"Basically it verifies that the tower failed due to an internal plate being only tack welded when it should have been welded fully around. This allowed a distilling bean or beans (glass marble) to clog the product (shine) output hole. This caused an immediate over pressurization which ruptured the still bottom and sent it hurtling through the door. The pressure relief valve did not open due to the still builder installing a valve too large for this size pot plus being made for a water heater."
You would think that any company worth their salt would at least test the over pressurization valve after production. Or have the good sense to realize that 150 lb of pressure is just stupid High when you're talking about hot Steam and liquid.
I've read that report several times and there was virtually nothing in it about failure of that plate and clogging of the outlet, in fact it says the plates were secure and the outlet clear, so the only conclusion I get from it is that statement is an outright lie.
As far as the relief valve I still firmly believe it was swapped out by the plumber who added the vent pipe because they were having problems with the original valve opening during testing and initial runs but it's not like anybody is going to admit it.
I would agree that the investigation was incomplete at best.
They seem to point out why the thing might have burst apart, but made no effort to explain why the pressure built up or who might have been responsible.
I think the guys that got hurt deserved better.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
Sunshineer wrote:I use a spray bottle with a tiny amount of ivory soap in it any leaks will bubble like crazy.
If it's bubbling like crazy, you need to turn the heat off and evacuate the building. Do not restart until you have identified and fixed the problem that was causing the pressure.
Believe me I never let it get that far just trying to post a good way to check for leaks I only use ivory because it's all natural won't hurt anything and will wash off with water after cooling.
Sunshineer wrote:I use a spray bottle with a tiny amount of ivory soap in it any leaks will bubble like crazy.
If it's bubbling like crazy, you need to turn the heat off and evacuate the building. Do not restart until you have identified and fixed the problem that was causing the pressure.
Believe me I never let it get that far just trying to post a good way to check for leaks I only use ivory because it's all natural won't hurt anything and will wash off with water after cooling.
This is like the old plumber who taught me to check for natural gas leaks in a gas line by “hitting it” with his cigarette lighter flame....”if it supports a flame, it must have a leak”. Fortunately, he retired before blowing himself up (and me too).
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I never have leaks that would cause any bubbles, because I have never any pressure in my system. Just some sweating of a coupling. When I collect the drips, they show no alcohol in them.
Even between boiler and thumper I have no higher pressure than 40 cm watercolumn. Just sweating, not even a remote danger of explosion.
My SOH had been smelling gas by our front door for months...I just blow her off, but one day I found a "Gas sniffer" on E-Bay, bid on it, and got it for $15 free shipping...so the very next time her said "I'm telling you I smell gas!" I whip out the sniffer and Ah Haa! the gas company was there in 1/2 an hour...major leak, their feed line had rusted through outside the house 6 feet deep and the gas was filtering under the lentil...they trenched the front yard, totally replaced the line, moved the meter etc, etc...they were there for six hours, all at their cost...they said it wasn't that dangerous being buried that deep...and I had to live with the "I told you's" for the next six months or so...I still use the "sniffer" not my schnozzle!
you can run your hand around the joints without touching the metal - say 1/4 inch away or closer. If you have a leak you will feel the "steam" HOT on your hand.
that works for me - every time.
MAke one deliberately and you will feel what I mean
Pikey wrote:you can run your hand around the joints without touching the metal - say 1/4 inch away or closer. If you have a leak you will feel the "steam" HOT on your hand.
that works for me - every time.
MAke one deliberately and you will feel what I mean
Once upon a time I had a job as a welders helper on a coal fired powerplant that remained 80% active during the rebuild. We had sawed off broom handles for checking for steam leaks. It a leak was on the back side you slid the broom handle along behind the pipe until the steam cut the stick in half. We were told that once someone had used his hand to do it and it cut off all 4 of his fingers. Now I know high pressure steam in a powerplant is nothing like what we deal with on our stills but that memory stays with me making me very reluctant to look for any kind of steam leak using my hand. Another way to find one is wrap a bit of teflon tape around the joint. If it is leaking it will become kind of transparent.
Pikey wrote:you can run your hand around the joints without touching the metal - say 1/4 inch away or closer. If you have a leak you will feel the "steam" HOT on your hand.
that works for me - every time.
MAke one deliberately and you will feel what I mean
Once upon a time I had a job as a welders helper on a coal fired powerplant that remained 80% active during the rebuild. We had sawed off broom handles for checking for steam leaks. It a leak was on the back side you slid the broom handle along behind the pipe until the steam cut the stick in half. We were told that once someone had used his hand to do it and it cut off all 4 of his fingers. Now I know high pressure steam in a powerplant is nothing like what we deal with on our stills but that memory stays with me making me very reluctant to look for any kind of steam leak using my hand. Another way to find one is wrap a bit of teflon tape around the joint. If it is leaking it will become kind of transparent.
I like the tape idea since I keep a very close watch during my run no tv no phone no games just stillin and family knows to leave me alone until I finish my run. You never know so we must be prepared at all times for anything wouldn't even consider starting without 2 fire extinguishers on hand and within easy reach plus I have an automatic extinguisher mounted over the still which is a fire sprinkler head mounted to an extinguisher bottle if the fuse melts the bottle goes off putting out the fire if I can't stop it first