Shoulda left both on, I think.
Run times for a strip are based 100% on power input (minus power loss and reflux, if using a column, even if not 'returning' reflux).
The losses to heat loss can be quite a bit, unless you insulate well. The 'losses' you get in a column (IF you do not run any coolant through the column) is based upon poor insulation. Once it is well insulated, there should be little loss, and you can pretty much use the pot still calculator from the parent site to determine just when the run should be over.
So for 13 gallons of 14% wash, here is what I see. NOTE assumes pot still, with NO power loss, and no reflux due to power loss (This was from the Win32 port of the pot still calc I did):
Code: Select all
***** Pot Still Run *****
Starting: 50.0L of 14.0% 'mash' at 26°C
Running: Wattage 3000, Reflux @ 10.0%
*** Main run *** Heatup 71 min
Ending Temperature Ave Total Total
Time Boil Vapor Collected Purity Collected Purity
------ -------- --------- --------- ------ --------- ------
10 min 91.98°C 81.37°C 1365 mL 61.8% 1365 mL 61.82%
20 min 92.66°C 81.68°C 1316 mL 58.9% 2680 mL 60.41%
30 min 93.33°C 82.01°C 1266 mL 55.8% 3947 mL 58.93%
40 min 93.98°C 82.38°C 1218 mL 52.5% 5164 mL 57.42%
50 min 94.62°C 82.78°C 1171 mL 49.0% 6335 mL 55.86%
60 min 95.22°C 83.22°C 1125 mL 45.4% 7460 mL 54.28%
70 min 95.79°C 83.72°C 1083 mL 41.7% 8543 mL 52.69%
80 min 96.33°C 84.29°C 1043 mL 37.9% 9586 mL 51.09%
90 min 96.82°C 84.94°C 1006 mL 34.2% 10591 mL 49.49%
100 min 97.26°C 85.68°C 972 mL 30.6% 11563 mL 47.90%
110 min 97.66°C 86.53°C 941 mL 27.0% 12504 mL 46.33%
120 min 98.02°C 87.46°C 914 mL 23.7% 13418 mL 44.79%
130 min 98.33°C 88.47°C 889 mL 20.5% 14307 mL 43.28%
*** Tails run ***
Ending Temperature Ave Total Total
Time Boil Vapor Collected Purity Collected Purity
------ -------- --------- --------- ------ --------- ------
20 min 98.84°C 90.09°C 1718 mL 16.3% 1718 mL 16.33%
40 min 99.22°C 92.28°C 1654 mL 11.6% 3372 mL 14.02%
60 min 99.49°C 94.32°C 1608 mL 8.0% 4980 mL 12.06%
80 min 99.67°C 96.04°C 1576 mL 5.3% 6556 mL 10.43%
100 min 99.80°C 97.38°C 1554 mL 3.4% 8110 mL 9.07%
Starting: 50.00L @ 14.0% (7000.0 mL pure Ethanol)
Main Run: 14.31L @ 43.3% (6191.9 mL pure Ethanol)
Tails Run: 8.11L @ 9.1% (735.9 mL pure Ethanol)
In boiler: 27.58L @ 0.26% (72.3 mL pure Ethanol)
This shows an expected 71minute heat up (I have found from experience, this is too low, but about 20%). Then a 2 hour run, and 1.8 hours if you want to run that deep to get almost ALL of the ethanol.
So from start to 'normal' finish, was about 3 hours at 3000W. You ran at 3kW heatup, + 1.5Kw run, so you getting 2 hours to drip is about right (it will take that 71 minutes, plus about 20% more, plus even more than that, since you have to drive the heat UP that column), then you ran for 5 hours, which is 200% of what I computed (plus a little more, since the column will slow things down with more heat loss).
To me, it sounds like what you would EXPECT on a 1500W strip run with a column.
People that are getting '2-hour' from start to finish, are usually running propane. It is pretty easy to crank up the heat, and get 1000's of watts of power (even 10's of 1000's of Watts) if you want it. Even turned down to a 'reasonable' rate, you still will see several 1000 watts of power. But in your case, if you can run both 1500W elements, without scorching, or 'puking', then that is what you should target to strip with. Also, INSULATE well. Heat loss is simply that, it slows down the run's power and makes it slower.
H.
Hillbilly Rebel: Unless you are one of the people on this site who are legalling distilling, keep a low profile, don't tell, don't sell.
