Fixed parrot back pressure

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Thaicurrymonster
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Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2017 11:40 pm

Fixed parrot back pressure

Post by Thaicurrymonster »

Hi
I safety question and after a bit of advice.
If connecting a copper parrot to the output pipe of a pot still, on the end of the condenser. I've read that it could cause some back pressure potentially shooting the alcometer into the air or worse.
Condenser pipe is 10mm connecting to a parrot that is 6mm inlet tube

1) is this correct
2) could I add a vent hole or is there a better solution

I see some flutes have the parrot suspended in mid air on the output pipe and was wondering how they got round the issue.

Thanks
TCM
3” stainless reflux column and a 2” potstill with leiburg condenser.
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NZChris
Master of Distillation
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Location: New Zealand

Re: Fixed parrot back pressure

Post by NZChris »

You must be looking at some weird parrot design that I've never seen. Have you got a link, or a pic?

You don't need a parrot for a pot still anyway. Save yourself the bother and the smearing and run without one.
vqstatesman
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Location: South Australia

Re: Fixed parrot back pressure

Post by vqstatesman »

Thaicurrymonster wrote: I see some flutes have the parrot suspended in mid air on the output pipe and was wondering how they got round the issue.

Thanks
TCM
Mine is pretty much as you described. Parrots such as mine have ventilation holes, others have a ventilation pipe which points upward and out.

The ventilation stops the alcometer from bobbing up and down with the minor fluctuations or surges of output. I guess they are also a safety item as it prevents back pressure, my boiler has a PRV on it anyway.

Below is a picture from the store where I purchase all my equipment from. You can see the holes at the top.
Screen Shot 2017-05-17 at 5.59.11 pm.png
Thaicurrymonster
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Re: Fixed parrot back pressure

Post by Thaicurrymonster »

Thanks for the replies, I'm using my pot still at the moment for stripping Runs of BW. I then spirit run on my LM reflux column. Wanted to hang my parrot to watch the stripping Runs ABV. Looks like I need to put some vent holes below the connection.
3” stainless reflux column and a 2” potstill with leiburg condenser.
Klein
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Location: Canada

Re: Fixed parrot back pressure

Post by Klein »

Vent to prevent it from bobbing

I recently upgraded from the t500 to a keg with 5500w. My parrot can't handle the flow on the stripping runs. It pushes it up and is off by about 25%-30%abv
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nuntius01
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Re: Fixed parrot back pressure

Post by nuntius01 »

i recently changed my parrot design so that ot would attach to my condenser and had this exact problem. took me a couple of runs before i looked at it and had my aha moment. smacked myself in the head and then added a relief vent. yes, my parrot had a dump valve. so, i just bypassed the parrot. but, i had forgotten that by adding the parrot it would act very much like a bottle of soda turned upside down quickly. yes it will come put. but in spurts when the mass of liquid overcomes air pressure in the bottle. same principle. so i added a relief and walah, problem solved.
I'm just the bank and the mule

post your still pics here
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=66917
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