How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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Asos21
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How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by Asos21 »

Let me just start by saying I'm not looking to start a continuous stripping still or anything like that. I have an 8g pot still with 28mm inner pipe with a 36" condensing jacket. The still is being used purely for stripping runs.

I'm only planning to run the still 3 to 4 times a year but when I do run it I would like to be able to immediately drain the still right after a run ends and immediately fill the still to start a run within 5 to 10 minutes of one ending!

Does anyone have any advice or tips on how I could setup some fittings into the still which would allow me to empty and fill the still straight away? Without opening it straight away and having ethanol vapours everywhere?
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Yummyrum
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Re: How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by Yummyrum »

Arrr ,seems like time is the issue here . If you want to tag team stripping runs , you should look at a preheater design . You use the next wash to be processed to cool the last one . So when you dump the next wash into the boiler , it’s almost at boiling point and saves a shit load of time coming up to the boil …. As a bonus , you save a pile of water as coolant .

So draining and refilling times are less of an issue .

I believe Salty staves has a good design on here somewhere .

Ohh here it is
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 6#p7561148
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Yummyrum
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Re: How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by Yummyrum »

However , I have always envisioned a semi Continuous stripper that had 3 boilers . One is filling with wash , one is cooling the product from the one before , then the one that just finished drains and refills while the heat is switched to the one that has been used to cool … it just rotates around .

With small boilers , initial heat-up time is minimised , water usage is minimised .
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Deplorable
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Re: How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by Deplorable »

Keeping it basic, a ball valve drain near bottom of the boiler, and a TC filling port at the top with a funnel is quick and effective.
With my 50l milkcan I do 2 stripping runs back to back from a 90l ferment. Stripping to nearly 0%abv what's left in the boiler is drained and discarded. Refilling through a port in the top with a large brewers funnel, I have heat back on in under 10 minutes.
One of these days, I'll get around to coiling up a heat exchanger to preheat my next charge with my cooling water.
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Demy
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Re: How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by Demy »

I'm in line with Deplorable, if you want to keep simple things simple.When I make my grappa every year (vinaccia di grapes crossed by steam) I have to perform a lot of charge-discharge but it is part of the game.
Rum Agol
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Re: How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by Rum Agol »

Another option is to have your fermenter/wash bucket connected to a valve on a T on your pots bottom drain valve. when the pot is empty you close the drain valve and open the the one on the fermenter and let the pot fill. You will need to raise the level of the fermenter above the pot for gravity to work its magic.
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NZChris
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Re: How to setup a auto fill and auto drain system on still?

Post by NZChris »

I have the preheater above the main boiler.

Open the drain valve.

When empty, close the valve and open the valve from the preheater.

When empty, close that valve, turn the heat on and start the pump that charges the preheater.
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