my first run

nelson · Post by **nelson** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 4:58 pm

Ok i have read many sites many times over the last year, and have been preparing fot today for a long time... i finished my still this morning, it's got a 5 foot columb packed with pot scrubbers sitting on a keg with a 1400W boiler element in it... i fired it up and in like 15 mins it was boiling pretty good so i started the weater through the condenser and sure enough liquid stareted pouring out at about 2 ounces per minute... i got rid of the first bit and didn't smell it or anything, but after that all that seemed to come out seemed no more potent than the mash. Where did i go wrong??? is my element way too ppowerfulkl and just boiling everything out? thats kindda my theorey, if thats the case is there a way for me to control this that's not gonna cost me another 100$? what are my options?

thanks
nelson

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:12 pm

15 minutes till boil up and 2 ounces per minute huh?

nelson · Post by **nelson** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:19 pm

ya is that way too hot?

nelson · Post by **nelson** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:20 pm

or whats wrong with it?

Post by **Uncle Jesse** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:22 pm

way too hot

the distillate should exit the worm about 2-3 drops per second during the heart of your first few runs until you learn to gauge accurately.

nelson · Post by **nelson** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:25 pm

ok any suggestions on what size element i should have?or should i just get a propane burner or something?

nelson · Post by **nelson** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:28 pm

i kinda had thought that having a hot element like that would just boil off the ethanol faster and i would just collect more of that before the water started coming out, completely wrong?

Post by **Uncle Jesse** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:32 pm

you don't want to rush it. i don't know which element you want, but i can tell you have too much heat.

bring it to 170F quickly with your element then switch to gas, that'd work. go slowly from 170F onward. look for distillate, depending on your still and proof of your mash, when your boiler is at roughly 180F-192F.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:12 am

nelson wrote:Ok i have read many sites many times over the last year, and have been preparing fot today for a long time... i finished my still this morning, it's got a 5 foot columb packed with pot scrubbers sitting on a keg with a 1400W boiler element in it... i fired it up and in like 15 mins it was boiling pretty good so i started the weater through the condenser and sure enough liquid stareted pouring out at about 2 ounces per minute... i got rid of the first bit and didn't smell it or anything, but after that all that seemed to come out seemed no more potent than the mash. Where did i go wrong??? is my element way too ppowerfulkl and just boiling everything out? thats kindda my theorey, if thats the case is there a way for me to control this that's not gonna cost me another 100$? what are my options?

thanks

How many gallons were in the boiler? one?

I don't see how it is possible for a wash to get up to boil in 15 minutes, esspecially with a 1400w element.
nelson

nzbourbonhead · Post by **nzbourbonhead** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 12:37 am

What size is your boiler.. Sounds like its only tiny

pangea · Post by **pangea** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:36 am

nzbourbonhead wrote:What size is your boiler.. Sounds like its only tiny

Yikes! With a five foot column it must be on the large size!

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