Home Distiller

I have been running a 1.2m long 1.5” column diameter reflux still based on Rad’s design with a twenty dollar Betty Crocker 1000W hotplate.

Boiling is anything but vigorous and it takes a ten to twelve quart wash almost an hour to boil with stripping runs of about 3 hours and 6 for spirit runs. Obviously with a hotplate of this power a controller isn’t necessary since I run it flat out all the time.

Hoping to shorten my times a bit I have been doing some reading on the parent site and came up with this:

“Maximum Power for a Given Column Diameter
1.00" = 800 W
1.25" = 1250 W
1.50" = 1800 W
1.75" = 2450 W
2.00" = 3200 W
2.25" = 4050 W
2.50" = 5000 W

Diameter : 1 inch is too narrow for a 1380W element, but 1.5 inch is OK with a 1800W element. Roughly, lets say to use 1.5 inch for 1000W - 1500W and 1.75 - 2 inch for 1500W - 2000W. If in doubt, go up in size by say 0.25 inch. Too narrow will lead to all manner of problems & difficult operation, but too wide will only give a minimal reduction in purity. 2" is a well used, very reliable diameter that works under...

So, in summary, to make a very cheap, short still, how about a 1500W element, with a 1.5 inch by 60-70cm column, scrubber packing, and simple external condensor (Euro style) & internal cooling coil of say 4-5 turns, directly plumbed between the two.most circumstances.”

I purchased a pretty good quality 1500W hotplate online but since it did cycle at full power dramatically cutting down on heating I bypassed the controller.

According to the parent site I should be ok with 1500W but I do have some concerns. Although my column is 1.5” the throat section is only .75” not the 1.00” recommended; I had some .75” just lying around so I took the cheaper route unfortunately.

Even if the still can take 1500W on continuously with full reflux to stabilize the column I am reading a lot in the forums about taking spirit runs nice and slow. I read that too much heat can cause the tails to be pushed into the hearts and I was wondering if anyone thinks this would be a concern?

I have read a lot of cases where people are recommending using a controller with a 1500W but these seem to be internal elements not a hotplate which I understand is about 50% less efficient so I am hoping I can get away without a controller.

I have some washes clearing so in a few days I should see if the unit can take the heat but I am curious if most feel I should have a controller anyway for slower spirit runs?

I have been reading a lot about controllers partly because I may need one and partly because I was amazed at the broad spectrum of knowledge, eons beyond my own, the members in the forum section had on the subject. This truly is a terrific site with a wealth of knowledge which goes far beyond stilling.

From what I have read if I do need one probably the best/cheapest solution would be a router speed control for a 1500W hotplate like this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/router-spe ... 43060.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I figure the ones that Mulekicker is making for 220V 5500W is far beyond my needs?

All you can do is give it a try. Every still is different. It wouldnt be hard to add a controller to that hotplate if you wanted to, then you have alot more control for those slow spirit runs. I have a 3" collumn 36" tall. If memory serves me right, i let it roll at about 1100w. It is a very slow spririt run, but it produces excellent neutral.
One thing to think about. If you go with a PSR module, like the build in the lounge, it will work with both 110v/220v so if you ever upgrade, your controller is still good. It may be overkill now, but it is bulletproof. (altleast they have proved to be so far) The router speed controllers, dont last the longest running full power on them (from what i have heard)
If you have any experience in electric, you could incorporate the PSR module into the hotplate yourself.
Hope this helps. Cheers MK

Thanks MuleKicker; I wasn’t sure if it would work on both 110v/220v good to know. So I assume it would work up to 5500W or anything under that wattage?

Wow! That surpises me that a 3”X36” is only running at 1100W. I figured a 3” would be running much higher. That makes me think 1500W is way too much for my 1.5”! I guess that is to keep the hearts clean and avoid pushing the tails into the heads?

So I assume it would work up to 5500W or anything under that wattage?

You are correct. Its around 1100w, not sure exactly. I do run an internal element though. The more I think about it, I run around 1100 when doing flavored runs with partial reflux. I run 15-1600 doing a neutral run. My controller runs on percentage, been a while since ive done a neutral run. I got a taste for whiskey, seems thats all thats been on my mind lately.

I got a bunch of copper hunks thrown in the vapor path and when everything settles into equalibrium I am only using bout 1100 too.

Well maybe I won’t need a controller. Your column is twice my diameter but I read internal elements are twice as efficient as a hotplate so maybe it sounds like I would be using the same amount of energy per column size? Actually twice the diameter would give 4 times the volume I think so maybe not.

I’ll do a run and see but what bothers me is I won’t really know if I am reducing the quality of my hearts and to what degree. I did a topic on trying to get a lab to test spirits and I exhausted all avenues to no avail. And I seem to be incapable of detecting heads and tails except the very tail end of a run with smell and taste unfortunately.

I will see how it goes and keep your controller in mind.

Maybe im not goin crazy then LW.... Neutral use to be all I did. Now I got so much of it sittin around....

I am not sure what you mean by equilibrium LWTCS? Do you mean that is the max wattage you can use and maintain full reflux on your unit. I have a pretty big condenser with a cold finger so if I can knock down all my condensate with full reflux at 1500W would you consider this equilibrium and I should be alright?

He means once the still has equalized, or all of the fractions have seperated out in the collumn. This is achieved by running full reflux (no take off) for 1/2- 1hr+. To get the different compounds to "stack up" in the collumn based on their boiling point.

Thank you MuleKicker! I thought that was what it meant and I do that with my 1000W with no problem at all; just a trickle of water so hopefully I should be able to achieve “equalization” with a 1500W unit pretty easy especially with winter here and water coming out of the tap so cold.

I have only been equalizing for about 15minutes but I will up some. So I guess the wattage a still can take has as much to do with the condenser as the diameter of the column?

Thanks again for the help. I feel once again confident to proceed thanks to the expert advice here!

I’ll post my results once I have done a few runs, probably within the week.

Wanker, you'll know if 1500W is too much power if you can't knock down all of the vapor, the temperature runs away on you, or end up flooding the condenser head...

Thanks a lot Rad for verifying my suspicion. I think I will be able to knock down all the vapour because I have a pretty big condenser. Appreciate the info! Will post my results.

I am pleased to report my still handled my new 1500W hotplate with no problem on a stripping run anyway. It knocked down all the vapour quite easily and it functioned just fine. My times went from about 2hour and 45minutes with my 1000W to about 1hour 55minutes with my 1500W. Well worth the investment. Hopefully my spirit runs will go to about four hours from six. From the way it ran I think it would take a 2000W hotplate but I have never seen one even online that big.