Can wash go old

[Ben the Stiller]

I normally let my wash run for 2 or 3 weeks but this time, I let it go for 3 months. It looked clear and smelled fine, but when I ran it, the keg only got to 182 degrees (instead of 191) and I didn't make any product. I kept it in a sealed barrel with a vapor lock the entire time. Thoughts?

[Dnderhead]

i dont know where you got the temperature from but 182 should have more alcohol than 191.sounds like lack of power/heat.

[Ben the Stiller]

hmmmmm. That makes sense, but I have all three heaters plugged in - I usually run two of three when it's up to temperature. Cables to all three heaters feel warm, like they are pushing current. I am measuring the 182 in the pot. It's locked in on that temp just as it normally would at 191. I have a liquid management unit and It's been a while since I've run it, but as I recall, the pot should be 191 and the column above the packing and the liquid return leg (where the condenser is) should be close to 173 (a little lower since I'm at elevation). Does that sound about right?

[Prairiepiss]

I would worry about the cables getting warm? That tells me they are to small. How many watts are we talking here? And are you plugging them into 3 different circuits?

[Ben the Stiller]

I have 3 1500 watt submersible heaters and I think they are on separate circuits. They must be because I checked the panel and no breakers are tripped. I'll replace 14 gauge wire with 12 gauge to be safe. I reduced the reflux ratio and started making some 190 proof, but man, it's going slower than it should (especially with three heaters going). I did add 2 x 1.75 liter rerun to the 15 gallon mash which might explain the lower boiling temp?

[Prairiepiss]

2 1500w elements should be plenty for a 2" reflux. And yes adding alcohol to make the ABV go up. Will lower the boiling point of the liquid. And more liquid will take more heat and longer time to heat up.

Not to mention if your cables are heating up. That means your elements aren't getting a the needed amount of electricity. To function at their rated capacity. Heaven forbid they are on the same circuit. Then you would have an even more decrease in available electricity.

[Ben the Stiller]

Yup, that all makes sense Mr Piss. My column is 4" (I happened to have 4" copper pipe) so I imagine all three heaters would be necessary. I confirmed the outlets are on different circuits, but tomorrow I'll make #12 gauge cords to lower the resistance. Something else seems a bit odd. I'm getting the reflux column temp and the liquid return at 160 degrees when the keg is running 182. The 182 could be right (because of the higher ABV and the elevation - 7500 ft), but doesn't the reflux temp seem a little low? I'm still making 190 proof, but that temp baffles me a bit. Thanks again for the advice.

[Prairiepiss]

4" column. How about some more detail on the still setup. What kind of reflux still is it? Where are you taking temp readings? Packing? What kind? Or plates? What kind? Are the thermometers accurate?

How much was the actual still charge? What was its ABV?

3000 w is a bit Mich for 2" but should be about right for a 4". 4500 w sounds a bit much even for a 4"? But I've seen stranger things.

[Ben the Stiller]

It's a liquid management still with the condenser in the return leg. I read three temps - one in the keg (in the wash), one above the packing (marbles and small smooth stones) and in the return leg (below the condenser). The gauge in the pot is a good Ashcroft dial thermometer and the other two are thermocouples that I bench tested for accuracy (boiled water and confirmed temp at 201 degrees, which is about right at 7500 feet elev). I'd attach a picture but am not smart enough to know how (do you just paste it into the text area?). ABV of the wash was 10 - 11%, then I added 3.75 liters of re-run. I use a beer keg for the pot so I normally charge about 15 gallons of wash.

[Prairiepiss]

Boiler charge should be 1/2 to 3/4 the boiler size. To avoid pukin and foaming. I use a max of 12 gal for a non foaming wash. But try to stay around 10 gal on most all runs.

Sounds like either you had a puke and it flooded the column. Or you just flooded the column with using to much heat.So it was acting like a hybrid type still. Where the column was flooded and vapors were bubbling through the liquid. Like a inline thumper or a plate would. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. It may have worked for you this time. But may not next time.

[Ben the Stiller]

Mr Piss - I don't think she puked - it's happened before so I know a little something about that. My sense is that the cables were holding down the heat. I replaced the skinny guy with #12 wire and it fired up really well this morning. Pot was at 184 and column was at about 164. Seems about right for the elevation.

I am getting right at 180 proof. based on my description of my still, should I do something to try to move up the purity? I've seen folks on this forum talk about 190+ proof. My reflux rate is really high. I think my takeoff valve is 1/2 turn and the reflux valve is about 5 turns - so that should be around 10:1. Anything else I can do to improve the proof or should I be happy at 180.

thanks