Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Fittings, parrots, packing, tooling and so on.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

My wife recently bought me a five gallon still sold by suninlife and one of the tubing silicone flange gaskets has started to split. They do not sell replacements and I wanted to know if anyone knows where I can buy replacements. Thanks, old brewer.
User avatar
Kindafrench
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 179
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 2:05 am

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Kindafrench »

Please provide a link to the product page.
If it's this one
you better use it for water distilling, not alcohol.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7596
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Yummyrum »

If that is the still , bin and get a decent one . I had the misfortune of seeing one of those in the flesh last week . So many things wrong with it , its not funny .
Silicone gasket was just the start of it .

And how are the manufacturers instructions on how to connect water flow to flakestand ….. obviously no idea about distilling . :crazy:
2D69A3DF-AFD7-46F2-B4E5-C78C04E4CCB6.png
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9647
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Glad you've seen one for yourself Yummy, I had the misfortune of attempting to set one up and show someone how it worked.
User avatar
LWTCS
Site Mod
Posts: 12833
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: North Palm Beach

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by LWTCS »

Oh lawd,,,,,,,
Trample the injured and hurdle the dead.
ThomasBrewer
Swill Maker
Posts: 233
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:24 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by ThomasBrewer »

Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

It didn't come with setup instructions but it was fairly easy to do. I ran distillations with water, then vinegar and finally a molasses wash and only had a slight leak on the thumper pot lid that I fixed with bending the clamps slightly. The alcohol run produced a really nice silver rum when blended. Is there a better option than silicone for sealing the tubing?
ThomasBrewer
Swill Maker
Posts: 233
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:24 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by ThomasBrewer »

Sealing the tubing? Aren't the fittings flare and the tubing connections barbed? I though you were sealing the flange (top of pot)?

A photo might be useful.
lest1
Novice
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:42 pm
Location: North Queensland

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by lest1 »

Are they that bad i bought one for for a gin still should i do something else?
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7596
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Yummyrum »

ThomasBrewer wrote: Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:38 pm Sealing the tubing? Aren't the fittings flare and the tubing connections barbed? I though you were sealing the flange (top of pot)?

A photo might be useful.
On the one I saw , it was all BSP fittings . The seals in the CSST fittings was some silicone gasketty things that had a hole about 1/4” up it’s clacker .

Hardly what I would call a safe still . The thing they sell as a Thumper on the one I saw was in fact a Slobber box , but I guess you could solder a short length of 1/2” copper pipe into the 1/2” nipple that was the input and convert it to a Thumper if you wanted .
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9647
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Saltbush Bill »

The one I dealt with was also a slobber Box Yummy ......doubt the maker knows the difference or cares for that matter.
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

The flex tubing has silicone flange gaskets that with a tube portion that goes inside the tubing and a flat section that the fitting ads rear down on top to seal.
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

I did solder a piece of copper tubing for the inlet.
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

The seals on the CSST is what I'm trying to find or some tougher material.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7596
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Yummyrum »

I’m not suprised Oldbrewer . The ones on the still I saw were very soft and spongy .

Preference would be to see if you can find a teflon washer or O-ring of an appropriate size . In my opinion you could even try a rubber O-ring and wrap thread some teflon tape through it so you end up with a Teflon coated donut .

I know the original gasket had a tube section that fitted inside the CSST but IMO it is not needed and if anything restricts the diameter too much causing a potential blockage point .
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

Yeah, I wondered about using an edpme gasket like I worked with a lot in craft brewing. More flexible than Teflon but still can tacitly hot temps.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9647
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Temperatures are not all that need to be taken into consideration.....your working with a number of different solvents.
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

True enough. I have seen this used in the solvent industry. I just need to research it. Right now I've got a good seal by using Teflon tape to seal around the split area of the seal. I just want to get a long time solution and a supplier. I not only can't really afford to do much replacement but I think that the actual pots are pretty good material and I hate to waste anything.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13038
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by NZChris »

I've seen cracked EPDM seals on the sight glasses of a newish column still that hadn't had a lot of runs.
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

Good to know I'll check into alternatives. I'd like the Teflon washer but I wonder if it won't seal quite right because its relatively hard material.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7596
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Yummyrum »

Funny thing , today O’l mate who proudly showed me his still said he thinks the 1/2” CSST is too small and wants to upgrade it to 3/4” CSST . He was asking me what gasket he should use .
Fortunately , he is using his to distill essential oils from Eucalyptus leaves .
I suggested to him to using silicone baking mat . Thought this might also be better for you . But still do the teflon tape wrap.
Oldbrewer
Novice
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:07 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Oldbrewer »

Great idea! I'll give it a try
jhodges
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2022 4:36 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by jhodges »

As I have a similar still and I think I am going to try Cork in place of the silicon gaskets that are provided between the kettle and thumper, thumper to worm? Any thoughts on cork gasket material?
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7596
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by Yummyrum »

Most all cork sheet is made of small pieces of cork bonded together with some sort of synthetic adhesive .I used some once , before I realised what it was made of , as a large flange gasket on my boiler lid . It worked for years and then started to leak . When I pulled it apart , it had decomposed and gone all brittle and hard . Heaven knows how much of that I may have ingested .

There is Natural cork sheet available . It is used by the musical industry for seals on Saxophones. I believe it is very expensive .
jhodges
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2022 4:36 pm

Re: Replacement silicone tubing gaskets for suninlife five gallon still

Post by jhodges »

I ordered a Winkkipag 60 PCS Metric O-Ring washer kits on Amazon it has everything needed for the hose Gaskets/ O-Rings
Post Reply