Ethanol gas monitors?

[Wanker]

When I posted my results of my first reflux build I was pretty surprised that no one commented on my still or process but all my comments were on my lack of safety. This really woke me up to the dangers of stilling which I obviously underestimated. I work constantly in unsafe environments and we always wear Combustible Gas Monitors when there is any possibility of explosion and I wonder if anyone is using this type of precaution for ethanol and where it can be found. If we all used this I am sure it would dramatically reduce our risk. I have looked on the internet and can only find ethanol monitors which are breathalysers. Is anyone using a home unit for combustible gas which is meant for ethanol and where it can be purchased? You guys convinced me I was stilling in an unsafe manner and I appreciate your input and I would appreciate help with this to really assure my safety.

[HookLine]

I think it was minime who reported that standard fire detector alarms for the home are also triggered by ethanol vapours.

[Dnderhead]

i was thinking it was carbon monoxide detectors.

[Wanker]

I have done a little more research on this subject and yes you may be right Dnderhead about CO monitors because you can get a Digital CO, Propane & Natural Gas Alarm made by Kidde for about fifty bucks online for the home. The question is will a propane and natural gas monitor detect ethanol? I will phone the manufacturer and try and find out.

There are portable detectors like you would use in industry that detect ethanol but they are about 500 dollars and require equipment to calibrate them which is beyond what I can spend and also hand held ones starting at about 200 but they do not work continuously and are more for finding leaks instead of monitoring an environment. So the home CO and gas alarm seems like the only practical choice if it works for ethanol. I will report back if I can find if they work with ethanol.

[Wanker]

Well I called the manufacturer of this CO and explosive gas alarm by Kidde and they said you may get nuisance alerts from other gases but they cannot recommend the alarm for other gases so basically they won’t say. So it may work for ethanol but you will have to take a chance if you want to buy one and see.

That’s what happens when the government makes something illegal. It forces people to endanger themselves if they try and do something which they should have every right to do. If home stilling was legal there would be a home unit that could detect ethanol for the home distiller for sure.

[SuburbanStiller]

You'd think an enterprising and determined feller could rig up a fan to a breathalizer.