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2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 6:39 am
by seaguy
I have some 3/8" cu tubing (9ft) I planned to use to roll a single 8" coil with a 3/4" cold finger. Would I be better off to go ahead and buy 1/4" and roll a double or would the extra $20 be better spent on my controller build? I can't judge how much difference there would be in the two since I have no experience with these and funds are a factor :roll:

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:51 am
by rad14701
A 3/8" double helix condenser wouldn't be all that easy for a 2" column... You'd be tetter off with the cold finger or a 1/4" double helix... Especially if you can't afford to make mistakes...

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:26 pm
by Braz
Rad's right, a double wound 3/8 coil won't fit inside a 2" tube. You don't need to ask me how I know that.

I think an 8" long single 3/8 coil with coldfinger would be adequate for a 2" Bok. I'd say, go for it.

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 2:27 pm
by maheel
3/8th cold finger even using the 3/8th and a elbow for the finger will work fine

i have built a couple of boks that have single coil 3/8th that side exit the column and they happily knock down a 2400w electric keg
wrap of stuff a scrubber in the coil to help "pack" out the 2' is the only issue

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 3:08 pm
by seaguy
RAD and BRAZ I wrote that I planned a 3/8" single coil with 3/4" finger....no mention of a 3/8" helix. I too know it would not fit.....I wondered if a 1/4" double helix was that much better than what I already have materials for ie: 3/8" anyway ...I have already made a winder tool for the 3/8" tubing and will use it. Thanks guys.

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 3:18 pm
by seaguy
maheel wrote:3/8th cold finger even using the 3/8th and a elbow for the finger will work fine

i have built a couple of boks that have single coil 3/8th that side exit the column and they happily knock down a 2400w electric keg
wrap of stuff a scrubber in the coil to help "pack" out the 2' is the only issue
Ok,thanks Maheel :thumbup:

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:20 pm
by rad14701
Build using what you have... If it performs poorly, which I highly doubt, you can save your pennies for enough 1/4" to wind the double helix... Trust me, I've used what I've had on hand far more often than I've rushed out and purchased what I thought was optimal and more times than not I saved myself an unneeded expense...

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 5:35 pm
by maheel
i like the 3/8th as my water pump likes it better than 1/4... no restriction like 1/4 has

but that's my IMO... (grain of salt etc)

i wound a 3/8 double to go in my 3" bok in the making, it's a massive coil :shock: lol

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 6:02 pm
by HookLine
I have some 3/8" cu tubing (9ft) I planned to use to roll a single 8" coil with a 3/4" cold finger.
Should work. Though add some turbulence rings or similar to the cold finger so the vapour doesn't shoot straight up between it and the coil. Or just stuff a bit of scrubber/mesh into that gap, in the top 1/3 of the condenser.

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:37 pm
by spyked
I just started building my Boka and just finished my 3/8" cold finger with 1/4" wound double helix :) its about 9 inches long and fits inside the 2" with about a 1/4" room on each side, I planned on using a pump to recirculate water like you. which is the reason for the double helix (its actually not a double helix cause i wound the outside coil in the same direction as the inner lol... whoops)

it shouldn't suffer from the water pump issues as the water will go to the cold finger first and exit out both coils and will essentially have twice the throughput of a 1/4" pipe. http://ww.homedistiller.org/forum/posti ... =2&t=24710#

It was a nightmare to solder! I'd never soldered before (used an oxyacetylene torch the first shot and melted copper http://ww.homedistiller.org/forum/posti ... =2&t=24710#) so i had to tear it apart and give it another go

anyway, what i did was got a piece of 3/8" and hammered one end square with two sides flat and the other two like a V shape and soldered that together to seal the end, i then drilled two holes about an inch above that for the 1/4" tubes to go inside, i used a 3/8" bolt seen in the picture to wind the inner coil and then a larger 1" pipe for the outer coil. i then inserted the two 1/4" tubes inside the drilled holes and soldered those. it sealed up great and seems to have a nice flow when air is blown through.

Image

Image

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:38 pm
by spyked
... sorry, just realized this was months ago

Re: 2" Boka Condenser question

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 2:29 pm
by seaguy
Looks like it should do fine. To make the best spirits the boka has to run at a drip drip drip so almost anything will do.
The secret to easy runs without having to keep f__king with the settings is the input water to the condenser be the same temp all the time. Either city water or a swimming pool is needed unless you got a 5000 gallon cistern. I've gone to city water input and man is that easier. Hardly have to watch it.