Home Distiller

I couldn't afford an easystill but located something that looked similar for a lot less money and decided to take a chance on it.

From the web:
The EasyStill is a high quality, stainless steel electric countertop distillation unit with a 4L capacity. It is based on the design of a popular water distillation unit, but has been factory modified for alcohol distillation by changing the heating element, increasing cooling, and omitting the chlorine release valve. The unit is still capable of distilling water, simply at a slower rate.

Seems the heater is changed from 480w or so to 300w. When the unit arrived I removed the plastic cover on the lid to look for the 'chlorine release valve'. What I found was a small hole at the top of the spirals tubing. Already had some lead free solder (I'm into diy electronics) so it was an easy enough job for my soldering iron. From this site I got the idea of using a voltage regulator from Maplin. It's good for 800w without a heatsink and total cost was about £12.

The stills design allows me to have output from the regulator going to the heater and full mains to the fan. I did think about upgrading the fan but laziness got the better of me and once it starts to output spirit I switch on an extra fan I already had.

It works like a charm, regulator on full for the first 40 mins, then back it down to 6.25. Starts dripping about 15 minutes later, turn the 2nd fan on and junk the first 15ml of product. Collect spirit for 3 hours, end result 1.25L @ 46%vol from a 14% wash.

Mine has a different type of collection jug than the easystill, there's a recessed lid for carbon filters that look like small tea bags. Just enough room for 2 of them and I've had no complaints from friends although I can notice a very slight odour. I'm thinking a fully clear wash might eliminate that.

Now I have something to sip while trying to decide what type of still I want to end up with.

Does your lead free solder have cadnium in it?

Can you let me know how to acquire the "something that looked similar for a lot less money", and exactly what is it?

I am in a similar situation in finding a cheap alternative of the Easystill.

Thanks a lot!

The solder is for audio electronics, 4% silver, 95.5% tin and 0.5% copper.

I searched ebay for 'water distiller' http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OdeV-WD717-TWIST- ... dZViewItem" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

It's an Ode V unit I've got, not sure what make the easystill uses.
The regulator came from Maplin:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... r&doy=10m8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OdeV-WD717-TWIST- ... dZViewItem" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Is that it?

Any opinions on whether that would be better than one built from some copper pipe and an old aluminium pressure cooker?

For very occasional use.

This is the one I ordered a while back. Works good, but you will soon find that 4L boiler is just too small. The one I got was the $99.00 one.

http://www.a1-water-distiller.com/?gad= ... L_AyCRzqIN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Here is a schematic of the thing:

http://www.health-n-energy.com/distiller.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I am pretty sure, this is the same "base" distiller used by Gert.

H.

is cadmium actually used in solder? I thought it was only used in old style recharge batteries? convenient starting still but eventually you'll want to upgrade. I've collected all my parts now for my keg still with reflux and potstill heads and its probably cost about $40, just be diligent with scrapyarding

I use an unmodified EasyStill to do the 4 litre Spirit Run. I load it with 3.5 litres of low wines topped up with feints.
The low wines come from 21 litres of mash using a different pot still (a 25 litre boiler, reflux with offset head and all scrubbers removed).
Using Uncle Jesses Sour Mash recipe I can complete both distillations in a single day to produce 2 litres of at least 70%plus output.
Very convenient. I use a constant output flow alcoholmeter with both stills to tell me when to make the cuts.
Entirely based on cracked malt barley (plus sugar). Probably needs more fine tuning to improve the taste; but sure beats paying top dollar at the liquor store. Eminently drinkable.

Yes Cadmium is used in solder. Mainly in the types you would use for electronics.

When searching for solder for the still I'm working on I went to the hardware store and told them I need solder for using on my water heater and plumbing. They showed me the correct "safe, food grade" solder.

Are there any drawbacks apart from the volume then?

My pressure cooker is only about 5 litres so that's not going to be much better, and it'll be a pot still too as I'm not going to build a 5 litre capacity reflux. The pot still with copper and the old cooker will cost me about 20 or 30 quid to put together I recon. The odev unit is a bit more but might be a lot more convenient. Does it need a regulator? What's that when its at home?

Bit thick me. )