Turkey Fryer

Goofy · Post by **Goofy** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 8:29 am

I've been using a 1100W hot plate for my heat source, but it seems to take forever to get going. So I decided to start using propane. I went to Academy Sports and found what I was looking for. The turkey fryer kit came with a 30 quart stainless steel kettle, burner, propane regulator, stand, thermometer and some other stuff. The really cool part is it only cost $31.05

It is made in China but it seems sturdy enough to me. Anyway just thought if someone is in the same boat as me it might help you to find some parts pretty cheap.

AkCoyote · Post by **AkCoyote** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 10:09 am

What's the fuel source? Refillable propane bottles?

AkCoyote

Goofy · Post by **Goofy** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 12:45 pm

The connector on the regulator is made to go on refillable bottles, but I think I'll hook it up to the big house tank. That way I can stay out in the garage. I already have propane ran out here for a heater. I know,I know,be sure and vent .

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 10:39 am

Works great, but it takes alot of time.

7 hrs produced about 3 litres of 190 in my Valved reflux.

Diluted down to about 80pr and the stuff tastes fine.

Propane is no joke though, I would run it outside, not in your garage.

When propane gets into a room it depletes the O2 and then anything that goes near the propane will ignite it.

Be careful if you run it in the garage.

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:57 am

Anonymous wrote:Works great, but it takes alot of time.

7 hrs produced about 3 litres of 190 in my Valved reflux.

wow, this seems like a very long time. I collect 1 liter an hour at 94% purity. You have a high reflux ratio?

linw · Post by **linw** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:17 am

Tell us about your setup, PP. I can only get about 500ml/hr at 95% if I am to maintain a stable column. Others have talked about a similar rate, too. No way can I even think of 1 ltr/hr!

My rig - 50mm X 1170mm, VM, amphora mesh, 824W pwr.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 8:44 am

Im using a keg, with a stainless steel reflux top.

I dont think I used enought of the propane to heat the thing fast enough, and dont know what to do.

7hrs is a long time by any means.

I am now modifying it to be used as a vaccum still.

I bought a vaccum pump for about 10 bucks that runs on compressed air and attaches to the top above the condenser. I am estimating the new time at a little over 3 hours to produce 3.5 US gal of 95%

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:29 am

My rig is nothing special:

55 mm copper tube, stuffed with ss-scrubbers (which I am thinking of replacing with amphora mesh) The effective SS-colum size is 70 cm.
I am using the nixon-stone reflux design.

I use propane (a big wok-burner) to heat up my 80 liter copper vessel. I use a reflux ratio of 3, this gets the job done nicely.

When I ever get pictures done I will post them. Btw, I made my setup with a changable head. Until now only used the reflux setup. Will have to get a nice grain-wash going soon ........

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 3:38 pm

My packed height in my NS-Reflux is 36" and I can pull out product at 94.5% collecting 10 ml per minute (600 ml/hour) Pieter, your column is 70 cm or 28" which is what the design calls for. I had that length of column before I lengthened it and I could only get it up as high as 92% at 10 ml/minute. Are you doing temperature corrections when testing your product pieter, that seems really fast and really high % for such a short column.

Post by **Fourway** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 5:43 pm

Anonymous wrote:Im using a keg, with a stainless steel reflux top.

I dont think I used enought of the propane to heat the thing fast enough, and dont know what to do.

Gee I don't know... maybe you could use more propane?

Anonymous wrote: 7hrs is a long time by any means.

nope... like theholymackrel says... its not a long time at all.

Anonymous wrote: I am now modifying it to be used as a vaccum still.

Ok... now here's where it gets sort of boring.
Modifying a SS column still to "be" a vacuum still is sort of like modifying a 1977 Plymouth Volare to be a small luxury yacht.
You can estimate all you want but what you are going to end up with is an imploded crushed still... or nothing if your pump isn't strong enough.
The reason that this kind of thing is dull doesn't reflect on your intelligence... you are probably very smart and very used to being able to figure things like this out...
This is tiring because it seems like every single smart guy to get involved with this hobby starts out thinking they are going to revolutionize still design.
Trust me... you aren't.
You will much much much better off trying to learn and understand and master the designs that currently exist and make small modifications to improve their function.
very smart people have been doing this for a very long time... smart as you might be you'd need to be some kind of super savant blindingly brilliant natural born rectification engineer to be able to walk in cold and re-invent the whole hobby in one master stroke.

Anonymous wrote: I bought a vaccum pump for about 10 bucks that runs on compressed air and attaches to the top above the condenser. I am estimating the new time at a little over 3 hours to produce 3.5 US gal of 95%

yes indeed... and I have some plans for a device that will create unlimited free electricity from the curvature of the earth... I can let you have them cheap.

linw · Post by **linw** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:00 am

Fourway, you said it for me too! What is it lately that complete novices want to start re-designing stills before they have any idea of the principles and practices? Quite frankly, I can't be bothered replying.

Post by **Tater** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 7:37 am

seems like its trolling time agin

Josesillo · Post by **Josesillo** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:57 am

What is it lately that complete novices want to start re-designing stills before they have any idea of the principles and practices?

i felt that in my heart, by the time i was making my still i HAD to ask all those questions, because of material availability, not just to reinvent the still, but i always asked if it would work, then try to come around with the materials in hand for me.

who else would i ask my newbie's questions but the people that i know that knows the matter.

it sounds like a riddle but i can't write very well, sorry

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:16 am

josesillo,

Know how ya feel! I sometimes feel like a pest with all my newbie questions. And like you I don't often have the exact parts as plans or descriptions explain.

Case in point, I wanna build an off set head like described under "build a world class still". Problem I've run into so far, I can get a short piece of 3" copper pipe, but the adapter from 2" to 3" is like $30 usd. Since I'll have 10' of 2"coper to work with I figure I can just extend the condensor shell and coil a bit to compensate for the lack of width, but I never got an answer as to how long to make it.... Some how the conversation dwelled on me wanting to put a cap ontop of the condensor shell....

Of course some of the experts set me straght about the cap issue, but still need to know how long to make the condensor.

Jaxx

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:30 am

knuklehead wrote: Are you doing temperature corrections when testing your product pieter, that seems really fast and really high % for such a short column.

with temperature corrections, you mean the temperature of the alcohol ? Well, actually yes, tested it straight out of the still and also the next day when it was cooled some more ----> same result

This friday I am planning to distill 50 liters of wash

, and I will see if I get the same result. this is the biggest wash I have done sofar and it should indicate if I have done it properly or not.

Btw, I am hoping to get a refractometer in a while, this should give me a more acurate reading of my alcoholcontent.

linw · Post by **linw** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:34 am

Anonymous wrote:josesillo,

Know how ya feel! I sometimes feel like a pest with all my newbie questions. And like you I don't often have the exact parts as plans or descriptions explain.

Case in point, I wanna build an off set head like described under "build a world class still". Problem I've run into so far, I can get a short piece of 3" copper pipe, but the adapter from 2" to 3" is like $30 usd. Since I'll have 10' of 2"coper to work with I figure I can just extend the condensor shell and coil a bit to compensate for the lack of width, but I never got an answer as to how long to make it.... Some how the conversation dwelled on me wanting to put a cap ontop of the condensor shell....

Of course some of the experts set me straght about the cap issue, but still need to know how long to make the condensor.

Jaxx

Strewth, you don't make it easy for people to want to help you. You grizzle about not getting helped but conveniently have forgotten my long and (I thought) helpful post on Nov 13 9:40pm to your original thread, where I said, amongst other things, "A suitable coil can be made from approx 14' of 3/16" soft copper tubing wound on a 1 1/2" former. This will give about 27 tns and be about 8" long when stretched a little. It will fit nicely into a 2" pipe. ".

If that is not answering your question about the coil and its length then you are beyond reasonable help.

Jaxom · Post by **Jaxom** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:33 am

linw,

My deepest apologies then! I've been having issues getting online and staying online here. Even noticed a few missing posts and other odd things.

Thanks for the tip, I will do just that!

much apperciated

Jaxx

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:05 pm

Pieterpost wrote: Btw, I am hoping to get a refractometer in a while, this should give me a more acurate reading of my alcoholcontent.

If I am not mistaken a refractometer is used for measuring sugar content so you would only be able to use that in your wash. Correct me if I am wrong.
Sorry pieter, I don't mean to doubt you its just that the rate at which you are collecting the output would still be warm. Warm being between 25 - 30 C and that can make a huge difference in what the alcohol meter reads. The fact that you measured again the next day and it was the same really puzzles me. I have a digital probe that I got in the cooking section of the grocery store and I chill down the product in a distillant cooler which is simply a plastic margarine container with an inlet and outlet to which I pump my water after it exits the condenser. I cool it down to 20 C then take a reading. If I am not mistaken and someone correct me if I am wrong but 95% product at 30 C requires a different temperature correction then say 40% product at the same temperature. Again pieter, not doubting you, just puzzled that's all.

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:48 pm

knuklehead wrote:
If I am not mistaken a refractometer is used for measuring sugar content.

Well, not sure now but from memory it should be able to measure alcohol content in wines or evenin water. I will figure it out once I get one (not sure though, it is from an old lab which is being dismanteled ..... keeping my fingers crossed).

Just an idea about the collection-rate ...... I don't know how you heat your wash but I use propane. Perhaps the evaporation rate is faster for me because I can put more heat into my wash ? This would explain why I can collect faster and still have a reflux ratio of 3. (this is an estimate though because when I tested my still with water I discovered that my cooling element wasn't sufficient at all (problems with water flowthrough). When I had built a new one I had a sugar wash ready for some time and I decided to use that instead of testing it again with water).