My first run isnt working out.

07rangerfx4 · Post by **07rangerfx4** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:09 pm

Well im new to distilling but not to making beer or anything.

I decided to try the sweet feed mash. I got it all ready and let it firmint for 5 days til the SG was 1.000

Now im trying it out with my first run on this new setup i have which is a pot type. I have no idea what i have done wrong. I got the still up to temp at 172 all the lines got hot to the touch and ran off prob 4 oz of head. It was no fast process it was about 3 drops a second which i thought was doing ok. Now it has slowed down to 1 drop every 2 seconds. I have a 5 gallon mash setup and im only running maybe 2 1/2 to 3 gallons of it. I have less than 1/4 of a pint jar as of right now and have been going for about 4 hours..

Im using a hotplate if anyone wants to know does anyone have any ideas as to why my run has turned out this way?

Thanks

Post by **jedneck** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:52 pm

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 65&t=16635
Read this it will tell you what's wrong.

07rangerfx4 · Post by **07rangerfx4** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:10 pm

Thank you! I had been looking for some reading like that on explaining why I wasnt getting anything. Thanks for your help, done some reading on that and a lil adjustment on the hp and bam!

thanks again jedneck

Post by **rad14701** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:24 pm

The time to do the research is before you get started... When you are done with the run, take ample time to do the research you should have already completed before proceeding further... This isn't a learn by the seat of your pants hobby unless you like repeating mistakes already made by others... It's just not safe to dive into home distillation blindly...

Are you making cuts...??? Collecting in enough small containers...??? The list goes on...

07rangerfx4 · Post by **07rangerfx4** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:39 pm

Yes im making cuts, collecting in jars ive had for years. The only problem ive had was the temp, everything else has worked great.

07rangerfx4 · Post by **07rangerfx4** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 4:23 pm

Well I found my biggest problem, the old and I mean OLD 1100 watt hp that I have just isnt enough. It took a dump roughly 3/4 the way through my run.

my cleaning run was done with a propane burner in the garage.

I have been looking at small propane burners and was wanting to kno if anyone has used or has any knowledge on these for indoor use. I know using propane indoors is not ideal but I have no other place to work.

http://www.toolplanet.com/product/Singl ... OgodMzkAPQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

bellybuster · Post by **bellybuster** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 6:55 pm

Unless you have known ample makeup air, I wouldn't use that indoors. They eat a ton of oxygen, more than you would imagine and output carbon monoxide at an alarming rate.
Think electric for indoors.

five_slow · Post by **five_slow** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:24 pm

rad14701 wrote:The time to do the research is before you get started... When you are done with the run, take ample time to do the research you should have already completed before proceeding further... This isn't a learn by the seat of your pants hobby unless you like repeating mistakes already made by others... It's just not safe to dive into home distillation blindly...

Are you making cuts...??? Collecting in enough small containers...??? The list goes on...

Personally I disagree. No disrespect towards anyone but I learn more by doing vs. reading. If I mess up Iv learned. However I will never turn a blind eye towards safety although personally I take it lightly as I'm not a sissy boy. Fire doesn't scare me and I know enough about fire, vapor and air circulation.

OP research as much as you can. The info is overwhelming so start small and work up. Don't be afraid to screw something up. It's a hobby not a job so make it fun but be safe.

Old Anarchist · Post by **Old Anarchist** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:28 pm

Personally I disagree. No disrespect towards anyone but I learn more by doing vs. reading. If I mess up Iv learned. However I will never turn a blind eye towards safety although personally I take it lightly as I'm not a sissy boy. Fire doesn't scare me and I know enough about fire, vapor and air circulation.

OP research as much as you can. The info is overwhelming so start small and work up. Don't be afraid to screw something up. It's a hobby not a job so make it fun but be safe.

i know alot about fire, vapor and air circulation myself. enough to know that you should take every precaution regardless of how you feel. and it should scare the piss out of you every time. that vapor can burn ya up pretty bad. fear creates caution.

Post by **rad14701** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:46 am

five_slow wrote:
rad14701 wrote:The time to do the research is before you get started... When you are done with the run, take ample time to do the research you should have already completed before proceeding further... This isn't a learn by the seat of your pants hobby unless you like repeating mistakes already made by others... It's just not safe to dive into home distillation blindly...

Are you making cuts...??? Collecting in enough small containers...??? The list goes on...
Personally I disagree. No disrespect towards anyone but I learn more by doing vs. reading. If I mess up Iv learned. However I will never turn a blind eye towards safety although personally I take it lightly as I'm not a sissy boy. Fire doesn't scare me and I know enough about fire, vapor and air circulation.

OP research as much as you can. The info is overwhelming so start small and work up. Don't be afraid to screw something up. It's a hobby not a job so make it fun but be safe.

Spend enough time here, doing research, and you'll discover that you aren't the first to come here with that attitude... And you'll also discover that virtually every other member who originally came here with it changed their opinion... The time to know what you need to know is before you need to know it, not after... This is a very dangerous hobby and involves many different sciences... To think you can walk in and pick it up on the fly is foolish... Be a fool if you like but we surely don't want others to come here and think your methods of learning are acceptable here... Research is free... Making someone sick or burning your house down and having the insurance company deny your claim while you sit in jail isn't... Don't let your ego cloud common sense...

Post by **HDNB** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:23 pm

sorry didn't quote that right:

"Personally I disagree. No disrespect towards anyone but I learn more by doing vs. reading. If I mess up Iv learned. However I will never turn a blind eye towards safety although personally I take it lightly as I'm not a sissy boy. Fire doesn't scare me and I know enough about fire, vapor and air circulation.

OP research as much as you can. The info is overwhelming so start small and work up. Don't be afraid to screw something up. It's a hobby not a job so make it fun but be safe.[/quote]"

Let me share a caution from another post i was chatting on:
"this means you potentially put about 1000mL of vapour into the air.

to put that in perspective: the explosive power of (vapour) ethanol is approximately the same as gasoline. in practical terms that is 1 L of (either) has roughly the same explosive power as 10KG (22 pounds) of TNT explosive. next to atomic, fuel/air bombs are the most powerful weapon in the military arsenal.

what would that do to your stillin' shack?"

i know a bit about fire too, i spent a year of my life having gauze peeled from 3rd degree blisters for a gas burn...i'm pretty sure that's what hell is all about, but if you need to learn more by doing instead of reading...well, it's a good thing yer not a sissy.

best of luck.

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