Improving a pot still ?

[sergiolis]

yeahhh!! It's true, at 2200W and condenser water coming out at 41ºC there is no condensation. So the next step will be a new liebeg as you say der wo
(a 28-22mm with a turbulator wire 1m lenght). And I will save some water.
If I hadn't put the mirror there I wouldn't have noticed it becuse the liebeg was only the first centimeters hot...

[sergiolis]

In my case if I reduce the cooling water at a certain point supossedly acceptable (only 1/3 of the liebeg lenght hot) there is vapour escaping. I'm a bit confused because this fact doesn't suit with the theory of distilling with an output condenser water very hot..

[NZChris]

What is the temperature of the condensate? Water in?

[sergiolis]

Product 35ºC, water in 17ºC

[NZChris]

It should be all condensed at 35C. Try putting a coil of SS or copper wire up it from the bottom.

[sergiolis]

Maybe many of us are losing some alcohol wich is not condensed. As I said almost the whole Liebeg was cold and the temperatures were ok. Actually I think it was just a very small amount because I could see the condensation on the mirror. However, I couldn't see drops formed, even the mirror was some minutes there.

[Yummyrum]

When you have a shower , the bathroom is full of steam , the water is probably not much hotter than 40-45 Deg C otherwise you would be scolded ...but doesn't water vapourize at 100 deg ? .Hmmm........don't worry about it serg .

I have a big arse liebig , 1" inside 3/4" 1.6 mters long with crimped inner and spiral wire wrapped . When distilling on a cold night , I always see mist out the end .

Like Kiwichris said , it should be all condensed at 35 degC ....by all means build a bigger condenser But IMHO what you have its working fine

[Monkeyman88]

Exhaling on a mirror will also cause it to mist up. I wouldn't worry about it.

[der wo]

For me it's normal, that only a short part of the liebig gets hot.
Yes, probably it's not vapour but mist. But it's distillate you loose. Or what else could it be? Why should the humidity of the air condensate here?
Perhaps a scrubbie at the end of the liebig will help.
I use a liebig also as reflux condenser for my LM. Every run I step a few times on a little ladder to look, if everything is condensing or if I should give more or less water flow. I look with a flashlight into the liebig and I see always mist (mini drops) inside levitating. But nothing of that passes the end of the liebig.

[der wo]

Exhaling on a mirror will also cause it to mist up. I wouldn't worry about it.

What do you mean?
Popcorn Sutton is sitting in the liebig and when sergio shows him his mirror image, he has to exhale?

[sergiolis]

Yes mist, vapour or dew is Alcohol. I will check it but i think when I bokareflux I can't see that mist. I know that because the mist was also in the walls of the 3L jar I use to collect at the end of the run. With a BOka the vapours are double-condensed. So if the mist appears only when stripping must be lack of efficiency of the condenser. Anyway i will check it again with my boka.

But now I'm worried again because I'm afraid that a bigger liebig (22mm-28mm) maybe again will not be able to condense everything...
Maybe I should build a shotgun or a Dimroth condenser.... I don't know, but I would like to have a perfect stripper for 2500 or 2600W

[der wo]

Perhaps you should give Popcorn more time, so he could write you the perfect dimensions with a finger on the mirror?
Or: "Sergio! Please! My back pains! Need more diameter!"

When you have condensation in the jar, perhaps it's because the distillate is so warm?
You should make a decision for a maximum wattage. If you decide for 2600W, 1m 28/22mm will be perfect. It will condensate everything and also cool it to room temperature.

[sergiolis]

Yes der wo, that's my plan.... or I could do it 35mm jacket- 28mm inner tube. What do you think? It will be better than 22-28mm?
But just one note, If it doesn't work, You have to help me to build a shotgun...

[der wo]

No, it's only more expensive.
I believe there is a perfect quotient for length/diameter or lenght/r². I don't know details, but a very long but thin condenser tends to huffing. And a very wide but short liebig is ineffective and you risk a loss, because some of the vapor in the middle of the pipe perhaps does not even touch the copper. The parent side calc does not consider that. But thats only theory. In practice everything is ok, if you simply build proven mesuarements. There are better places to get creative.

[sergiolis]

Ok I take 1m 28-22mm one. I will build it soon. It will be ready for my next Allbrans. Thanks der wo, your help is very much appreciated.
I was thinking a 35-28mm 1m lenght too. But as you say I trust you because you are working with a 28-22mm
22-28mm has a 4mm water jacket
28-35mm has a 5mm water jacket

[der wo]

OK, thought about the water layer one more time:
22-28 has 2mm jacket. Because the 28 is inside 26. (26mm-22mm) : 2 = 2mm
28-35 has 2.3mm jacket. Because the 35 is inside 32.6.
Those layers work perfectly.
A too thin jacket would cause pressure in the water lines and you would need very robust connectors. So I would not build a liebig from the in europe available 18 and 15mm-pipes, it would have a 0.5mm-layer.
A thick jacket would be a waste of copper.

[sergiolis]

Great der wo! I see. I will do more research. My heating element is 3500W, so if I,m able to push until 3000W it would be fantastic. A dimroth condenser as hound dog it is an interesting option. Actually we are always wanting more and maybe when I get 2600W I will want 3000W. Beyond that i could stay quite for a while.... Thanks a lot for your help!!!

[sergiolis]

Hi guys,
Finally I decided to build a Dimroth with CSST like some members here. It's the easiest way to build a condenser and looks really effective. Der wo, eventually If you are interested I ordered the csst from Germany.
I'm thinking of buying a Stainless Steel pipe too. I've seen some from China :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281697490338?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Some of you have tried these pipes? are they reliable? Suppossedly is SS316

[Hound Dog]

Hey Serg, this condenser with a little stainless scrubbie in it knocks down 6000 watts in my Boka before reaching the critical point of vapor slipping past. Just to give you size ideas.

[sergiolis]

Thanks a lot for the reference Hound Dog,
I have one in my Boka too and works much better than my old copper one

[sergiolis]

Finally is done.... Stripping Head (Hound dog style) Cleaning alcohol run at 3000 W with no issues. That's what I wanted
Thanks a lot guys for your help and your patience.