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Been spending quite a bit of time lurking and studying up on the craft here, thanks ahead of time for everyone that helps!
Putting finishing touches on a simple keg pot still with a few mods. I'll post pics once I get the whole thing up and running. My aim is to start out pretty simple, probably running really basic sour mash or sweet feed recipes to start out with. I figure I'll learn the basic ins and outs before making anything to ...ugh... Sophisticated I have a few ideas I'd like to throw your way down the road once I get running too. Excited to get started though!
-badlands
Badlands
Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy" - Frank Sinatra
So I was thinking of adding a thump keg to further down the road and was wondering if anybody has ever had their inlet rather than running in from the top of the keg connect directly to the side? This way I would be able to use my current still to connect to the top 2 inch? I'm assuming I would probably need to condense the "inlet" down to at least an inch if I were to do this? Thoughts? Sorry the sketch is weak
image.jpg
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Badlands
Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy" - Frank Sinatra
It might work if you put the intake closer to the bottom of the thumper. You need to keep the level of the thumper charge as low in volume as possible. The amount of liquid in the thumper will grow as the run progresses. With the way you have it in your drawing, it would surely overflow and puke.
S-C
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
Thanks sc, I'll make sure to drop the valve lower. Any way of knowing how much volume a run will gain other than just taking a before and after?
Also, I've always been curious how the vapor manages to push its way down the part of the valve that is submerged. I'm assuming it's something to the affect of blowing bubbles in chocolate milk but it doesn't seem like the pressure from the still would be high enough to "blow bubbles". I'm sure it's just a matter of physics and all but maybe somebody can explain it in simple terms for me. I'm a simpleton
Badlands
Badlands
Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy" - Frank Sinatra
It's like blowing bubbles with a straw . The bubbles carry heat and eventually bring the liquid in the thumper to a boil and start a second distillation . Nasties are filtered through the liquid and many are left behind as the resultant vapor rises on it's final journey to the condenser . You do get some back pressure in your boiler . I'm dealing with the issue of a poor stainless to stainless solder joint on my boiler cap at present because of this . My failure , not a critical pressure issue .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
Normal volume recommendations for a thumper are 1/3 to 1/2 the volume of your boiler. If your going to put your inlet on the side I would go with a thumper on the larger end of that range. That said I would advise you to put the inlet on the top of the thumper off center.
In order for a thumper to work the contents inside must be given enough heat energy to boil. I think having the inlet on the side may result in less heat transfer to the thumper. In the traditional design you have a metal pipe entering the top and is extended near the bottom. This configuration is going to provide more heat transfer than vapors entering through an inlet on the side. If there is not enough heat to re-boil, your thumper will overflow.
+1 on going thru the top. you will want the easiest configeration to be able to fill, emty and clean the thumper such as unions somewhere above the thumper, keep it simple.
Thanks for all the input everybody. My reasoning behind the side input was to alleviate the need for the long drop from the top but the heat transfer issue certainly makes sense. I just have not seen any thumper designs I'm to terribly thrilled with fabricating. I don't mind adding a second port/ ferrule to connect besides the original two inch and I think I'll probably end up doing something of the sort from the top now that you guys have added input.
Other questions,would a heating element solve the top input problem or would it be to difficult to control liquid temps without spending an absurd amount on a thumper? And, what would be ideal width for input?
Probably be working on a few more ideas today as well so stay tuned for more drawings please. Better quality this time promise.
Oh lastly, looking to run a half keg as the thumper btw.
Badlands
Badlands
Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy" - Frank Sinatra
Welcome to HD badlands, I did a beautiful drawing of my thunper setup for a guy a couple of weeks ago, I have a 16 gallon keg boiler and a 8 gallon pony keg thumper and you need not cut or drill any extra holes it's very simple, I'll look up the drawing and send it over. OMD
Sometimes I wonder why is that Frisbee getting bigger......and then it hits me.
Yea I've seen a few like that, problem is the still I already have. Gf got me a simple 2 inch pot still from milehi for Xmas and she would be crushed if I didn't put it to good use ,and anybody that buys me stills for Xmas is worth having around I do like that idea though. And I didn't know etch a sketch went digital!
Badlands
Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy" - Frank Sinatra
Thanks Ghost, makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I know it aint purdy but it gets the point across how to use your thump keg without puttin any more holes in it.
Sometimes I wonder why is that Frisbee getting bigger......and then it hits me.
Ah yes never kick a gift horse, the way you have drawn it will work just fine just an extra seal to fit. Nothing wrong with a woman that buys you a still for Christmas
Last edited by OlympicMtDoo on Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sometimes I wonder why is that Frisbee getting bigger......and then it hits me.
seriously - You can pick them up in college towns pretty cheap. Usually the local bottle shop will have some that are dented or just in bad shape and they have gotten their moneys worth out of them. I DO NOT suggest stealing one out of a frat yard LOL - unless you are just really fast.
I have a few ideas I'd like to throw your way down the road once I get running too. Excited to get started though! 
I do like that idea though. And I didn't know etch a sketch went digital!
I know it aint purdy but it gets the point across how to use your thump keg without puttin any more holes in it.