hot plate to distill with

[raildog]

Mentors,
I am building an all copper round pot still 15 inches wide by 18 inches tall. I normally distill outdoors but that is not an option at this point so I am thinking of using a 1500 watt hot plate to provide the heat for this still. My question is if the hot plate will provide enough heat or should I persue a different option. My calculations have the volume at about 15 gallons.
Thanks for your help folks. I love this site.
raildog

[LWTCS]

15 gallon boiler or 15 gallon charge?
Does your hot plate cycle?

[raildog]

sorry i wasn't clear, 10 gal. charge, 15 gal capacity. Thanks

[myles]

1500w is a bit low for a pot still that size. The hot plates work fine for a smaller boiler on a reflux still, but for a pot like that you would be better off with immersion elements. IMO, but I have just fitted two 3kw elements to my keg - so I would say that.

[rad14701]

Internal elements have a greater thermal efficiency than hot plates... If you can do internal, by all means, do so...

[Aces High]

The fact that the pot will be copper means that you should get reasonably efficient heat transfer. A 1500W hotplate is definitely not your best option for heating, but if you have to use it, the copper pot will absorb the heat a lot more efficiently than a stainless pot of the same size and might just do the job. But I suspect your start up times are going to be pretty slow.

Give it a try if you've got the hotplate already, its not as if it'll cost you any extra and wont take any modifying of the pot, but I suggest you'll end up following RAD & Myles advice and going internal eventually.

[raildog]

Well guys I went back to using propane, I hate getting all that soot on that pretty copper buy what the heck. I will just have to find a more descreet place to practice this craft. I had been running 2-15 gal batches of UJSM but thats producing too much so I cut it back to 1-15 gal at a time.
Did I mention I love this site? Thanks for all the help and advise oldtimers.....lol, I ment that in the best possible way guys.
Raildog

[Usge]

You could try using a grate of some kind between the copper pot and the burner. That or a diffuser plate of somekind...might stop the discoloring as well as help spread heat more evenly.

[raildog]

thanks, i'll do that