Thumper to pot sizing question

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Warno
Novice
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 9:49 am

Thumper to pot sizing question

Post by Warno »

I understand a thumper should be 1/4 to 1/3 the size of the pot but my question is, does that mean total volume or actual gallons? What I mean is if I have 30 gallons of liquid in my pot, do I need minimum 10 gallons, going with 1/3, of liquid in the thumper?

I haven't actually read a post that talks about actual fluid levels in the pot compared to thumper just the 1/4 to 1/3 rule of thumb. If it's already been answered I do apologize.
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10371
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Thumper to pot sizing question

Post by still_stirrin »

Warno wrote: Sat Oct 19, 2019 3:34 pm...if I have 30 gallons of liquid in my pot, do I need minimum 10 gallons...
I'd reckon...you'd need a thumper big enough to hold 7-1/2 to 10 gallons of liquid...approximately. Things don't have to be "exact". But a quart Mason jar just wouldn't work....EVER!
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
User avatar
Kareltje
Distiller
Posts: 2203
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm

Re: Thumper to pot sizing question

Post by Kareltje »

Warno wrote: Sat Oct 19, 2019 3:34 pm I understand a thumper should be 1/4 to 1/3 the size of the pot

I haven't actually read a post that talks about actual fluid levels in the pot compared to thumper just the 1/4 to 1/3 rule of thumb.
As you said: it is just a rule of thumb for starters, not something that should be.
It depends entirely on what you want to do: I have seen them ranging from 1/10 the size of the boiler up to 2 times the size.

I have a thumper of the same size as the boiler, sometimes almost empty, sometimes filled to 80 %.
Warno
Novice
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 9:49 am

Re: Thumper to pot sizing question

Post by Warno »

Ok. Thanks guys. I'm in the process of building a pot and thumper and I cut the material based on a 30 gallon pot and 16 gallon thump but really wanted to make sure the amount of liquid in the thumper didn't need to be exact.
Post Reply