Chinese double-wall still, ordering and setup

[SwollenGoat23]

What about your gaskets? Did it come with Silicon gaskets behind the glass? I just got a 3" flute from china. Although I specified PTFE gaskets, they shorted me a couple 2" and the (inner) gaskets behind the glass were still silicon. I could smell those gaskets through the box before I even opened it. Not to mention the U-bend is almost an O-bend, the parrot almost touches the column...
They sure are pretty though, Congrats.

[MtRainier]

Gaskets are all silicon, which I am going to try to change. They were filthy, too. It will be a bit of engineering to change them out to PTFE because the bubble plates are made of surprisingly thick copper. Much thicker than the Mile-Hi perf plates. So I'll have to remove the inside parts of the 4" PTFE gaskets between the flute sections. I'll leave the bead. Then it's a challenge to get the tri-clamps on them.

If anyone has a line on flexible PTFE gaskets, I'd like to know. The ones I got from Glacier Tanks are hard as rocks and completely non-compressible. I'm not sure I could get the sight glasses to seal at all with these hard PTFE gaskets.

My U-bend is 12 inches center to center, so the parrot ends up being far enough away, but still pretty close to the boiler.

I did my water cleaning run today after adding the 50A circuit this morning to see if anything sparked.

I took Oldvine Zin's advice and used the included condensers in the cleaning run. I had a hard time knocking down the steam with the reflux, but I realize that water steam has more heat than alcohol will carry. Also, it will take me a while to get a touch for how fast this reacts to changing power. It looks like it takes quite a while for the heat to drop out of the double-boiler.

I had visions of the pressure in the jacket running away from me, but the whole water volume inside the kettle and the stainless walls are like a huge reflux condenser. It knocks down the vapor. Even though I could hear the water boiling loudly in the jacket, no pressure was building up in the jacket until the water in the main kettle volume got up to close to 100C. I left the two heating elements running at 20 amps, which should be about 9600W total. I eventually got some pressure, but with the pressure in the jacket above 2psi the water inside the cooking volume was boiling really vigorously, so I'm not sure I need to go much above that. It seems like it will be simple to control. It will just have a long delay between power changes.

The agitator motor worked really well. It has a 1080 rpm 3 phase motor on it, but they use 2 capacitors to simulate three phase on my single-phase 240V input by shifting the waves on the two other legs. I've read that it isn't the most efficient way to run it, but it seemed to run fine. That motor goes into a gear box with a worm gear that gives it a 30:1 ratio, which leaves it at 36 rpm. Or 1-2/3 seconds per revolution, which seems about perfect for keeping the stir going.

I did end up pushing those buttons, now that it has power and a load. It's a GFCI, for sure. The lower orange button trips it and opens the breaker. To reset it you have to push the upper blue button, then open the breaker all the way and close it again.

[rubelstrudel]

What you're looking for then is probably "expanded ptfe" or foam ptfe seals. I see them popping up on aliexpress by the meter or square meter for self cutting.

[MtRainier]

What you're looking for then is probably "expanded ptfe" or foam ptfe seals. I see them popping up on aliexpress by the meter or square meter for self cutting.

Interesting. Think the self-cut stuff would work between 4" triclamp column sections to seal it even though it doesn't have a bead?

[rubelstrudel]

Interesting. Think the self-cut stuff would work between 4" triclamp column sections to seal it even though it doesn't have a bead?

I haven't really tried it yet. But I imagine a 3mm or 2mm sheet of expanded ptfe would make great seals when cut to size.

[MtRainier]

Interesting. Think the self-cut stuff would work between 4" triclamp column sections to seal it even though it doesn't have a bead?

I haven't really tried it yet. But I imagine a 3mm or 2mm sheet of expanded ptfe would make great seals when cut to size.

I'll buy some and give it a try and let the forum know.

[SaltyStaves]

If anyone has a line on flexible PTFE gaskets, I'd like to know.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tri+clo ... 4&bih=1077" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

They are the best option, but are more pricey than solid PTFE gaskets.

[MtRainier]

If anyone has a line on flexible PTFE gaskets, I'd like to know.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tri+clo ... 4&bih=1077" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

They are the best option, but are more pricey than solid PTFE gaskets.

Wow, never heard of those. Thanks!

[shadylane]

There's always plan B
Wrap a silicone gasket with PTFE tape.
It don't leak
Besides I'd rather read about what MtRainier's going to do with his new toy

[MtRainier]

Besides I'd rather read about what MtRainier's going to do with his new toy

I hear ya. I am gonna take a crack at some of the all grain recipes here I have been avoiding because I don’t like dealing with corn and rye. I can’t wait to sell my mop bucket!

Looking at HBB, Booner’s Casual, Jimbo’s wheated, SCD’s CROW bourbon, Jimbo single malt. Got a big list to keep me occupied.

[MtRainier]

I discovered a new obstacle. The drain valve is lower than bucket height. I don’t have a slop pump, so I need to take one 5 gallon bucket at a time out. It needs to be about 6 inches higher. I may go to Harbor Freight to get a motorcycle lift to lift the whole thing when I am ready to dump it.

[The Baker]

Put the still on a stand?

Geoff

[MtRainier]

Put the still on a stand?

Geoff

Sure, bu it has such nice wheels to move it around if not on a stand.

[Windswept]

Break a hole in the floor?

[Chauncey]

Remove the wheels and put them on the stand, secure boiler to stand.

[LWTCS]

Remove the wheels and put them on the stand, secure boiler to stand.

....then put the wheels on the stand.

Would be a shame to loose the flexibility of pushing your rig around.

Wait!!! Chip a hole into your work space floor and dig a drywall commensurately sized to dump 20 years worth of spent kettle charges!!! And er,,,,,,your welcome. Lol.

[MtRainier]

Remove the wheels and put them on the stand, secure boiler to stand.

....then put the wheels on the stand.

Would be a shame to loose the flexibility of pushing your rig around.

Wait!!! Chip a hole into your work space floor and dig a drywall commensurately sized to dump 20 years worth of spent kettle charges!!! And er,,,,,,your welcome. Lol.

Lol, I like the hole idea. It would give me an excuse to rent an electric jackhammer again. Last time was the basement shower.

I can lift it, with some discomfort, with the column off. I rigged up a 24x24x8 platform using 4 concrete blocks and a 24x24 piece of plywood. I will lock the wheels and set it up there with the jacket and boiler empty when I’m preparing to do a run. Then after I drain everything after cleaning I will pull it down and roll it back under the stairs.

[MtRainier]

Fits on the stand well.

on stand

[MtRainier]

Did the cleaning run today. I diluted a gallon of 90 percent abv tails to 10 percent abv and ran it in full reflux.

These thick bubble plates are a challenge to seal in there. I had to use a screwdriver as a cheater to tighten the triclamps.

Also, one end of the water jacket sight glass leaked a bit. When I took it apart I saw that the silicone seal was torn. I will try to get a new one mailed from China.

[LWTCS]

There should be a silicon gasket behind the glass and then a Teflon gasket in front.

If there is a silicon gasket in front, simply butter it up a bit with some mineral oil to prevent the bezel grabbing the gasket and inflicting damage when twisting down the bezel if you see my meaning.

[MtRainier]

There should be a silicon gasket behind the glass and then a Teflon gasket in front.

If there is a silicon gasket in front, simply butter it up a bit with some mineral oil to prevent the bezel grabbing the gasket and inflicting damage when twisting down the bezel if you see my meaning.

I get what you're saying. It's not that kind of sight glass, though. This one is a level indicator and looks to be a borosilicate glass tube about 50cm long.

In this photo you can see it on the left side of the boiler next to the white brute trash can.

still set up

It was leaking from the bottom of the glass part.

I took it apart and found this, which is what I want them to send a replacement for:

torn silicone gasket

[LWTCS]

Ah I see.
Your liquid level indicator.

..........Never mind......

[MtRainier]

I did just follow your advice, though, and put some silicone grease on it, then reassembled it with the torn one on top.

It's holding pressure just fine now. At around 2psi and no hissing.

Thanks. It worked.

[MtRainier]

In asking the manufacturer about getting a replacement seal I also asked what pressure I can run in the jacket. They said it's rated for 0.1MPa, or 14PSIG. I'm not getting anywhere near that, but it's nice to know I can go up to 4-5 psi without worrying too much.

[MtRainier]

The manufacturer offered to mail me some replacement seals, but I decided to look at some domestic suppliers of Chinese made stainless sanitary hardware, and I think I found them at Glacier Tanks!

https://www.glaciertanks.com/tank-sight ... t-kit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Those look like it. I ordered a couple of sets.

I’m also looking in to the gearbox that reduces the agitator motor action by 30:1. It appears to be cast aluminum. I opened the lubrication ports and carefully pulled out some of the oil, which was clean, but those worm gears are notoriously hard on lubricant. I may drain it all and refill with something like Mobil SHC 634. If it fails, it will be pretty tough to get another one.

I ran my first strip in this still yesterday on grain after mashing in it last week and fermenting in it through the week. The agitator ran the whole strip once it got up to temperature. It worked great throughout and the output tastes great. Cleanup at the end wasn’t too bad because I can reach the bottom of it. I may take the advice earlier up in the thread to just remove the wheels and replace them with legs I can secure to the stand. I am happy with where it is, and it’s easy-ish to clean in place. Lots of scooping of the grain slurry. I need a little shovel.

I ended up needing to tip it a bit to get the tank to fully drain, so I need a sustainable way to do that each time. There are three legs and one of them is under the drain spout. It makes it awkward to tip and balance on one of them. I wish the drain was between two instead of above one.

[DetroitDIY]

simply butter it up a bit with some mineral oil to prevent the bezel grabbing the gasket and inflicting damage when twisting down the bezel if you see my meaning.

Excellent tip LWCTS, I've been struggling to not tear my cork gaskets on my sweat trap adapter sight glasses. Your trick sounds like just the ticket. Thanks.

[MtRainier]

My second batch in it is a rum wash with 4 gallons of molasses and 15 gallons total volume. I put a triclamp-barb fitting on the top and replaced the boiler pressure relief valve with a blank to make the whole thing airtight, then dropped a blowoff hose into a bucket with some water in it. It bubbled like crazy in that bucket for a couple of days and is slowing down now.

At some point I realized I could run the agitator to degas it while it was fermenting to keep the pH up a bit and to keep more yeast in suspension. There is no oxygen above the liquid to worry about because it had been fermenting for a few days and so was only CO2 on top. I've also been turning on the heating elements a couple of times per day to keep the temp up in the mid 80s. I'll run this one through the plated flute column in a single run to see how well I can regulate heat, which will be a little trickier in a flute than in a pot still.

[MoonBreath]

Just caught your thread.
Nice machine for sure .
The rc and pc tubes AND tube-end welds will have polish compound residue and hard compacted buildup, however light, will be there.
Fores, a rag, and smaller piece of pipe or tubing to push the fores soaked rag thru the bores like cleaning a gun..A cleaning brush will clean up the end welds.
You'll be glad you did.

[MtRainier]

Thanks for the cautions.

I’m still cleaning up those condensers but am using the original ones from my MileHi still for now.

In other news, I got a month delayed invoice for handling charges incurred at the terminal where it arrived. Apparently they billed the logistics company directly and it took this long to catch up with us all. Add another $222 to the bottom line bill.

Crossing my fingers that it’s the last one to come out of the woodwork with their hands out.

[MtRainier]

Add another $123 to the bottom line bill. CBP inside DHS apparently reports information about imports with final destinations to state governments so they can tax it if they want. I just got a 3 month delayed sales tax bill from the state. LOL. What's next. It's up to $4181 now despite starting at $1720 from the manufacturer.