Easy Still Problem - Adivice/Help Needed

[autoworker]

Yesterday I was about half way through distilling 4 litres of 20% fermented turbo wash when the pressure inside lifted the top up and the hot wash blew all over my walls and ceiling! It's a good thing I wasn't standing over it, as I would have been seriously scalded. I cleaned up the mess, and several hours later, continued on, and had the same thing happen again. What a day!

I have been using the Easy Still successfully for about a month now, and so far nothing like this has ever happened, although occasionally the top will lift up a little, which lets off some steam and some wash runs down the side. It's a little messy, but mostly just annoying, up until yesterday.

For those of you not familiar with the Easy Still, the top consists of a fan and cooling coil which justs sits on top of the boiler. There's a silicone gasket and just the weight of the top holds it down.

I ran another batch this morning with the fan shroud off, hoping to get additional cooling around the coil, and had the top lift up a little twice and some spilled over the top. Boy did that make me edgy!

Some additional facts to help with the analysis: the ambient temperature both times was around 21 deg. C. When I first got the Easy Still, I filled it with water and left on for about 90 min with the top off. The water never got over 90 deg. C. It is a genuine Easy Still, bought brand new and not modified at all, other than the original conversion done by the Easy Still people.

I'm thinking of putting piece of 1"x2" across the top with a threaded rod on each side to apply some downward pressure to hold the top down, but I'm worried about excessive pressure building up inside, and not being able to release, short of blowing the pot wide open.

So, has anyone ever had this happen, or heard of it happening to someone else? Any and all thoughts and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Dave.

[Dnderhead]

four whatever reason the vapor is trying to get out faster than they
can i would say one of 3 things 1 too hot 2partly plugged 3 condenser
not big Enif no still should build up presser

[smokerscully1]

This ain't that plastic pail set up is it?

[Dnderhead]

I'm thinking its one of them converted water purifiers

[Husker]

It sounds like the condenser coil might be plugged up.

Not quite sure how to "fix" this. You might be able to use a piece of solid copper wire, and push it though the coil.

Once (if) you get it cleaned, I would be careful and try to clear your wash a little better (and NEVER put any grain into the boiler to distill on the grain). That coil is a real biatch to get clean.

H.

[rad14701]

These units are probably susceptible to buildups of solids just like drip coffee makers are... If it is the condenser that is plugged you might be able to clean it by doing a vinegar run through it...

[Husker]

The condenser is a spiral of stainless tubing (about 3/8") that spirals up (then down), around a fan unit. They can be a real nasty thing to clean well. They should not get plugged, unless you "boil over" some solids into the coil itself.

I had a little grain residue stuck inside of mine at one time. It took several runs to clean it out (and it was simply a small amount of residue, and some husk like material). If it is truly plugged enough to pressurize and pop the top off, then there might be quite a bit of blockage in there.

H.

[Dnderhead]

husker i dont know a thing a bout them but whold compest air be of help?

[autoworker]

I'm fairly new at this home-distilling game, and have only run clear sugar turbo washes through it so far. I plan on building a proper vapor-management still this spring, after I get back from a Florida vacation in March. In the meantime, though, I'd sure like to figure out what is causing this.

Ever since I got it, it has had the occasional boil-over, where the top pops up and some hot wash spills over the top, but nothing like what happened yesterday.

I always fill it up to the line with 4 litres of app. 20% turbo wash. I have noticed that when I fill it up with plain water, it never boils, it just simmers. So I'm wondering if the 20% alcohol wash is boiling too rapidly and causing it to boil over. Does that make sense? Should I perhaps switch to a lower % wash, or dilute the 20% to a lesser concentration of alcohol before I distill it?

Also, what do you guys think of my idea of clamping the top down? Something tells me it's probably not a good idea, right?

One thing for sure, from now on, I'm distilling out in the garage, not in the house. I'm sick of washing walls!

[big worm]

Also, what do you guys think of my idea of clamping the top down? Something tells me it's probably not a good idea, right?

One thing for sure, from now on, I'm distilling out in the garage, not in the house. I'm sick of washing walls!

my two cents for what ther worth....not a good idea...lol go with the gut feeling. if the little guy is blowing his stack under normal service, bolting its lid could make a booze bomb. but if ya blow it up in the garage insted of kitchen the wife might go easyer on ya

[Old_Blue]

So I'm wondering if the 20% alcohol wash is boiling too rapidly and causing it to boil over.

Friend,

This is a disaster waiting to happen. If you have plans to build something else in a month I would stop with this contraption unless you can defiantly identify the problem. Doing the same thing over and over ain't going to solve it and trying to fight the symptoms of the problem won't solve it either. That lid is popping off for a reason and clamping it down will just make it happen somewhere else - that would be Big Worm's Booze Bomb.

A little distilling ain't worth burning yourself or family up.

[rad14701]

If you think the ABV is too high for the unit you could always dilute your wash with added water... It will take longer to process the entire batch but might help in the end... Better to have the process take longer than to waste good wash and invite potential injury...

[nutmg1]

I'd love to see a picture of this thing. I can't figure out how a fan is involved.

[rad14701]

I'd love to see a picture of this thing. I can't figure out how a fan is involved.

Google "Easy Still" and you will find out what it is... Or just go to http://easystill.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow if you want just one site, but not the product manufacturers site... It is actually a water purifier and there is a fan in the head of the unit...

[nutmg1]

I'd love to see a picture of this thing. I can't figure out how a fan is involved.

Are you talking about the coffe pot looking thing?

[nutmg1]

I'd love to see a picture of this thing. I can't figure out how a fan is involved.

Are you talking about the coffe pot looking thing?

http://www.smartstill.com/countertop-ho ... iller.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Dnderhead]

Nutmg I have a mental pitcher a electric pot with a air cooled condenser
on the top the fan cools condenser

[nutmg1]

Thanks Dndrhead;

I found it online. After a quick look it doesn't look like its worth the time. The link I posted can probably be used to contact the manufcturer to find out what's happening.

[Husker]

husker i dont know a thing a bout them but whold compest air be of help?

That might flush them out.

This pic shows a drawing of what the insides of the thing look like.



The "boiler" tub has the heater under it. You plug into the boiler. The lid contains the entire air cooled condensor, and the fan. There is a cord out of the top (lid), which is plugged into a recepticle on the bottom (since the top and bottom do separate).

At the bottom of the enclosed lid (becomes the top of the boiler when running), there is an inlet hole. I "think" that compressed air "might" be able to flush it out. HOWEVER, if someone does use air to blow out an obstruction, THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN. I can not say for sure it will work, or that it would not cause damage. I do not "think" it would, but ........

H.

[Husker]

I'm fairly new at this home-distilling game, and have only run clear sugar turbo washes through it so far. I plan on building a proper vapor-management still this spring, after I get back from a Florida vacation in March. In the meantime, though, I'd sure like to figure out what is causing this.

Ever since I got it, it has had the occasional boil-over, where the top pops up and some hot wash spills over the top, but nothing like what happened yesterday.

I always fill it up to the line with 4 litres of app. 20% turbo wash. I have noticed that when I fill it up with plain water, it never boils, it just simmers. So I'm wondering if the 20% alcohol wash is boiling too rapidly and causing it to boil over. Does that make sense? Should I perhaps switch to a lower % wash, or dilute the 20% to a lesser concentration of alcohol before I distill it?

Also, what do you guys think of my idea of clamping the top down? Something tells me it's probably not a good idea, right?

One thing for sure, from now on, I'm distilling out in the garage, not in the house. I'm sick of washing walls!

One thing also to do to keep them from boiling over, is to toss in a hand full of stainless steel nuts. That will help "even" the boil and keep it from boiling over.

H.

[autoworker]

There doesn't seem to be any obstruction in the condeser tube, as I can blow through it quite easily.

As for contacting the manufacturer or the seller, I'm sure they'll just say that all their products have always worked perfectly, and whatever is causing this problem is surely my fault!

[Husker]

There doesn't seem to be any obstruction in the condeser tube, as I can blow through it quite easily.

As for contacting the manufacturer or the seller, I'm sure they'll just say that all their products have always worked perfectly, and whatever is causing this problem is surely my fault!

I have used my quite a bit (less recently, but a lot up to about 6 months ago). Adding the boiling chips (I used stainless nuts), helped. I have done distillations up to about 60% ABV (that was stripped, and re-run twice).

H.

[Dmrobb]

I bought a air still, haven't used it yet but I think they say to use 3 ltr mash. They have YouTube demo's

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Luigi]

I know this is an old topic but it seems that the person did not add any saddles into the wash to stop the boiling over.