vapors escaping out column during first water run???

barrelcreator · Post by **barrelcreator** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:26 pm

I am doing my first run through my new 2" column 3" condensor offest head still. My question is will water being boiled at 212 give me a small amount of vapors coming out the condensor top? Water boils at 212 and I plan stilling at 174. Is the elecated temp of the water casuing the vapors and should I be concerned now or will I be okay when I run a wash though it. The still was built to exact designs from "biuld a world class still" designs.

Update: The only thing I havent done is pack the column yet.

Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

As-Ol-Joe · Post by **As-Ol-Joe** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:37 pm

If that is the only vapor you see, you are ok. You probably can't run enough cooling water to condense all the vapor from boiling water.

PUGIDOGS · Post by **PUGIDOGS** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:41 pm

Nothing to worry about, H2O is much harder to condense the ETOH. It did the same thing on me with my first still. Pugi

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:56 pm

No worries... add a bit of scrubber packing to the condensor coils and it'll be fine...

paps · Post by **paps** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:05 am

I built the exact still you did, moonshine-still.com/ and my first water run did the same thing. PUGIDOGS and junkyard dawg is exactly right, I put a copper scrubber in the top of the condenser and all is well.

As-Ol-Jo, You probably can't run enough cooling water to condense all the vapor from boiling water.

I had concerns about not enough cooling water in the condenser so I added a second coil inside the original one. With alcohol vapor it is plenty of cooling to do the job. See pic.... http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc26 ... rcoils.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

barrelcreator · Post by **barrelcreator** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:26 am

paps was the second coil needed when you ran your first wash? This is what i am trying to get clear. Is a scubber required or an additional coil. The above replys leed me to think no but your reply has me wondering now. Tahnks,

PUGIDOGS · Post by **PUGIDOGS** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:33 am

barrelcreator wrote:paps was the second coil needed when you ran your first wash? This is what i am trying to get clear. Is a scubber required or an additional coil. The above replys leed me to think no but your reply has me wondering now. Tahnks,

Mine is a single coil in a 2 inch column. I have 2 scrubbies stuffed inside the coil and 2 wrapped around the outside of the coil. It works fine....Pugi

paps · Post by **paps** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:08 am

barrelcreator, I'm sorry I confused you, the second coil was probably an over kill. With the second coil no scrubbers are necessary. As for the still, it takes some getting use too, but boy does it work great.

P.S. Without the second coil I still used the scrubber even thought I saw very little or no vapor on the alcohol run.

tracker0945 · Post by **tracker0945** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:45 pm

My column has a double coil with a piece of scrubber fitted on and around the top coil or two just to make sure that if vapours get that high there is something there to catch them.
I had vapour escape on a water run, hence the fitting of them. Probably no need for them now on a stripping or distilling run but I have left them there as a last safety measure.
Cheers.