Basic fire safety concern...

[Paracelsus]

Ok, so I am in a smallish apartment, and intend to only be using a pot still - its a Essential Extractor II in pot mode with a solid cork stopper on the head. I can provide a fair amount of ventilation, have a CO2 fire extinguisher on hand, and currently use an electric hotplate. I remain concerned about the pilot light on my stove nearby. How paranoid should I be about this? I have only run water and vinegar though the apparatus to date.

[Prairiepiss]

If your condenser is knocking down all the alcohol vapors. Like it should be. You shouldn't have to worry. You should be right next to it as it runs. So you would know if there is a problem.

Another thing. That hotplate will give you problems running it in pot still mode. They cycle on and off. This can cause temp fluxes and smearing. You can look around for possible work around that may or maynot help.

[Paracelsus]

If your condenser is knocking down all the alcohol vapors. Like it should be. You shouldn't have to worry. You should be right next to it as it runs. So you would know if there is a problem.

Okay, so if my seal is good (I will be welding a solid cap on eventually, but for now the cork seems to be doing a good job) then it should be fairly safe?

Another thing. That hotplate will give you problems running it in pot still mode. They cycle on and off. This can cause temp fluxes and smearing. You can look around for possible work around that may or maynot help.

Yeah, I'm aware of that - I have already modified the hotplate so that it doesn't cycle. I will be replacing it with a large induction element eventually.

[Prairiepiss]

If you modified it to not cycle. That means it will stay on constant high. Then you won't have any control over your still. Unless you added a good controller? Pot still mode you will need that control. Reflux mode you could get by without it.

Is your boiler induction ready? Many stainless steel pots are not.

[Paracelsus]

If you modified it to not cycle. That means it will stay on constant high. Then you won't have any control over your still. Unless you added a good controller? Pot still mode you will need that control. Reflux mode you could get by without it.

I hadn't, but that is easy enough to do. I know there is a post on this site concerning that. When I did so I wasn't aware that everything I wanted to do could be confined to just the pot mode.

Is your boiler induction ready? Many stainless steel pots are not.

It is not, I know I will need a new boiler for that. That improvement has to wait a bit. Bills to pay and all that.

[Prairiepiss]

Cool just checking.

[Paracelsus]

Cool just checking.

The reminder about the controller is very much appreciated. I would probably have gotten midway though a run and wondered what the hell to do when it started puking.

[Prairiepiss]

For a 110v hotplate a router speed controller would work. Like the harbor freight one. I did a thread on how I modded mine. Look in the new distiller reading lounge. For the harbor freight controller thread.

[Paracelsus]

For a 110v hotplate a router speed controller would work. Like the harbor freight one. I did a thread on how I modded mine. Look in the new distiller reading lounge. For the harbor freight controller thread.

I'm going to get a slightly more expensive 20-amp speed controller - The hotplate is 20 amp and my circuit is 20 amp. The Harbor Freight controller is rated at 15 amps.

[Prairiepiss]

Good call. You don't see many 20amp hotplates. Sounds like you got a good plan.