Safety of the rubber seal of a pressure cooker

[simeonruiz]

Hi guys,
I've spent the last months reading all the "newbie" posts and after that I decided to register in the forum to ask my remaining doubts.

So here it is my first one:
I'm a bit confused about the use of a pressure cooker as boiler. Honestly I would like to start small in this hobby since I already have a ton of artifacts for my homebrewing, and the wife will compain if suddenly I enter a 30 liters beer keg with a 100cm column... so for start I would like to go small and simple and I was thinking about making a small pot still using a pressure cooker and a counterflow condenser (the Idea is based on my conunterflow beer chiller), or maybe go simpler and make just a coil condenser and put it into a bucket with iced water.

The doubt I have is about the seal of the pressure cooker. In the classic ones the seal is a thick rubber "cord" and the new ones is a kind of silicone band (or maybe rubber as well depending on the model) At least I think is rubber... not sure.

Anyway, as far as I've read in this forum non of them is safe to use with boiling/vapor alcohol; However I've read many posts of people using a pressure cooker as a boiler. Then, here is my doubt; the people who uses a pressure cooker is risking his health or is the pressure cooker safe to use as a boiler?

Thanks in advance.
If there is any post specific about this, I would be happy to continue reading

Cheers!!

[NZChris]

The internet has geniuses posting clever stuff, idiots posting stupid stuff and everything in between, so be careful where you get your safety info from.

There are more than a couple of very good reasons not to use pressure cookers and I'm sure they have all been posted here more than once. Try using the HD Google Search.

[simeonruiz]

Thx NZChris !!

Over all I prefer to be safe than sorry. So you just confirmed what I thought, that is not safe to use them, but maybe my reasons are wrong. I will look for an alternative instead, and in the meanwhile I'll follow your advice and keep reading about it, but at least now I know I must look for another option.

Thanks and regards!

Cheers!

[NZChris]

My advice is not to spend any money until you know a lot more about suitable materials for distillation.

Start here, viewtopic.php?t=52975

[simeonruiz]

Totally agree, and the post, I already readed it and all the referenced there. Therefore my confusion, when I also readed some post on this forum about people using a pressure cooker...

[Pikey]

T................. Therefore my confusion, when I also readed some post on this forum about people using a pressure cooker...

On THIS forum you say ? - can you give us a link and we'll see if we can explain ?

[StillerBoy]

If you want to start small, start with a ss pot of 12 - 16L size, make a column with 1.5" copper pipe, run it off a stove top, and you're in business..

Mars

This is what I started with some 10 yrs back, and it is still being used for small batches now then..