 I shut the still off.

So here I need to ask something.

My initial start was 1.3 Lt with 0.95 Purity = 1.235 - %100 Ethanol.

I collecetd 1 Lt with 0.85 Purity = 0.85 - %100 Ethanol

1.235 - 0.85 = 0.385 - %100 Ethanol left in the boiler which makes up %31 percent of my total Ethanol.

So my question is did I do right by shutting the still off at 92 Degrees ?

Is it normal that there is still %31 percent of Ethanol in the boiler ?

How much should be left in the still in terms of percentage ?

Until which purity and temp should I run the still ?

Thanks

[der wo]

In most cases you should collect almost all ethanol. But not everything is hearts. Much is tails. At 92° perhaps would have been a good point to end the hearts in a whisky or brandy spirit run, it differs, there is no thump rule. You have to decide by taste. But after the hearts you normally collect tails. Many collect until the current abv is 10%. This is at 99°C.

[kimbodious]

Artooks, check out the charts here http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 58&start=0

You are well in to the learning zone now . You found a clever way to experiment using store bought high purity alcohol. From what I remember your still only has one condenser a product condenser or PC? so you are running it in pot still mode. That is an excellent basis for easy and meaningful experimentation.

It looks like you have found the point on your power controller where you started to get product (make a mark there). Make sure you have a adequate flow of cooling water. Turn the power controller up in stages monitoring the rate of output and the temperature of the product. Can you change the temperature of the product by adjusting the rate of cooling water or do you reach a point where the adjustments make little difference (take a note of that valve position). Now you can experiment with the power controller settings; do you get to the point where the output is unbearably hot to touch?

For a stripping run you are looking the settings for cooling water and power controller where you can get the greatest rate of output without the product being too hot. This is the settings you use for quickly stripping out as much ethanol as possible where you are not concerned about the quality.

It is okay for your output to feel warm. You may find you can reduce the flow of cooling water to save water but still get maximum rate of output (take a note of that valve position).

The spirit run is where you slowly adjust the power controller up from that mark you made where you first got output in drips until you get a fine steady stream (make a mark there). You will then check the output and make adjustments to the power controller until you achieve the final quality you want.

You will find the marks are not 100% reproduceable but indicate a range thereabouts where you need to have the setting; it changes with the weather and the volume and ABV of your wash.

[artooks]

Hi Kimbodius, thank you very much for your help, well I only have an aquarium pump and it is in a big bucket with water in it, so I cannot adjust the flow it pumps at %100 always feel cold in the condenser ? I have grasped a lot since I signed up in this forum, I really appreciate your and everybodies help.
A big thank you for all of you, you taught me things in a very quick and simple way, that I would have a hard time learning all by myself.

[kimbodious]

Artooks, it is all good, I am just paying it forward because of the kind patient people who helped me; you will do the same I am sure. Yes I think your cooling flow sounds okay, you will just need to watch your product and how warm it gets. Most people do not use a thermometer with a still running as a pot still. Relax, ignore the thermometer and just concentrate on the product. I like your still, it will be very versatile. Research condenser controlled vapour management (by DAD300) for a very cheap and effective way to adapt your still for making very high purity neutral alcohol

[artooks]

Thank you very much, yes sure once I learn enough I will help the people who are just starting out, this is a learning cycle, I want to convert my still into a VM, so can you please give me the link of DAD300 which of his posts should I read ?

Thanks

[kimbodious]

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=41579