Column Temperature stuck with 8-Gallon Electric Column still

[fsdowie]

Hello,

I recently transitioned from my good old 2 gallon stovetop pot still to an 8-Gallon Electric Column still. In my first cleaning run (50% water 50% vinegar) running it in reflux mode, the column head was still at 160F after 6 hours at full power (2000W electric heater). I have three copper rolls in my column and water from the condenser was coming from outside where temperature was 67F. Both boiler and column where burning hot during the run, which tells me that the heater is working fine

Is this normal? I checked other posts and it doesn't seem I should be waiting that much to raise the temperature of the column head. Any ideas that could help me troubleshoot why column temperature was stuck in 160F after 6 hours?

Thanks!

Fede

PS: here's the link with the specifications of the still: https://milehidistilling.com/product/8- ... still-kit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[greggn]

> water from the condenser was coming from outside where temperature was 67F.

Which condenser ... the reflux or product condenser ? If you're referring to the reflux condenser then that's how it's supposed to work. Cooling water in the reflux jacket cools and condenses the vapor before it exits the column.

Pat yourself on the back for holding the column in 100% reflux for that long. Now you know that you can knock down whatever your heater can produce.

[StillerBoy]

the column head was still at 160F after 6 hours at full power (2000W electric heater).

On a water / vinegar cleaning run, that what you would expect.. when you do your sacrificial run, you will see a different behaviour.. check you thermometer in boiling water to make sure it is working properly..

Mars

[still_stirrin]

... running it in reflux mode, the column head was still at 160F after 6 hours at full power (2000W electric heater). I have three copper rolls in my column and water from the condenser was coming from outside where temperature was 67F...Is this normal?

Fede,

Greggn hit the nail on the head....it sounds like you were in full reflux, ie - little or no condensate coming from the outlet. The reflux condenser was condensing all the steam and the water flow rate even kept your thermometer below the steam’s saturation temperature. You were completely handling all the heat your element was putting into the system.

And StillerBoy pointed out properly that you won’t need near as much heat for an alcohol run (including the sacrificial alcohol run). Likewise, you can reduce the reflux condenser’s flowrate to allow some of the alcohol vapors to pass to the product condenser (Liebig). You should not need near as much cooling power as you were running with the 50/50 vinegar boil.

So, nothing unusual...except for your dilligence with running it at full bore for 6 hours. Many of us would have been happy with an hour boil at full power before collecting the water at the product spout. Congratulations.
ss

[zapata]

What's the still design? (Or a pic?)
Did you collect any product?

Usually for a vinegar cleaning run you want to blow some of that acidic water vapor through everywhere, so no reflux or product condenser for at least a bit. At the very least you want to be collecting some of it. If you didn't then nothing past your reflux condenser got any cleaner.

(Note you do not want to blast uncondensed alcohol vapors through like that on the sacrificial run...)

[fsdowie]

Thanks everyone for your replies. My 5-gallon sugar wash went way much better. I collected a gallon @ ABV 85% after a 3-hour run, yay!