talk me out of or into a 3" build..

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needmorstuff
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talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by needmorstuff »

I am sure I am driving some of you crazy with my train of thoughts changing like the weather.. but.

I have a still spirits t500 at the moment. i can produce enough likker for me with it. its not as time consuming as it once was as I have the pot still head for stripping runs.. the final spirit run is manageable in terms of timing.

What I want is to produce a finer spirit than it is capable of.. so I need a taller column.

Now If I am building a taller column then half of me thinks I may as well go bigger and build a 3" column,.. the other half thinks I don't need the extra capacity and a 3" will cost a lot more in materials to produce. Then the overriding lesson in life tells me buy cheap buy twice.. so whilst i may not need 3" it will be the last build I would ever need for a column.

From experience or just your opinion - help me decide - please - I am driving myself crazy with indecision :crazy: :wtf: :yawn: :crazy:
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bluefish_dist
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by bluefish_dist »

If you are going to upgrade the boiler to something in the 15 gallon range, then 3" or 4" is the way to go. A 2" is about 1l/hr so it's a long run to run a full keg. A 3" is about double that and 4" is 4 X that. When you look at pricing a 3" is not double a 2". Also 1/2" CSST fits great in a 3". A ccvm made from 3" spools should be pretty reasonable and a super quick build.
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needmorstuff
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by needmorstuff »

regardless of what I built I would get a new boiler and the price between 30l and 50l is minimal.. so I could get either (another decision) I would say I would get a 50l - that's 11 gallon.. or roughly a 9 gallon charge

I don't fancy a CCVM.. I would prefer a valve. I just fear the less than repeatable nature of manually sliding a coil up and down in a tube.. with a valve i can set it the same each time.
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pfshine
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by pfshine »

I say build it 3 or bigger, it is well worth it. If I can get better and more product in less than half the time, you better believe I'm going to do it. You say it's the last one you will need, but I can pretty much guarantee that you will build more.

50l is 13.2 gallons
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needmorstuff
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by needmorstuff »

yes, well i already have plans to build a pot still and gin head - so i guess i am lying to myself.
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needmorstuff
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by needmorstuff »

pfshine wrote:I say build it 3 or bigger, it is well worth it. If I can get better and more product in less than half the time, you better believe I'm going to do it. You say it's the last one you will need, but I can pretty much guarantee that you will build more.

50l is 13.2 gallons
of course.. I was working with google and it defaulted to imperial gallons not US liquid gallons.
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der wo
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by der wo »

I have a 2". But with both 30 or 50l I would prefer a 3". But it only makes sense, when you use enough wattage. Don't build a 3" and use only 2kW. Then it's a waste of money. And before making a decision, find out, how much wattage the electrical lines in your house can handle.
In this way, imperialism brings catastrophe as a mode of existence back from the periphery of capitalist development to its point of departure. - Rosa Luxemburg
needmorstuff
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Re: talk me out of or into a 3" build..

Post by needmorstuff »

I would go for 2 x 2kw. off of separate sockets. I am basing that each socket can handle its max draw of 13amps and each 2kw elements can only draw 8.3amps.
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