water heater (as per Ian Smiley)

[goinbroke2]

So, I was just wondering, what are hot water heaters made out of anyway? I have the book by Ian Smiley and he shows a small water heater. I was thinking of a bigger one like a cascade 40 or whatever but was curious as to what their made of. It doesn't mention it in the book and checking stores some say fancy words to "stop corrosion". I only ask because I keep seeing old water heater on the side of the road and am tempted to bring one home and cut into it to see.
Currently using a SS keg and copper, just curious though. (make a damn fine stripper)

[Tater]

Most ones in states are glass lined. Buddy of mine had 1 was hell to clean.

[Husker]

Most in the states, are cheap mild steel, with glass lining.

The ones you see on the road, are VERY likely to be broken or cracked glass, and have about 25% of volume filled up with sediment (about a foot deep or so). Ya might get lucky, but finding one of those copper BEAUTIES in the states would be a very rare thing.

H.

[kiwistiller]

Mostly copper round here. Probably very under-used by us kiwis.

Edit, just to make you weep, a lot of them get chopped in half as sold as planters
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-colle ... 228512.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Smokehouse Shiner]

Mostly copper round here. Probably very under-used by us kiwis.

Lucky devils. Ole boys round here give their left nut for a copper boiler. Edit: Just saw your edit. Ungrateful "devils"(not the word I wanted to use)

[hstuurman]

Overhere most of the boilers are copper. You can buy them in a scrapyard. Mine was EUR30,-, and I love it

[blind drunk]

SWEET!!

[hstuurman]

SWEET!!

THANKS

[MuleKicker]

You folks that have copper water heaters at yer disposal just make me wanna puke! Everytime I forget about the ian smiley waterheater fiasco it comes back to haunt me

henk, that is a fine piece of art you have their. You should be proud. ( i know you are )

GB, if you are lucky enough to come accrossed a copper waterheater in the ditch, you are a lucky man!

[rad14701]

Copper hot water tanks... Who'da thunk it...!!!

[castleclr]

Now recovering from viewing those CU heater tanks and involuntarily launching a carpet F-bombing,,, just how much is a new water heater in your countries? Lots of instant heaters?
c

[goinbroke2]

Hey! Lot of reply's. That copper water tank conversion is fricken AWESOME! I love it!
Unfortunately, here in Canada the water heaters are the same as the states. (steel with glass lining I guess)
What kind of glass lining are we talking about? Fibreglass? bottle type glass?

Oh I know about the grime in them, I just had mine replaced under warranty about 4 months ago when they did a water main flush in the sub-division I'm in. I spent two day flushing the damn thing and finally called the rental place and they said it was still under warranty. Don't know why and don't care, but they came and replaced it.
I figure if it was outside and upside down when I sprayed water in, it would flush out a lot easier.

[hstuurman]

Now recovering from viewing those CU heater tanks and involuntarily launching a carpet F-bombing,,, just how much is a new water heater in your countries? Lots of instant heaters?
c

New heaters start at about EUR 400,-- , that's a lot more my still has costed me.....

[blanikdog]

Beautiful pics, and work. thanks.

[The Baker]

Didn't think I could get onto one of those heavy, old-style copper hot water tanks.
Until I saw the scrap merchant's rep who visits farms and offers them a price on all the old scrap they have.
He had one of those tanks on his little truck he uses to pick up small lots, too small to send back the big truck.
I asked him about it and he said, 'This one is not good enough, it's old, maybe pitted, and the top has been cut out.'
He said,'Give me your phone number, I'll soon have a better one'!

So I hope, I hope, I hope.....

[praefect]

I use a small water heater as my boiler. Bought mine new for $140 (it's a 43L tank)

And a PDA-1 with extension as the column on top of it. (You can't get more Ian Smiley than that)

Things I like about a water heater, the conversion is pretty easy, unscrew the anode (or cathode, whatever) on top of the tank and you have a nice 3/4 NPT right in the middle on the tank, bypass the thermostat and that's about it. What I don't like is that the element is close to the top so you have to be sure to keep it full (not a problem with 15% mash, but if I had a 40% startup product I would need to add water along the way or else the element would go POOF!)

Very hard to clean, Actually I have no idea what it looks like inside, I only know I bought it new and used it only for distillation, I screw caps on it so nothing gets in in between uses.. Also 1500W is good but a little slow to heat things up initially.

I've tried propane a couple of times and it's really easier to use electricity with my current setup, it's kind of boring actually, I can set it up, go to sleep and wake up with liters of 93% in the morning, no monitoring whatsoever, that's why I'm going to try and learn about pot stilling or something, try to make things more interesting...

[Smokehouse Shiner]

it's kind of boring actually, I can set it up, go to sleep and wake up with liters of 93% in the morning, no monitoring whatsoever,

Dude, No, no, no! I dont give a damn what Ian Smiley said. I dont care how safe you think your rig is. You should never ever leave your still unattended at all. Much less go to sleep with it running. What happens when a water line breaks down the street and your water stops? Or if your using a pump and the electricity goes out? Suddenly your steady drip of 93% ethanol turns into a steady spray of 93% ethanol vapor. It gathers and concentrates as you snooze away. It reaches the critical air/fuel mixture and contacts a pilot light, a stray static spark, then..........BOOM!! You,your family, possibly your neighbors are very quickly engulfed in flames. If you survive you lose your house, you get arrested, and Father William puts up your story in the news section of this forum. I dont know you but Id hate to see anyone go out like that. Be safe man. This shit aint worth dyin over.