Home Distiller

Kindafrench wrote:Looks much cleaner than mine
What are you connecting to the box? So many fuses...

I still have to run all the 220 from the breakers to contactors and wire the controller and meters in.

This operates two 5500w elements. One is a simple on/off the other is controlled with an scr.

I have a main power in breaker, one for each element, and one for a 110v circuit that operates the cooling fan, switch illumination, and contactor coils.

My controller is a waterproof Invicta watch case is very heavy duty and free it's the largest one so plenty of room for everything plus I run two fans one in one out for heat control set up for 220 40 amp with volt and amp and 2 k probe temp read outs with alarms will power three 5500 watt heaters.

Here's mine mid-build. My goal is to have some automation using an Auber Still controller to feed me info I want for the manual parts of the process. This is the evolution to an 8+ year journey for me which started with my homemade stovetop boka in 2011 and more recently a 2L labglass vapor infusion still for gin recipe testing.

240v going to 5500W low density heating element on a converted 15gal keg.

Auber Still Heat controller (DSPR400) on the right, Auber Dual Temp Meter (SYL-2802B) on the left. Keyed switch is to heating element so the Auber can be turned on without the heating element on. On side of box (not seen) is a master breaker switch for entire unit. Orange light is visual indicator that heating element is live. Center light is alarm buzzer.

I'm monitoring temp at 3 location - boiler (to drive Still controller), top of column (for more accurate reference point with cuts), and coolant at condenser inlet (to monitor my recirc cooling).

3 switches at bottom - 2 for alarms (Still controller alarm and high coolant temp alarm) and 3rd switch is coolant pump override (Still controller turns pump on/off but I will need to turn on manually at times).

Here you go. Left, you have a Raspberry Pi with a custom "hat" which gives me better access to 3 temperature sensor inputs, a flowmeter input, two relay outputs and a LCD. Top right, you see a 40A SSD with a heatsink underneath. Bottom right is a regular mains relay to control the recirculating pump for the cooling water. There's the LCD goign in place. Far right is a 5V PSU for the electronics. At the bottom of the box you can see two 240V mains sockets into which the boiler and the cooler pump are plugged. Assembled and mounted on the wall. That's the display when she's running.

It runs a Python program I wrote to PWM the 2kW element. It runs flat out until the vapour in the kettle reaches a setpoint, then it turns it down to about 20%. It turns it off completely when the vapour at the top of the column reaches a given setpoint. The flow meter ensures that the cooling water is flowing in the Liebig.

That’s cool eStill any chance of showing us your code , I find that as interesting as the build

Don't see why not. Do you speak Python?

eStill wrote: ↑Sun Sep 01, 2019 2:23 am Don't see why not. Do you speak Python?

No not python . Done a bit of programming over the years on various micro’s but keen to get into Python and a practical application is as good as any

LOL , my first programming I did at school was on punch cards . Teacher would send them by mail to a mate that was in other side of country who had a computer at work . He would run the cards after work and send our “print-outs” back . ....Oh the pleasure of finding a syntax error three weeks after you punched the cards . When the school got its first Apple with a 5 1/4” floppy we all thought we were in heaven

So yes please if you don’t mind . ... would be so cool .

I’d also be interested estill- I was thinking Arduino as a brain instead of a pi, with roughly similar goals.

I’d like to see it as well please, I am about to build a new controller. I am curious, what are you using to measure ABV?

estill.. you have generated some interest in your controller setup, and I for one would be interested..

I would be wise to start a new thread just for this, so as to not deviate from the original thread intend..

Mars

This is a work in progress, it runs off 240 volts with a half switched 120 receptacle.

There is my control box. Uses 3x220V.

RimaNTSS wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 4:39 am There is my control box. Uses 3x220V.

That wire management is impressive.

Some very impressive panels!

Here’s my humble attempt, could still use some wire management.

XDStill wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:37 pm Some very impressive panels!

Here’s my humble attempt, could still use some wire management.

1CB6B67D-1F2F-4F9F-AB88-F125CE9F96D3.jpeg
60E97D36-F359-43A0-BB86-FEA7874B3897.jpeg

Very nice! More wire management? Looks well ordered to me. Mine looks like loose spaghetti inside

I designed and 3D printed mine. here is the link and pictures
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3332728

I'm building a box Similar to Nunyo.

Since I'm using 120V power, I will have to complete power controllers in one box. Have most of the components, just need to build it.
I'll have a 3 way toggle switch to go between sending power to the SCR, or direct to the element, or Off.
Each side has a meter showing volts/amps/watts, each side has a 15W breaker, power light, and power going to SCR light.
There will be a fan on the back on each side.
Power inputs and outputs are all 15Amp rated C14 plugs, so I can totally disconnect all the cords to remove the box.

Quick ugly draing to get the point across.

jholmz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 05, 2014 5:47 pm mine is just a cah box from a rummage sale. i run usually 10 gallons through my keg at 220v and havnt needed a fan, no overheating problems

I LIKE it!

Got a bit done on it today, will wire it up tomorrow

Well its been 5 years since i built my controller, and its still going
strong

soy_boricua wrote: ↑Tue Nov 12, 2019 6:48 am I designed and 3D printed mine. here is the link and pictures
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3332728

Loving the box design and build

Mine is done now.

Mostly identical setup, but the left side is using a 4000W (3000W continuous) motor controller. Right side is 10000W. The larger one has it's own cooling fan. The main fan in the bottom is powered from the left side, since that controller does not have it's own fan.

15A breakers on each side. All the connectors and switches are 120V/15A rated.
Main load bearing wiring is 14 gauge. The thinner wires going to the lights, fan, and display, are 16 gauge.
I hadn't wrapped the connections in electrical tape yet in the photo.

My heating elements have the same input plug as the input on this box, so if I want, I can skip the box to run an element at full power (1500W elements).

The display screens only work down to 80V. Initially I had their input voltage wired to the motor controller output, but then when I got below like 70% power the display shut off (elements keep getting power, just no more display). So now it's wired to the input side power. This means it always shows 120V, but I can record the amps to be consistent with my power readings.

Scr, va meter and esp8266 in a small din box. Scr control panel is on the right side,not visible in the photo.

The esp monitors temps, and has a webserver so i can display it on a larger screen (esp-dash).

Still to add some stuff but it's operational.
as it used to be in operation. Dumped the liebig for a shotgun type condensor that tajes up much less horizontal space.

Do you guys think that this controller would work? I don't know a thing about electricity, hoping to just buy instead of build.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-220V-10000W ... SwE4hd0pQs

Also, what else would it need?

It will be fine

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:17 pm It will be fine

Beerswimmer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 3:12 pm Do you guys think that this controller would work? I don't know a thing about electricity, hoping to just buy instead of build.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-220V-10000W ... SwE4hd0pQs

It's not clear if it has a fan inside. ANd with no fan it will not be able to handle even 5000Watt for any reasonable for distilling time . What is a wattage of your heating element?

sambedded wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:55 pm

Beerswimmer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 3:12 pm Do you guys think that this controller would work? I don't know a thing about electricity, hoping to just buy instead of build.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-220V-10000W ... SwE4hd0pQs

It's not clear if it has a fan inside. ANd with no fan it will not be able to handle even 5000Watt for any reasonable for distilling time . What is a wattage of your heating element?

I'm just trying to get a list of parts and bits to convert to electric from propane. I'm wanting 1-2 220v 5000W elements to heat between 20 and 40 gallons of wash or water. I was going to get 2 of the controllers, one for each element. I have a couple clip on fans I can point at the controllers if I need to.

Like I said, building electrical stuff is something I really don't want to deal with, and $34 bucks isn't a big deal. If those don't work is there an affordable controller that you would suggest instead?

Beerswimmer wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:56 pm
I'm wanting 1-2 220v 5000W elements to heat between 20 and 40 gallons of wash or water.

Like I said, building electrical stuff is something I really don't want to deal with, and $34 bucks isn't a big deal. If those don't work is there an affordable controller that you would suggest instead?

I'm not familiar with that particular controller. But considering on how it looks I wouldn't recommend to use it with 5000W element. Maximum 2500-3000Watt probably.

To run 2 5000Watt elements you need 50Amp outlet Do you have it?

sambedded wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:57 pm

To run 2 5000Watt elements you need 50Amp outlet Do you have it?

Hmmm...not sure. Probably not, it's just a standard? 240 for my dryer. I was thinking 2 elements just to increase heat up times and then unplug one once it's getting close to temp. I'm planning on a 26 gallon milk can and possibly connecting 2 with the second being a thumper. I just don't want to wait for hours+ for it to heat up. What would a regular 240 outlet be able to handle? Maybe I could use the 240 plus a 110 in combo for heat up?? I really have no clue and I'm just starting to mentally work out what I need to get and what will work...

Sorry, I'm not trying to hijack this thread. I can start a new one if needed.