Still only produces at 200 degrees or more

[daveykc5]

I am really new to home distilling and I am still learning. For my set up I am using a pressure cooker with a 3/4 inch hole in the center then that eventually reduces down to a 3/8 coil. my problem is that I let the still warm up up to about 170-175 and the stack nor the coil get warm and I cant get anything to come out but when I let it heat up to around 200 degrees it starts producing and the result is a liquid that will ignite so I am getting some for of alcohol. I just don't know why it wont work till it gets too hot. I need any help I can get.

[rad14701]

Greetings, daveykc5...

Head on over to the New Distiller Reading Lounge and you'll learn quite a bit... Also visit the parent site to get up to speed on the theories of distillation... We consider those as just part of the mandatory research novices should complete...

You can't control the temperature in a still to control output... You throw heat at it and the mixture in the boiler determines boiling and vapor temperatures... Use enough heat to produce the output flow you desire...

Also, pressure cookers are not a good choice for a boiler... Aluminum is a bad choice and the synthetic seals aren't made for use in a high temperature high proof alcohol vapor and liquid environment...

Good luck and enjoy the journey...