Home Distiller

After modifying my pot still, I needed to build a new condenser for it as the old one just could not keep up.

I came up with this item, and it works very well, VERY well. I thought I would share it with you.

It is 30 inches long with the cooling area at about 28 inches.

I found an oddball item, (you've seen the 3/4" flex/corregated copper for connecting water heaters to supply/service, yes?), well I found the same item, but 1/2" sized, and 15" long. I bought 2 of them, and used (after much practice) my tig welder to weld them together. Then to maximize the cooling/corregated area, I opted out of using 'tee' fittings on the ends. This was also to keep the condenser as short as possible. I made up a jig to drill a 5/8" hole 'centered' in a 3/4" 'street el'. This turned out to be easier than expected, I would think you could do this without a drill press, but I have one, and I used it.

I have a hobby type lathe that I used to turn a guide bushing 3/8" hole through the center and turned to the outside diameter of 1/2" copper tubing which is 5/8". This is to drill a pilot hole for the finish hole, , , , , ,which I just used a reducing bushing, 1/2" copper tube to 3/4" fitting. Its not plain to see in the pic, but theres a small verticle machined groove in the vise I used to keep the fitting parallel to the drill bit, I was afraid that slight less space would crimp the other end of fitting is why I used the street el. As it turns out, by simply placing bushing(s) in place, run drill down into bushing, and then tightening fitting in vise, everything will be lined up. 'Slowly' drill the pilot holes, and then setup for the 5/8" and, careful here!, drill through. These are the end results ot my efforts. I had to fine tune the holes, (I used a dowel with emery cloth rolled around it, rather than a file. With the cloth it takes more effort to remove "Too Much" metal. Not shown, but I soldered short bits of #12 copper wire in the center, and about halfway towards both ends, three at each location equally spaced around the inner corregated tube. The reason for this is because this corregated tube is quite flexable, and I wanted to insure it stays centered inside the 3/4" tube.

Next pic shows the condenser (one end of it, anyway) ready to solder. (note I ran the ends just far enough through the ell's to solder unions to each end). I used 'Harris' brand of 'silver solder' called "Blockade" which is intended for use in air conditioning copper work. When used, it is, when melted, quite thick, intended to fill gaps, (you can solder very sloppy joints with it). Anyway, the trick here is, as with all soldering, get it hot enough without getting it TOO hot, as it will thin out somewhat, the hotter it gets.

"To be continued" (5 attachments maximum!)

"Continued"
, , , , the hotter it gets. Next, to make an 'agitater' I cut a long strip of copper off a piece Ooold copper roof flashing just close enough width to 'barely' fit inside the condenser. What turned to be Completely out of character for me, the strip I cut off fit "perfectly" and after I wound it up, (clamped one end in vise and vise-grips on the other end, pull HARD and twist!), the length was perfect. I drilled a small hole in one end, hung it from a piece of copper wire inside a piece of 1/2" pvc water pipe, capped on bottom, and filled it with vinegar/salt for a few days. The unions, and fittings for coolant beyond the basic condenser I have soft soldered, so as to be able to modify/change things as I (like everyone else) "Find a better way". I welded the two inside pieces rather than soldering with a 1/2" fitting as I didnt want to add any restrictions to coolant flow. As it turns out, I dont think I needed to worry about this at all. I dont know if this would be called an 'allihn' type of condenser, or a mutt cross between allihn and leibig, but whatever it is, it works well. (You will notice my soldering skills, the darker stuff is the 'Harris' solder, note the 'thick' globs, well, they dont leak! so, wtf)(see pics above)

This is the system assembled. Where I do the deed, its not so good for taking pics, so I disassembled it and put it together out on the deck. I've made an adapter (top+adapter picture above) to mount it (condenser) on either the reflux column or on the pot still. I bought the 1/2" flex and the 'all copper' unions from an outfit called Fergusons, one of which is about 10 miles from home. They have all copper (except for the connecting nut) unions from 1/2 to at least 2" size, They have that 1/2" flex also 3/4" same, which Lowes and Home Depot claim is no longer made, go figure. They (Fergs) have on the shelf 1/8 pipe size copper,tees, els etc. (for 1/4" tubing) plus 3/8 p, 1/4 p, etc. and are nationwide.
http://www.ferguson.com/FergusonLocatio ... ns.action
Also, Ive included a pic of my parrot, which, as you see, hangs from the bottom of the condenser. This way, one only has to worry about one dripping tube of alcohol, not two, , , -hey-

Applauds...

Great work.

Love to get my hands on one of those spiral copper tubes.

I got the fittings and tubing from these folks, that URL thing isnt working for me. try copy and paste, ,sorry. -hey-

http://www.ferguson.com/FergusonLocatio ... ons.action" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

this is better:
http://www.ferguson.com/FergusonLocatio ... search.jsp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

now it works ?

Nice pictorial, heynonny... Looks like it was a bit of work but I'm sure it works great... Very compact with lots of cooling surface and turbulation...

Great work Hey.
Congrats on your upgrades.

This is an update on this condenser.
After running 80 gallons of wash through this thing, I am now sure it is twice as long as it needs to be, This thing is incredibly efficient. I am going to make another with just one of the corregated 1/2" centers. At about 50% in the parrot, I crank up the heat way up (WAY UP), and even then, 3" - 4" down the temp is barely felt in the hand. All that drilling out the elbows was unnecessary. I am raving about it 'cause I'm hoping someone else will try it out. -hey-

Since my last post here, I've made another one about half the length of this one here. It works like a charm, sweet! , , , , -hey- (no pics yet)

hey, how many btu's you putting out? cob

The burner is this: the "BG-10" (scroll down)

http://www.bayouclassicfryers.com/parts ... tors.shtml

They dont mention BTU's but, I am running @ 18 psi on the regulator for initial heating, then down to 1 or 2 psi for middle run, then up to just under 15 psi to strip to 25 -30%.

Maybe someone can help. At the low, (1-2 psi) fire, its such a small volume that I am getting a sooty flame. Its not a big problem, as the final stripping tends to burn(?) off the majority of the built up soot. I was (am) considering adding a second, smaller burner to take over when the big burner is not needed. I have a "side" burner from a BBQ, (for cooking beans or whatever, while 'Q'ing), that I thought I'd give a try. Any suggestions or comments?? -hey-

i called them approx 65k.@ 15 psi. thanks i'm still calculating. cob

Heres the two condensers side by side. I wont bother with details, 'cause the construction is the same, with one difference: On the new 'shortie', the corregated 1/2" center came with one end being female. I simply soldered in a short piece if tubing and used the 1/2x1/2x3/4 'tee' instead of drilling out an elbow for both ends. That makes it a little more than half as long as the old one. I still gained 13". So it goes, , , Not Shown: I use a straight tube, (that is to say, a different tube, curved) for methanol seperation, turning down the heat to change over to the parrot, I much prefer it to a seperate one. If it tips over, I'm really f***ed.
Notice on the 'Tee' on top of the new one, there is a small,(SMALL!) tube exiting. That is the SS shell from a microwave temp probe used for my "K" type temp probe. Its about 1/8" od, and as ss doesnt give and take heat as readilly as copper, I'm not chasing temps as much. (This is for stripping down to + - 25% at the end of the run) I have another one, (ss probe), in the parrot for temp adjustment for proof/% reading) So, in the top till liquid flow, in parrot for the good stuff, back to the top to finish up. Works for me, , -hey-

HOLY S#!T !!!!! I just searched that website for Fergusons and found out there is 1 about 15 miles from me!!! Thats AWESOME!!!!!!

A question for ya.... on the bottom of your condensor but before the parrot there is that larger section that is a couple inches long....what is that?????

That is (for lack of a better term), an air release. The upper tube (3/8") ends at the top of that 'barrel' and lower tube starts at bottom. theres a 3/8" hole drilled next to the upper tube to allow air (fumes, steam) to vent to atmosphere, otherwise, a gulp of that 'air' would (believe me when I tell you this) blow half the product in the parrot out, straight up, alcometer included. I'll post a pic or sketch if you'd like, , , -hey-

(The long condenser will take anything, right up to, "but not including", puking wash through it, but hey, (-hey-!) thats liquid.)

oh ok I understand Thanks again!!!