So I got a new heat source for my pot but it's too large to allow for a good contact between the hot plate's surface and the bottom of my pot due to a skirt that is soldered around the bottom of my pot. Here are some pictures of the skirt that is keeping about 1.5cm of space between my hot plate and the pot's bottom.
View of the skirt from the side of the pot:
Close- up view of the skirt from the bottom of the pot with the solder seam visible:
How can I get this skirt off? You might be able to see it in the second picture, I've tried digging out the solder with a combination of scraping and sanding and there was a lot more solder than I anticipated. Is this going to require a torch to melt the solder to the point where the skirt can just be pulled off? If so, would a simple plumber's propane torch do the job? If not, I'm gonna have to take it to a metalworker because I don't have tools where I'm at.
Away with yer pills, it'll cure all ills, Be ye Pagan, Christian or Jew,
so take off your coat and grease your throat with a bucketful of Mountain Dew.
If that is stables steel? That ain't solder. That would be welded. And it would take a lot more then what you seem to have to get it off there.
Now a hot plate isn't the best heat source for a still. You mite be better off leaving the ring on the boiler and adding an internal element. It would cost you about the same amount for a shop to remove that ring as it would to have them install a half coupler for the element.
I can't tell from the pics. Is the bottom flat or concaved? If it doesn't have a flat spot at least as big as your hot plate. It's not going to work very good. It does look a little concaved and that would be why the ring is there. So it will sit stable.
Yes its stainless (enough such that it doesn't hold a magnet) and I believe it is solder because a weld wouldn't be as easily scraped off as it has been. And to honest, I've shied away from an internal element because I get intimidated every time I see diagrams of controllers and all the work it seems to take to make one. How much work and money would it take to install one sufficient for my 5gal pot that will run on 110v?
Away with yer pills, it'll cure all ills, Be ye Pagan, Christian or Jew,
so take off your coat and grease your throat with a bucketful of Mountain Dew.
Element 1500w $20
Harbor freight router speed controller. $20
Mods to the controller. Free if you try hard enough.
Half coupler 1" NPT $10 to $15 (not real sure?)
Having it welded in ?
$60 plus welding labor. And you will have a nice setup.
Depending on how wide your boiler is? You could go with a 220v 5500w element and run it on 110v this would give you 1375w. That would be plenty for a 5 gal boiler. And be way more efficient then a hot plate. With better control.
Look in the new distiller reading lounge. I have a thread in there that will explain what I did. And the mods to the controller. Simple stuff. Only wiring to do would be for the element cord. 3 wires and a plug.
Ok that looks like a good option, a few questions:
How do you pair up an element with a fitting? As in, how do you know the element you're buying will be compatible with the fitting you're buying? or are they all universal?
what gauge wire is necessary for the connection between the controller and the element?
and finally, it looks like the only mod you did was a heatsink, would it be necessary if I only have a 1500watt element?
oh and one more, the fitting is welded into the pot and the element screws into the fitting correct? so it's easy to remove and clean after a run?
ps. my pot's diameter is about 10.5-11 inches
Thanks for all the help.
Away with yer pills, it'll cure all ills, Be ye Pagan, Christian or Jew,
so take off your coat and grease your throat with a bucketful of Mountain Dew.
Elements are actually 1" npst straight pipe thread. But I use 1" NPT with no problems. Some have reported they don't fit correctly. But I use PTFE tape on them and have had no leaks as of yet.
The 1500 w element will be about the max for that controller. So yes the heatsink would be preferred. It will help keep it cool so it will last a lot longer. They aren't really made to be used as long as we do. So without it it may burn out quick.
Wire size I thought I covered that in the thread. But I would use 12-2 wire.
Yes you can unscrew the element to clean it. But there shouldn't be a need for it.
Ok with your pot size I don't think a 5500w element will fit. It's to long. But a 4500w LD note just fit. Buy a 4500w on 110v would only be 1125w. So it mite be a little low. What kind of still head are you using? If its a pot still it would be enough. But if its a reflux head it mite not. The 4500w element will be less apt to scorching. And also later on if you wanted to build a phase angle controller and go 220v. You wouldn't need a new element.
But that's all up to you. A 1500w 110v element will work.
You also want the element about an inch off the bottom of the boiler.
The heatsink isn't hard. You can usually find one from a friend that messes with computers or a shop note be nice and give you an old one.
I agree that making the effort to add a element will be well worth your time and money.
For you or others reading along that are considering how to cut stainless steel. Buy a mini grinder. They are a very versatile tool and cheap. If you have a Harbor Freight close they are under twenty dollars there. You can put on a cutting wheel, grinding wheel, paper wheel or polishing wheel. I have at least six of them. I keep a different wheel on each. We use them every day and run them hard. When they die I throw them out.
When drilling stainless run your bits slow with plenty of cutting oil and use a lot of pressure. Avoid heat.
