noisy dephlegmator

[Rastus]

Ok so been doing some cleaning runs with white vinegar. 4" flute 48" column. i ran it hard with zero reflux or condenser wonderful vapors ...
so then i turn on the coolant and run it in full reflux all output came to a screeching halt great! so after a half hour of that i start to back off my 3 way valve to the dephlagmator and it slowly starts passing the vapor over so i back it off some more, and i can tell its hot and the liquid flows out of the PC ... everything is great...
next is curious though
the dephlagmator starts making a sound like marbles banging around inside... i think maybe it is just the water inside boiling offi totally cut the water to it and it slowly faded away.... and gone with zero reflux water flow.
the only thing i can imagine is my water it too cold i cannot help that it is winter.... but that noise, makes me just want to ask if anyone else experience that ? if it is normal and not to worry then i am happy with that.

otherwise my 3" ss ferrule to copper was leaking like a sieve so i soldered last night and today on my re run it was down to a pin hole... too much gap between copper and ferrule ... so i willl do one more plug attempt with the solder and this baby is ready to rock..... cant wait to see how she runs with the real product in her system.

any feedback on the rattling clanking sound of the dephlagmator is appreciated

[googe]

Yeah mine does that, when I first built it I couldn't figure out what it was, took the dephlag off and shook it cause I thought maybe there was solder loose inside lol. does it on every one I've built, mainly when I make Valve adjustments like you said. I think it's just the water swishing around and cold water to hot copper reaction.plus, could be air stuck in the dephlag, dunno really, havnt investigated it enough. Doesn't affect the running though.

[Rastus]

Thanks Googe!

I figured expansion noises from the increase of heat maybe, i am not too worried about air because the 3 way valve leaves and unimpeded pathway to the exit hose. i will just keep an eye on my solder joints for leaks....

all i have left is to solder a pinhole and i can run the sacrificial batch of ujssm.... and i am off to the races. its been about a year since i ran anything.
i have a 3" boka and 3" pot still but a burning desire to try the flute so i did it... hoping the time spent running is diminished so i can get more sleep.
I am using a 4500 watt heating element, and when i saw the size of the stream i am wondering what difference the 5500 watt element will make.

best regards

[jedneck]

I noticed that my rc would start to boil the water out on vineger runs. I was running no reflux with empty coil, then went to full and slowly back to closed. After running for a while longer I saw water surging out the outlet hose. I had a themo in the outlet and it was at 212°f. Hasn't done it on a alcohol run and I don't see it ever doing it.

[Rastus]

thanks jedneck....

it makes sense the alcohol vapor is at 173 ish vs water vapor at boiling point... i too saw the surging in the water hose, so at leasty i am glad to see that it is within the realm of normalcy.....

now tonight, on to my pin hole at the ferrule and then! the whole universe of the flute shall unfurl before me after the sacrifice of my first batch of ujssm i have a 9th generation ferment of my sweetfeed that has been tightly capped since last year.... oh yeah and the rye bread i hoarded so i can give Odin's rye bread recipe a try

good to be back in the saddle

[Rastus]

FOLLOW UP:
As stated all the noise was on the vinegar runs ....

Today was the maiden voyage of my new flute. all leaks sealed, not a single peep of noise, must be like running cheap gas in a high performance engine it PINGs, it wants premium, not regular.

worries have evaporated and passes the big reflux condenser in the sky.... hmmm almost sounds like a line from the eulogy of a moonshiner

well now it moves on to other observations and interesting notes.... this thoroughbred, runs a lot different than the old Bokakob Mare.

I siphoned to the top of the corn in the bucket, i figure i put 3 gallons of wash in, and in spite of my experimentation with the reflux, and feeling the effects of the power of the heating element, the total power to the element time was 1 hour 30 minutes. in which time i extracted 6 cups of 88%. the last jar brought the other 3 down the first 150 ml where blue, then ran clear. and there after 4 cups came out at straight 90%then a slight drop on the next 2 cups and a big drop after that.... Amazing.... that was my cleaning run.

next up 5 gallons of 9th generation sweetfeed that's been on hold. and that will tie me over till the next batch of corn and then im going to get that rye bread off the top shelf.....

YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!