can i put packing in condenser?

cheech · Post by **cheech** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 6:43 pm

just made a 5Gal still w/ 2" x 3ft column. Tried a quick water run yesterday for the first time and my 1000W element seems a bit too much as I have it configured. there was a fair amount of steam escaping past the condenser (12"x3"). i know i can play with the power by adding another element in series or whatever, but wouldnt it be a reasonable solution to add some raschig rings to the condenser to help slow down the flow of gas and increase the condensation efficiency?

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 7:14 pm

You must have an NS-reflux otherwise known as a valved reflux still. Just put a scrubber on top of the open air condenser and it will work fine. Sure you can put the packing right in if you want but remember that alcohol will condense much easier then water so there is a good chance you will not need any thing in the condenser and it will work just fine. 1000 watts may be a little high, you my want to put in a control to drop the voltage.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 7:54 pm

yep, valved reflux.. i do have a variac, but only rated for 5 amps. i'll probably see what happens and try playing with different element combinations. i have 2nd 1500W at the moment, but with both 1000 and 1500 i think 600W might be too low.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:06 pm

You can pick up a dimmer switch which can handle 1000 watts at home depot for 35 CAD. That would do you just fine. Just have to ask, how long is your condenser coil?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:25 pm

a dimmer can handle that much? seems weird that a little switch can handle more than a 10lb variac..

the coil is about 8" inside the 12" tube

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:28 pm

1000 W shouldn't be too much for the size column...I run 1800 W myself for the same size column.

I'd be interested in knowning the length , diameter, number of coils in your condensor. Like Knucklehead said, just pack the void in the center of the condensor with scrubbers and try an alcohol run....your system should knock alot more alcohol vapor down as compared to water.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:31 pm

Anonymous wrote:a dimmer can handle that much? seems weird that a little switch can handle more than a 10lb variac..

the coil is about 8" inside the 12" tube

You can get a dimmer to handle 2000 watts. That is a commercial dimmer switch that is used in halls and churches and its not that little of a switch. Its not a residential switch it has a heat sink on it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:32 pm

just checked out lowes.com and found that most dimmers are 600W. there is a 1000W for $40 or so..

its actually about 6" of 1/4" tubing coiled about 11 times. i wrapped the coil around a 2" pipe.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:33 pm

Anonymous wrote:
the coil is about 8" inside the 12" tube

But how many feet of tubing do you have making the coil. Please don't say 4'.

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:37 pm

6" if coil could be your problem. I used 20 feet of 1/4" cil wrapped in a double helix.

I bought a 1500 W dimmer switch and had to get it from an industrial supply house. Cost near $100 US. I took it back after reading the warning in the device that stated it wasn't spc'ed for use on a heating element.

I'd just try more coil first....it's the cheapest and easiest solution.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:49 pm

i guess it calculates to roughly 6' of tube.

i was going on the specific instructions from the 'building a home distillation apparatus' book. it said 6" of coil around a 2" tube (about 10 wraps) so thats what i did.

its actually not the easiest method for me to add more coil because of the way i fed the 1/4" tube through sides of the 3" pipe. i'd have a hell of a time lining up the holes again..

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:50 pm

Grayson, I am almost certain that he ment 6 feet. If he managed to get 11 coils out of a 6" Piece of tube that would be amazing, lol. Never the less, even 6' is not enough. Like Grayson said try more along the lines of 20' that'll do you.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:52 pm

Anonymous wrote:i guess it calculates to roughly 6' of tube.

i was going on the specific instructions from the 'building a home distillation apparatus' book. it said 6" of coil around a 2" tube (about 10 wraps) so thats what i did.

its actually not the easiest method for me to add more coil because of the way i fed the 1/4" tube through sides of the 3" pipe. i'd have a hell of a time lining up the holes again..

I built from the same plans as you. I made the same coil as you have. I remade my coil the way Grayson did and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but you will need to as well. The site is very wrong about the amount of cooling that is needed. If you read all the pages you will notice that it says it has not yet been tested.

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:56 pm

Take 20 feet of 1/4" tubing and wrap aoubt 10" long coil, then change directions and wrap back up over the coils you've made...that should be plenty for the heat you are using.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:24 pm

Grayson_Stewart wrote:Take 20 feet of 1/4" tubing and wrap aoubt 10" long coil, then change directions and wrap back up over the coils you've made...that should be plenty for the heat you are using.

what do you use for wrapping? a 2" pipe like i mentioned? i would probably have to do something a little smaller to fit inside my 3" if I am going to wrap back over it. i am actually using a 3" stainless, which is the OD not, like standard copper. so i have a little less space for the coil.

MyDBear · Post by **MyDBear** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:07 am

personaly i think your coil is just a lil bit to small

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:42 am

I think I used a broomstick handle to wrap mine. Seems like it was 3/4" diameter. If I was you, I'd get rid of the coil you made, find a smaller diameter dowel to wrap one on, get a 20' piece of tubing and start from scratch. It's gonna last you the rest of your life so you want to be happy with it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:29 pm

i'll give it a shot. i thought i might run the risk of squashing the tube around something as small as 3/4".

i'm not an experienced tube wrapper. any tips? i assume i can try one of those spring coil devices designed for bending tube..

Post by **Uncle Jesse** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:51 pm

copper is very flexible. fill it with rock salt so it wont kink, then wrap it around a broom handle or some other equivalent item as far as proper diameter.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:06 pm

thanks everyone for the quick and quality advice..

one more question.. originally i built the coil, basically permanant, into the 3" pipe with the two ends protruding through the wall of the pipe. this is what was described in the instructions of the book i used.. is there any reason not to just drop the coil down from the top and let it just rest there? it would make it nicer for cleaning... and any future design changes.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:31 pm

Anonymous wrote:thanks everyone for the quick and quality advice..

one more question.. originally i built the coil, basically permanant, into the 3" pipe with the two ends protruding through the wall of the pipe. this is what was described in the instructions of the book i used.. is there any reason not to just drop the coil down from the top and let it just rest there? it would make it nicer for cleaning... and any future design changes.

It should make no difference in performance

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:32 pm

lot of folks drop the coil in and remove it later as you described. It should work just fine.

cheech · Post by **cheech** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:04 pm

all done.. i used regular table salt to fill the tube and what a pain it was.. filling 20' and then getting it out again after it was coiled was horribly tedious.

in the end i think the new coil will perform tremendously better than my previous just by looking at the two side by side. its way more impressive looking now..

thanks again for pushing me to change it..

Home Distiller

can i put packing in condenser?

can i put packing in condenser?

simple really