Benefits of a sight glass

[EventfulAnimal]

This might old news to some, but an interesting discovery I made after adding a sight glass to my condenser is that it only starts to fog up when the tails are starting.

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nemsf-aGiB0

I also just wanted to show off my new build. I can watch that dripping coil all day.

[Bushman]

Sight glasses definitely have a cool factor. Some of the fancier commercial stills even have lights on each sight glass to make viewing easier. Interesting observation about the tails.

[Blarney Stoned]

I have some height considerations with my new 3 inch CCVM and have thought about incorporating a SG into the build as the tails fogging observation has been mentioned here before.

We'll see. Pics forthcoming.

[NZChris]

What does the temperature do at the same time?
Do you think the sight glass is a more reliable indication of tails than the temperature?

[Yummyrum]

I have a sight glass on my 2" packed column but I have never seen it fog due to the onset of tails . I can taste smell the concentrated nasty shit starting to come through and it is as NZChris asked associated with a rise in temp . I used to start compressing tails but I don't bother any more as it usually only yield's an extra 250 - 400mls odd of not necessarily fine stuff anyway .

Yes if I let it rip , then the tails will come up and fog the glass but whats the point .Its nasty stuff that makes my packing and head stink .

I think perhaps a sight glass right at the bottom of the packing or perhaps a bit up , say 1/4 through the packing might give a fogging warning indicator but I still think tasting on the fly and or watching the temp are better detectors .

In the early days I did find the sight glass handy to visualize the reflux stream as apposed to how much product I was taking off ...IE get an idea of the reflux ratio .
I also was able to see things like the amount of reflux that was runing down the walls verses coming from the refluf return line .....not a biggy but interesting .

And it was definitely a cool factor and something to hold a bit of attention during a long 6-8 hour session

But to me the only real benefit of a sight glass came when I got a higher power element and got to the critical point where I was able to see that I was starting to flood and back the power down accordingly .

[OtisT]

A sight glass helped me identify a reflux return issue I was having.

I added one just below my vaper port on my VM still and saw that my copper reflux coil was throwing most reflux on the walls. I had a small section of copper mesh at the end of my coil to address this, but i saw that it was not working as intended. (My bad for not dressing it properly). I hung a small SS chain from my reflux condenser along with that bit of copper mesh and reflux condensation is coming down the center every time now.

Sometimes I run a pot still spirit run with a half role of copper mesh in the still head to help compress the heads. When I do this I roll up the copper in a small cone and place it directly in the center of my sight glasss so that I can easily see that the reflux is hitting where I want it to.

I only get the foggy glass if I run way past cuts and toward the very bottom of the bottoms, when I'm milking the wash of every bit. When the fog hits, production drops and it's time to quit.

[shadylane]

This might old news to some, but an interesting discovery I made after adding a sight glass to my condenser is that it only starts to fog up when the tails are starting.

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nemsf-aGiB0

I also just wanted to show off my new build. I can watch that dripping coil all day.

A friend of mine as something very similar on a CM rig
Watching the reflux rain is entertaining and very educational
Posting with Otis

[Fraser]

I've found that a sight glass right above the boiler is handy to spot any foaming on a stripping run before it pukes over. It gives you a heads up to back the power off. I also use mine with a SS meshed gasket on the top and bottom of the sight glass as a makeshift gin basket for vapor infusions. It works pretty well.

[Coyotey]

I've found that a sight glass right above the boiler is handy to spot any foaming on a stripping run before it pukes over. It gives you a heads up to back the power off. I also use mine with a SS meshed gasket on the top and bottom of the sight glass as a makeshift gin basket for vapor infusions. It works pretty well.

What a great idea with the 2 meshed gaskets for infusions in the sight glass! Could you elaborate a bit about what kind of wash/infusion you have tried this solution on? (rookie here).

[kimbodious]

But to me the only real benefit of a sight glass ... the critical point where I was able to see that I was starting to flood and back the power down accordingly .

Same here

Here's the sight glass on my CCVM with it pretty much in equilibrium. Sorry about wobbly footage, I was standing on a stool to film this. It is pretty mesmerising to watch

[Tropic]

The sight glass was forming condensate during the hearts. you can see it dripping. With so much vapour some of it finds the wall.
The tails have far less vapour.

[kekedog13]

I put in two of the borosilicate tubular sight glasses. Found them for $50.00on ebay. Uses tri clamps. And after switching to all electric I eleminated the gas burner under the boiler which made just enough room for the rig under my 8 foot ceiling. Filled the column with 2 lts. SPP.Cranks out 94-95 % every time, and so fun to watch.And it does fog with the onset of tails.