Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Anything cooling/condenser related.

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Fredistiller
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Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Fredistiller »

Hi everyone,

As I am building my first shotgun product condenser, a question came to my mind: is it a good thing to have acces to the inside of your condenser for cleaning purpose or whatever? Or is it just more unnecessary work and risk for a leak?

In other words, is it OK to make it in one piece (left on the pic) or make it in three pieces is better (right on the pic, Flanges are not drawn.) I see the two buildings on the site and I would like to benefit from the experience of shotguns owner and would appreciate their advises.

Maybe important, it will be an all stainless steel condenser.

Thanks in advance,

Fred.
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Bushman
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Bushman »

Mine is all one piece and I just flush with water without problems.
Opdog
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Opdog »

I'm with Bushman on this. Mine is also one piece and is easily flushed. I have been known to borrow the snake my daughter uses to clean her French horn and run it through the pipes to release any tail oils that can occasionally build up. Unless you are a skilled metal fabricator, I think the 3 piece design is asking for leaks.


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Badmotivator
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Badmotivator »

My guess is that tails oils dissolve readily in the foreshots and heads of the next run, so that by the time the hearts are running, the the old tails crud is long gone. Just a hunch.

I have never cleaned my stainless steel condenser and doubt I ever will, unless I get a gnarly puke or something.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Saltbush Bill »

One piece is quite enough, a rinse with water while cleaning the still is enough.
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by vqstatesman »

Mine is one piece, not once in 5 years have I ever even cleaned it. The heads on the next batch will do this.
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Fredistiller
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Fredistiller »

Thanks for the replies everyone!
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Yummyrum
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Re: Question for shotgun owners (product condenser)

Post by Yummyrum »

Shotty on my VM is one peice . Shotty on my flute is flange fitting at top .
Never had to clean either or break down flange joint on Flute shotty

Only advantage I had was on the flute I was able to fine tune angle of coolant lines and swapped from RH to LH operation :thumbup: now I got it all figured out it stays put
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