Home Distiller

Hi all,
I've just completed making a 20 litre reflux column (73cm) still and thought I would try a boil with plain water. I have a 20cm internal copper condensing coil at the top of the tower with tap water flowing through. Heating element is a 1380 watt 240 volt internal element without any heat control ( the guy in the shop supplied the same element as used in a retail available still which he said does not need heat control ). Now when I heated it up it got to temp of 99.7 C and stayed at that whether I allowed disillation to occur or full reflux. Now my question is when I put my mash in will the temp stabilise at around the 80C mark or will it continue to rise? Do I need a heat control on my element? Thanks all

It will heat up to the boiling point of whatever strength wash you have.
Water boils at 100C therefore that is the temp you recorded.
Your alcohol wash will start to boil around 78C and then as the alcohol boils of it will rise.
You may need some control, only a test run will tell you that.

Cheers.

My advise to you would be that you will need heater control to get good spirit with cleaner cuts and reflux control

Pastill wrote:( the guy in the shop supplied the same element as used in a retail available still which he said does not need heat control ).

The guy in the shop didn't know shit from clay. 1380 watts sounds a little too much of course Im guessing on what diameter your column is what type.etc............. but 750-1000 watts is the average. A good controll unit would be money well spent (dont bother asking the bloke in the shop about one)

Hey thanks for the inputs all. Any advice on where to get a controller for my heating element. Cheers

I think this the tread where Pint talks about building a controller.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3342

I've got a 25litre still spirits boiler. The element is 1380watts.
I ran it with 25litres of sugar wash with my pot condenser with no heat control and it settled at 92C.
that was too hot for me couldn't run enough water through it to keep the distilate cool.
Other guys running that same boiler and element but with the still spirits reflux heads seem to settle at around 85C or less.
I've read through Pints thread on temperature control but that stuff is WAY over my head.
I'm going to buy the 900watt element which is meant for the 5litre still spirits boiler and give that a shot. I figure it's going to take a long time to heat up 25litres with that small element, so I might give it a helping hand to get to temperature with my little portable gas stove, and once I'm near temperature, turn that off and just run the element Hopefully it will settle at a more acceptable temperature.

anywho.....you might just find with your reflux set up that it will settle at a decent temperature even though you have no element control.

Without reflux, the temp of the vapor is going to be higher. Doesn't matter how much heat you are using. When potstilling, heat input controls takeoff rates more than it does vapor temps.

you may find this thread helpful

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8002

I am at the moment running a batch using a 5litre still spirits still

air temperature inside is 27°C

using very little water 1/2 litre per minute , water temp in 15°C , out 28°C

the still is running at 79°C , depends a lot on bulb placement

continuous separate drips

very clean flavour , not perfect but very close

getting there

Hey Superdavid I just read your comment on my Still temperature thread - thanks. I know that the temp control details by Pintoshine is very tech and above my head too but I was interested in the idea where a diode is put in the active line. With an AC supply this diode effectively halves the voltage going to the heating element so instead of it being a 1380w element it becomes a 690w element. I have just made up a lead with a 6 amp diode in line and am trying it out 'as we speak'.I did not have quick access to a 10amp diode so used the 6 amp. With about 8 litres of plain water in the boiler I let it heat until the temp in the column indicated 99.9C then changed the lead for the 'diode one' - boiling quickly resumed albeit at a slower rate and is distilling water at about 400ml/hour. Installing this diode is very simple and anyone a bit handy I'm sure could do it with very little cost. Another option if you purchase a lower wattage element is to install this element as well ( you only need to have another 33mm hole cut in your boiler) then heat up on the 1380w element then change the lead to the other for distilling. If you do want more info on the diode installation sing out -Cheers

by doing that you are giting 1/4 not 1/2 so 1/4 of 1380=349 w

Wouldn't that be dropping from 240V to 120V input, Dnderhead...??? The diode effectively cancels half of the sine wave... It's early morning here so I may not be thinking clearly...

Hi rad14701 - now my electrical knowledge is minimal but I have tested the voltage after the diode and it is showing as about 120v. I just assumed that the wattage would be halved as well - but maybe not? I have a plug in voltage/current tester and this shows a wattage of 1660w at 240v but when I tried to test the wattage after the diode or before the supply goes through the diode I get no reading but it does read a voltage of 124v after the diode. I presumed that cancelling half the sine wave stops the unit from working. My multimeter has to be on DC to read the voltage after the diode as I guess it is AC no more. Cheers

Power = volts (squared) ÷ resistance

Therefore, half the voltage in = quarter the power out.

Power = volts (squared) ÷ resistance

Therefore, half the voltage in = quarter the power out.

Pastill
thanks mate!
yes! I might just install the smaller element as well as the large element and use both to get to temp and then unplug the large element.
the electric stuff might be above my head...but I should be able to figure out how to cut a hole!
Good luck with the diode!

Hi Superdavid
Just a tip when you cut the hole in the boiler - I stuffed 2 bimetal hole saws trying to drill through my stainless lid by using a hand drill that was way too fast for stainless. To cut the hole for the element I clamped the boiler on its side in my drill press, set it on its slowest speed and used soluble oil for lubrication - worked like a charm. If you don't have a drill press maybe get someone to do it. Luck

thanks mate!!! That is good to know!