Another son of a Bok

[Nemo]

I have just converted from an internal reflux to a twin slanted plate style on top of a 2 inch pipe containing 36 inches of SS scrubbers. I gotta say, I'm kind of disapointed. I am only getting 30 ml/min out of it with a water run. I could get 60 ml/min out of the internal reflux on a stripping run. That was the max the 24 inch Liebig could handle.

I am going to run a sugar wash tomorrow. I will wrap the condenser, ( 10 feet of 1/4 inch tubing wrapped around an 8 inch piece of half inch pipe, coldfinger style) with a copper scrubber to try and get a little better performance. It could be that I didn't run it long enough, 10 minutes after it started to steam. Also, the output was not steady, at anything over 5 to 6 drops a second it would keep stopping and starting.

One other thing that may not be an issue. How important is it to run the returning reflux directly into the center?
I soldered the thermometer well 1/2 inch directly under the return tongue on the bottom plate. That will catch all the return and run it to the outer wall since it is at a 35 degree angle too.

Oh well ,enough belly achin, I'll see how the sugar wash turns out before I start taking things apart again.
The yeast bomb works great, 8 gallons of wash should be done in 48 hours or so.

Nemo

[Nightforce]

That just how my bok runs on water. Gurgles and spits 150F+ water with steam, grunts, pukes out some more steaming water, etc. Collection rate isn't good either for water, its slow.

Running on ethanol its a whole 'nother animal. I can get 1.5-1.8L/hr easy of 110F 95+% ethanol. During the last run I pushed it and it was able to run 2+L/hr rate for a short while before I wasn't getting enough reflux to keep the temp at or under 78C.

Run your bok on a wash and see how it goes. You might be surprised.

[Nemo]

You're right NightForce, It works like a charm. I ran my sugar wash through it and I am getting 90%. I'm pretty happy wth that. It has a lit higher condensing capacity, I can run the burner higher with no vapor loss.
It wlll run at 90% at 40 to 45 ml/min. I slowed it down to 20 ml/min to see if I could get a higher percentage, Nope. It stayed at 90%. I was geting erratic readings from my hydrometer, down to 86 then back to 90. I think it's time for a new one. I broke a few small fragments of glass from the bottom and liquid is just starting to seep in.
This is great fun, I'm having a ball.

[Nightforce]

Glad you're happy. It's a different animal on ethanol. Sometimes I find that turning up the heat and slowing the take off rate increased the percentage abv. i.e. more reflux. My column is only 4" longer (41" packing) and I can pull off 95+%; I wouldn't think that 4" would make that much difference so I'd get a new alcoholmeter. You're current only could be giving you erroneous readings. Also, if you're using a parrot the alcohol flow could be skewing you're readings as well. I'd test under still conditions with a new hydro to be sure you're really getting only 90% and not higher.