Turbo 500 Distillation System

[East Coast]

I have a beer keg, I haven't done anything with yet. But I have been looking and thinking about the Turbo 500 Distillation System.

Who likes it, who don't and why?

[rad14701]

The T-500 has been discussed many times here in the forums if you do a bit of snooping around, but because you haven't how about yet another topic covering the same information just to fragment the forums even further...

The T-500 is constructed using synthetic components which is in direct conflict with The Rules We Live By... Not the best choice of a still but it'll get someone by until they can do better... It CANNOT be run as a pot still because even the manufacturer states that vapor temperatures should remain below 85C/185F because anything higher will cause problems with said synthetic components... It probably also has a synthetic seal between the boiler and lid...

So, there we have it - AGAIN...!!!

Yeah, we get tired of having to repeat ourselves ad nauseam...

[East Coast]

oh sorry I didn't do a very big search, I am new on here. it sounds like a good still, you can just plug it in and walk away because it turns itself off. you just got to dump the first 50ml.

[Dnderhead]

""you can just plug it in and walk away because it turns itself off.""
DEFANETLY NOT RECAMENDED.........

[Durace11]

Unfortunately, it only turns itself off if it completes it's cycle, if it catches fire it keeps running like normal because it's not constructed to turn off in case of fire. So your whole house could burn down but this bad boy will still be running in the kitchen...or what used to be your kitchen!

[Prairiepiss]

Don't beleave much of what they claim. You still need to be there watching it when its running. You still need to make cuts. And for the money you could get a much better column for your keg.

[lampshade]

""you can just plug it in and walk away because it turns itself off.""
DEFANETLY NOT RECAMENDED.........

Hi East Coast,

I'd like to elaborate on the many comments in this thread about unattended operation. I know that it may seem that some came down hard on you, but that is because of the community's passion about this.

We are distilling ethanol, the same stuff that powers automobiles.... what we produce, out of the still, is not the alcohol that you buy in the store. We are distilling 192 proof alcohol, which is very flammable, just like gasoline. Would you leave the distillation of gasoline unattended?

Furthermore, we are fighting against society's notion that distilling is both dangerous and poisonous. Anybody who burns his house down while distilling, just defeats all of the good will that we are working hard to build.

[lampshade]

Now for my T500 blues...

Last year, before I stumbled onto this website, I bought a T500. I quickly learned that using it is not as easy as their vidiots would have you believe. On my second batch I let it get too hot and after that it produced crap. I think I burnt the synthetics that Rad warns us about and it left off-flavors. I also think that it must have developed leaks because the quantity dropped (at first I, erroneously, thought that was due to my fermentation).

So my recommendation is: The T500 is a baby step for the apprentice. It does not train the operator to the next, journeyman, step.

[East Coast]

Hi East Coast,

I'd like to elaborate on the many comments in this thread about unattended operation. I know that it may seem that some came down hard on you, but that is because of the community's passion about this.

We are distilling ethanol, the same stuff that powers automobiles.... what we produce, out of the still, is not the alcohol that you buy in the store. We are distilling 192 proof alcohol, which is very flammable, just like gasoline. Would you leave the distillation of gasoline unattended?

Furthermore, we are fighting against society's notion that distilling is both dangerous and poisonous. Anybody who burns his house down while distilling, just defeats all of the good will that we are working hard to build.

Sorry, ok I understand. But this forum is called Distillation of Spirits? I was only going by what I have see in a few youtube vids. I would never leave a still alone anyway. Right now I have been using the Turbo Air Still.

I want something bigger. I drive a flex fuel vehicle.

The t500 is around $500 to buy here. If there is a way to turn my beer keg into a still to distill ethanol for around the same price or less, I would like to do it. I want it to be electrical but I have read that you need to be able to control the heat. I have found a few plans on making a copper reflux column.

I have found and read info on building and using electrical control, but it sounds hard to do and expensive.

[lampshade]

Hi East Coast,

You can build your own still for a reasonable price. There are a lot of plans here at HD.

I know, at first it seems so intimidating and sometimes the answers you get from some guys are gruff, (this is not the place that spoon feeds) but just don't be in a hurry and read whatever you can. After awhile it will start to come together. But let me be clear: HD is not a tutorial site... it is a good site for experienced knowledge, and that has to be mined using the "HD Google Search" link. Give it time. And get comfortable with what the guys here talk about before you distill; otherwise, you will suffer needless frustration.

[beowoulfe]

+1 Nicely said.

[East Coast]

Hi East Coast,

You can build your own still for a reasonable price. There are a lot of plans here at HD.

I know, at first it seems so intimidating and sometimes the answers you get from some guys are gruff, (this is not the place that spoon feeds) but just don't be in a hurry and read whatever you can. After awhile it will start to come together. But let me be clear: HD is not a tutorial site... it is a good site for experienced knowledge, and that has to be mined using the "HD Google Search" link. Give it time. And get comfortable with what the guys here talk about before you distill; otherwise, you will suffer needless frustration.

Thanks

[East Coast]

Where is the best place you guys have found to buy stuff from? Website, local store?

[rubber duck]

The scrap yard. The last LM reflux still I built cost me less then 100 dollars and that included the keg and packing.

[East Coast]

The scrap yards around here don't have anything any good in them.

[Durace11]

My first four or five trips to the scrap yard were a waste of time, I found nothing at all...no copper, no SS no nothing. The next time I went I came home with four 15.5 gallon kegs for $100USD total. You have to go early & often and go on different days if possible.

[Lawrence]

I agree, I used to deliver mail to a scrap dealer every day and never saw anything worth saving.
Then one day I was lucky enough to stop the guy cutting some 54mm pipe into little bits and scored 5 feet of it and a whole load of large bore copper pipe and fittings for £10 ($16)
I would suggest you tell one of the guys what you are looking for and go at least once a week to check, be prepared to drop him a few Dollars and I am sure you will get what you need for almost nothing.

[dpschein]

Or, if you are not amped about the scrap yard or they don't seem to have pieces you may need (i.e. unique fittings) I usually get good fitting prices at pexsupply.com. I would definately not buy that shit for 500$, as you can make some way better for way less money for just a little more time. Do yourself a favor and read on the kind of still you want to build based on the kind of spirits you intend on making, and either design something yourself and post it to get feedback and improvements, or use a plan and idea already on the forum.
But for sure, enjoy this hobby! To do this read the theory and design stuff first. Don't pay for overpriced junk that you will not get any real enjoyment from !
Hope you choose to not buy it and instead build your own! best of luck

[East Coast]

I like Samohon Boka design. I downloaded some of the build plans for one. I really want to stay away from propane and go with electrical so I can use it indoors in the winter, as we can get a lot of snow and cold here in Canada. I am still saving up the money for parts.

Right now I just use 6kg of sugar, 1 pack of classic turbo yeast, and 21L of water, I let it sit for 3 to 4 days, untill its all done fermenting, the boil it off in my air still.
I boil 4 liters of mash for 3.5hrs and I get just over 1 liter at 50%.

also wondering if you guys order anything from mile hi distilling, and if their prices are good?

[East Coast]

Any of you guys order anything from mile hi distilling, and if their prices are good?

[myles]

East Coast you can do a whole lot better than sugar and turbo yeast.

OK Mile Hi - I bought 2 of their stainless to copper conversion kits. Decent enough but a bit expensive for me to import into the UK. Let me stress the threaded stainless and copper fittings are supposed to be a permanent fit. Once screwed together leave them together, as the threads actually cut into each other to make the seal. Now I would probably make the keg connector a different way.

The only other bits I bought were clamps and keg gaskets.

[Jimbo]

last time I went over to mile hi's website, I got so caught up looking at the scenery I forgot what the hell I went there for.

[East Coast]

I would probably make the keg connector a different way.

What is the best way to connect a 2" copper still to a keg pot?

[East Coast]

I found this, but I wanted to use a 2"

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=10539

[Jimbo]

This is not the best way, or the easiest. But it only cost me 0.49 cents for the flange seal. And its cool looking haha.

I machined the thick piece with a 2 inch hole to the keg and a step to 2 1/4 to hold the flange gasket and the 2"- 1 1/2" coupler. Its fixed permanently to the keg with some angle brackets and a cork gasket. The column fits into the step and is held down to the flange gasket with the top bracket and 4 screws. Works perfect.

EDIT: BTW the 'easiest' way is to head over to brewhaus and buy a 2" stainless ferrule, triclamp and O-ring $20 bucks for the set. http://www.brewhaus.com/2-Long-Weld-Tri ... -P949.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow From what Ive read from some of the masters here, you can solder copper to that if you know what youre doing and use the right flux, research it here. Ive never tried soldering copper to stainless, but I will when I get around to building a reflux. I bought this set and have it in the box-o-parts coming together for the reflux build.

[East Coast]

you can do a whole lot better than sugar and turbo yeast.

What would be better? would it be cheaper? I am using 21L buckets

[lampshade]

you can do a whole lot better than sugar and turbo yeast.

What would be better? would it be cheaper? I am using 21L buckets

Check out http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=14

The community disdains turbo yeast because it produces off-flavors, since it was developed for making ethanol fuel, not ethanol vodka.

If you had checked out Tried and True Recipes, you would have already known the community's opinion of turbo yeast.

Take this advice from one who has been there, where you are now: You really should spend time researching this entire website before you start distilling -- it will save you a lot of grief and make you more agreeable with the old-timers, of which I am not one; they don't appreciate answering questions that have already been answered before on this website. There is a lot of good stuff here, so please do your research. As I said before on this thread, this is not a tutorial website, but it has a lot of experience and wisdom.

[Prairiepiss]

you can do a whole lot better than sugar and turbo yeast.

What would be better?
Any of the tried and true recipes.
would it be cheaper?
Who cares we are after quality not quantity.
I am using 21L buckets

[laughing waters]

The easiest set up would be to buy a 15.5 gallon beer keg and hook up a still head from either Brewhaus or Hillbilly stills. I am a total newb to this and this seems to be the easiest. Please read read read, don't buy some piece of crap, get the right tool for the job the first time and have no regrets.

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

E.C.

Do you want to drink some of your product, or burn all of it in your car?

If you are going to use all of it in your car, synthetic gaskets and off flavors from turbo yeast are of no concern.

If you are drinking some of this, well, .....read, read, read some more, and then build a still that is worthwhile.