Modular build Potstill to Reflux to Potstill, need help please!

[Andrew_90]

Looking good. Depending on what you make your RC out of, that extension will likely be too long, but you can always cut it down. It's harder to add length to it.

Indeed, just waiting for the reflux coil. I have given my mate an accurate drawing but he is known for winging it.

[Andrew_90]

May I suggest that you add a ferrule to the short spool section for the RC chamber?

Here’s the plan, just use the short section then as your riser for the pot still. The two longer sections you can just leave packed when you need to do reflux runs. This is exactly how I operate my modular setup.

Great minds think alike. This indeed is the plan, will attend to this once the reflux coil is received.

[Andrew_90]

Though, a taller riser and a sightglass at the top before the T proves handing in killing heat before a puke comes over.

Not too sure that I fully understand your statement. Could you please explain this to me again?

[Andrew_90]

Suggest that you use a prop/ support of some sort under that product condenser, will be a lot of weight hanging there once it has hoses and is full of water.

Agreed, the feet and upright for the support are already together. Just waiting for the final height of the rig, with sight glass. When in position I can then make the final adjustments. The keg will be circa 600mm off the floor and the condenser will overhang the work surface where the distillate take off station will be, so the supporting it will not be complex. I was also considering a much lighter and longer condenser to remove some of the weight but the length will counteract that so some degree.

Thanks for all the input you guys.

[Deplorable]

Though, a taller riser and a sightglass at the top before the T proves handing in killing heat before a puke comes over.

Not too sure that I fully understand your statement. Could you please explain this to me again?

I like to use a sight glass between my take off and the top of the riser to watch for a head of foam on all grain stripping runs. That way, I can drop the heat and prevent the foam from boiling over into my product condenser.
It's not needed, but it's handy. Ultimately what's likely to govern the choice of spool used for your riser should be getting your angle of the leibig right to optimize dwell time, and get your collection jars at a comfortable working height so you aren't bending over all day.

[Yummyrum]

Though, a taller riser and a sightglass at the top before the T proves handing in killing heat before a puke comes over.

Not too sure that I fully understand your statement. Could you please explain this to me again?

It means you can see it in the sight glass and kill power to boiler immediately . This will hopefully quench the puke before it rises up to the takeoff port , pours down , and appears in your collection jar .

But personally , I think it is always better to strip a wash first , then run stripped wash in the boiler for a spirit run .You end up with a cleaner spirit of higher ABV .

If it pukes on the strip , it doesn’t really matter . If you run stripped wash ( even with a bit of puke in it ) you don’t have to worry about spirit run pukes .

[Andrew_90]

So on puking, are reflux columns more prone to puking?

I will strip first as I have been doing. Strip in the pot still or the reflux column?

[Saltbush Bill]

are reflux columns more prone to puking?

Nope but they sure do make a better product if you strip first.

Strip in the pot still or the reflux column?

Pot imo.

[Yummyrum]

Yup . If you got a Potty , use it to strip . ... hard and fast as you can to get the job done .

[Andrew_90]

Thanks.

[Deplorable]

So on puking, are reflux columns more prone to puking?

I will strip first as I have been doing. Strip in the pot still or the reflux column?

Sorry Andrew, I should have been more clear about all that.

If you're making all grain mashes or rum washes with a lot of unfermentables, they have a tendency to foam up during the boil on the stripping run. Especially if not given plenty of time to clear, or brought to boil too quickly.
A puke isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's going to push crap into your condenser, and your low wines (along with some flavors).
As stated above always strip with your pot still, with no packing in the riser, and use your packed reflux column for making high ABV neutral spirits, (or light rums I guess?)

[Andrew_90]

I will not need a tap for my CCVM? The reflux coil will contain all vapour at full reflux?

[Andrew_90]

Regarding the reflux coil.

How finicky is it to tweak the coil. So fully down is easy as one can fit a stop. Hw does one then "calibrate" the coil?

Do you use a series of marks for reference and positioning, or is it a suck and see every time?

[Andrew_90]

On the sight glass matter.

I see that people have placed a bubble plate in the bottom of their sight glass. In a CCVM this would appear to be counter productive, am I correct?

[Setsumi]

I will not need a tap for my CCVM? The reflux coil will contain all vapour at full reflux?

yes, but if running too much power you my over power the RC

[Andrew_90]

I will not need a tap for my CCVM? The reflux coil will contain all vapour at full reflux?

yes, but if running too much power you my over power the RC

OK good point. Am getting a 250mm double helix RC, I wanted to have more cooling capacity rather than being marginal. I will take note when I boot her up so to speak.

[Setsumi]

Regarding the reflux coil.

How finicky is it to tweak the coil. So fully down is easy as one can fit a stop. Hw does one then "calibrate" the coil?

Do you use a series of marks for reference and positioning, or is it a suck and see every time?

for me i just want to know the lowest part of the coil. i have a hard copper pipe as feed as long as the condenser. where the hose pipe connect to the copper is the bottom of the condenser. i use the coils out as index/reference as well as to keep my RC in a position, just jamm a ss teespoon in the coils. some does not have that many coils, then you have to think different. the stainless corugated pipe you can wind the top coil a bit bigger to help keep it in place.

[Andrew_90]

By the time I am done my RC will be positioned about 2.8m above floor level, keg will be at a decent working height. Will start thinking about having a cable system with a lever and reference points at keg height to avoid climbing up and down ladders.

[Setsumi]

On the sight glass matter.

I see that people have placed a bubble plate in the bottom of their sight glass. In a CCVM this would appear to be counter productive, am I correct?

it depends. if you running a packed column as CCVM, yes. if you running a packed column but want LM take-off, no. i run a flute/plater with CCVM take-off. so i have plates in my column but have a CCVM head. the CCVM should only refer to the reflux management and not to the column. although i see a lot of recent discussions that suggest flutes must be CM a CCVM is a packed column. but i do not see it that way.

your 250mm double coil will be plenty and you should be able to space/ index it on the coils.

[Setsumi]

By the time I am done my RC will be positioned about 2.8m above floor level, keg will be at a decent working height. Will start thinking about having a cable system with a lever and reference points at keg height to avoid climbing up and down ladders.

yes hieght is a problem that i have removed by building flutes.

[Setsumi]

et a long stick with upside down hook to push the coil up. bore holes in the stick at boiler level according to coil spacing and wedge with someting on the boiler.

[Deplorable]

I just used a sharpie to mark the stems of my RC, but I quickly realized it wasn't needed. You're going to find you'll be running it by take off speed. Just like a pot still. Raising the RC will increase your takeoff speed, and proof will drop. Raise it just a bump from full down to take off fores at a couple drops a second while maintaining a steady rated of reflux. Bump it up a bit more to increase flow to a fast drip through heads, and a bit more for hearts. Monitoring abv on every jar, you'll find the happy place where your ABV stays where you want it, and you're getting maximum take off speed. I can pull 95% abv with a thin twisted stream.
A bubble plate isn't necessary. Your packing should be up to the bottom of the sight glass clamped section so you can see the top of the packing and observe level of flooding.

[Andrew_90]

So I'm over thinking it again .