New to column build
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New to column build
Hi all,
Gonna sound like a rookie here, but here goes. Just finished a column build, would label it a liquid management. Needle valve reflux. Any who, is there a point where too much copper ia packed in the column?? I used rolled copper mesh, but took 4 hrs to get temp at top of column and is rediculous slow in condensing. Is it possible to pack/ stuff too much in the column? Seems like a blocked column.
Gonna sound like a rookie here, but here goes. Just finished a column build, would label it a liquid management. Needle valve reflux. Any who, is there a point where too much copper ia packed in the column?? I used rolled copper mesh, but took 4 hrs to get temp at top of column and is rediculous slow in condensing. Is it possible to pack/ stuff too much in the column? Seems like a blocked column.
- Saltbush Bill
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Re: New to column build
Blow through the column using your mouth.........if it's easy its not blocked.
- Yummyrum
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Re: New to column build
The number one symptom of too tight packing is the column floods . It will be making gurgling noises and ultimately hot liqid starts splurting out the atmosphere vent at the top .
From what you say , it sounds like your problem is not enough heat .
You aren’t doing something like trying to use a PID controller on it are you ?
From what you say , it sounds like your problem is not enough heat .
You aren’t doing something like trying to use a PID controller on it are you ?
My recommended goto .
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
Re: New to column build
What are you using to heat the boiler? How much wash are you heating? If you over packed the column it would flood first unless completely stopped up. Four hours sounds like your under powered.
posted with yummy
posted with yummy
Re: New to column build
70 watts per liter for a 1 hour heat up time.
Twice that for twice as fast.
Twice that for twice as fast.
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Re: New to column build
Don't suck, there might be a spider there.Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:11 pm Blow through the column using your mouth.........if it's easy its not blocked.
Geoff
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Re: New to column build
The Baker wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:06 pmDon't suck, there might be a spider there.Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:11 pm Blow through the column using your mouth.........if it's easy its not blocked.
Geoff
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Re: New to column build
Well, here's the untold story, and I thank you all for your input.
Started with 6 gallon mash, 6.5 lb cracked corn, 2 lb malted barley , 2 lb oats, 5 lb sugar (corn syrup) 5 gal water. Used amylase on oats. Strained hard grains out. Filteref througj cheese cloth into boiler. Started 5 gal. On new 1500 wat cast iron burner with 2inch column 40" and 10inch double wound 1/4" copper condenser coil offset through 1 1/2 copper bypass, needle valve reflux on 1/4" line and 3/8" discharge line. Produced 1 gal. At 185 after 10 hrs. Could say Iwas conservative to slow on heat, 1st time on hot plate. Got it to 175 and dialed back to prolong cook time through 195.cuts are prestine. Although heavy on the barley after taste.
I
Started with 6 gallon mash, 6.5 lb cracked corn, 2 lb malted barley , 2 lb oats, 5 lb sugar (corn syrup) 5 gal water. Used amylase on oats. Strained hard grains out. Filteref througj cheese cloth into boiler. Started 5 gal. On new 1500 wat cast iron burner with 2inch column 40" and 10inch double wound 1/4" copper condenser coil offset through 1 1/2 copper bypass, needle valve reflux on 1/4" line and 3/8" discharge line. Produced 1 gal. At 185 after 10 hrs. Could say Iwas conservative to slow on heat, 1st time on hot plate. Got it to 175 and dialed back to prolong cook time through 195.cuts are prestine. Although heavy on the barley after taste.
I
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Re: New to column build
The number one symptom of too tight packing is the column floods . It will be making gurgling noises and ultimately hot liqid starts splurting out the atmosphere vent at the top .
What is purpose of atmosphere vent and whete do I install it?
What is purpose of atmosphere vent and whete do I install it?
Re: New to column build
Snickers902 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 12:54 am Got it to 175 and dialed back to prolong cook time through 195.
The boiling point of your wash is determined by its %ABV. You can't extract the alcohol by simply running your still at 173F.
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I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
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Re: New to column build
Agree with folks above, you limited power is the cause of your long warmups and long run times. Packing density won’t impact heat up time (much). Copper mesh is the quickest to heat up, with rocks/marbles/ceramic taking more time due to the extra mass.
Insulating your boiler could help speed things up a little for you. Less heat lost to the air means more heat to reflux and collect as product.
Otis
Insulating your boiler could help speed things up a little for you. Less heat lost to the air means more heat to reflux and collect as product.
Otis
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Re: New to column build
The boiling point of your wash is determined by its %ABV. You can't extract the alcohol by simply running your still at 173F.
________________
Greggn
Could you explain further to me how %ABV has to do with determining boiling point. Am a science buff, but not a chemist.
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Greggn
Could you explain further to me how %ABV has to do with determining boiling point. Am a science buff, but not a chemist.
Re: New to column build
Snickers902 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:31 am Could you explain further to me how %ABV has to do with determining boiling point. Am a science buff, but not a chemist.
This explains it pretty well ...
http://www.kelleybarts.com/PhotoXfer/Re ... gMyth.html
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I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
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Re: New to column build
That was awsome. Thank you. So as if I actually understand it, the more solids in the wash raises the boiling point by its density, not its viscosity.
Re: New to column build
No. The solids don't change the boiling point. You can add a box of rocks to the boiler with the wash and the boiling point will be the same. You need to read again and again maybe. The composition of the wash determines the BP not the ABV.
- Yummyrum
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Re: New to column build
All stills have to have a free path to the outside . In the case of a Pot still , its via the liebig or worm .Snickers902 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 1:02 am What is purpose of atmosphere vent and whete do I install it?
Now you said you have an offset still . When you close all the valves , there must be somewhere for the vapour to go .
Normally , it would be condensed by the reflux condenser and return back down the column .
But….. if there is too much vapour fir the RC to cope with , or the column is going into a flooded state , then pressure will start to build .
It must be able to escape . Hense some kind of atmosphere vent .
If your RC is simply sitting in the shell , thats fine , there is a free path out at the top . But if the RC is fitted to a top cap , then there must be a hole or vent pipe fitted to the top cap . In this pic , you can see a small vent pipe between the coolant lines in the cap .
My recommended goto .
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
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Re: New to column build
I have a trimeter guage which monitors pressure as well with a 3lb release valve, sort of like a pressure cooker. By the sounds of the atmospheric vent it allows vapors to escape without condensation, which I try to avoid. But your explanation is awsome, thank you! And the pics give a great visual. Though my pressure valve is at a point atop the column above the offset. Does that matter?
Re: New to column build
Most people using a reflux column have a vent (without pressure relief) to the atmosphere. This allows us to dial the cooling water down or up depending... I think most of us aim for a hot but slow trickle from the reflux coil return line to get a good reflux action. If you have vapors coming out of your vent just increase the water flow by a smidgen until it goes away. It's all about balance.
- Saltbush Bill
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