Home Distiller

My setup is a simple pot still made of a 1 gallon pressure cooker, copper coil in to an immersion style chiller in a bucket, heating source is a electric frying pan that I place the cooker in with water so I don't burn out the element. Seeing that there is no flame for any leaking vapors to catch fire would this process be safe to do in my kitchen in the counter? I do have 2 fire extinguishers just incase. Thanks.

probably, but you are not going to run it if it leaks right?

You are concentrating flammable gasses in an enclosed area - any spark could lite it off. Would you fill your kitchen area with propane or nat-gas? A leaky still will start to produce those conditions depending on the size of your kitchen. While your 1 gallon will not really produce a lot of vapor, why risk it.

Do a water cleaning run first - you will see leaks as steam or condensation or water drips/pooling and can either fix the leak properly or flour paste it to seal it on operation.

play safe

there are people who have been runing in there ketchen for years, just never leave it unattended

Check out the safety issues with pressure cookers they have some problems that can be fixed, I've never used one but comments I've read here is to make sure all plastic in the vapor path are removed.

I have already ran 2 water runs with good results. I also have a lot of surface on the floor with an outside door that can be open on a nice day. I might do it outside anyway if there is still concerns.

Bushman wrote:Check out the safety issues with pressure cookers they have some problems that can be fixed, I've never used one but comments I've read here is to make sure all plastic in the vapor path are removed.

This

if its a 1 gallon its going to have a rubber gasket. that's a huge problem. cannot have high proof alcohol or alcohol vapor touching any rubber or plastics. even if its food grade. hot alcohol will leech plastics into your drink. see this thread. there are tons of others just like it.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=38095

moonlightbrewer6 wrote:I have already ran 2 water runs with good results. I also have a lot of surface on the floor with an outside door that can be open on a nice day. I might do it outside anyway if there is still concerns.

then you should be fine (not withstanding the rubber gasket thing above). As long as you do not have a vapor leak, and you run the condenser early enough to prevent steam/vapor from coming out the condenser, then you will be fine.

There are no rubber parts but I was planning a half barrel keg pot still using a rubber stopper with the copper pipe through it. I'm glad to mentioned this as I will need to find another way. I am honestly afraid of cutting the inner standpipe and using a sankey key tap cuppler with a pipe connect to the top. I'm not sure it that design will build pressure or not.

remember, you do not want pressure on a pot still - ever

you should have no pressure buildup if your output is not restricted.

A bucket of water to dilute any high alcohol spills is a good fire extinguisher for ethanol fires. However no normal fire extiguisher is able to counter explosive gases when they ignite. Ethanol vapour in air can soon become explosive. Beware. Do not leave unattended and have good ventilation. Be safe.

RAB

Good point - even when you become comfortable with the still, never get lax - an immediate shutdown and ventilation when a failure occurs is your safest scenario. Never leave it unattended.

It may seem like discouragement, but it is only for maximizing safe operations ...

moonlightbrewer6 wrote:My setup is a simple pot still made of a 1 gallon pressure cooker, copper coil in to an immersion style chiller in a bucket, heating source is a electric frying pan that I place the cooker in with water so I don't burn out the element. Seeing that there is no flame for any leaking vapors to catch fire would this process be safe to do in my kitchen in the counter? I do have 2 fire extinguishers just incase. Thanks.

Well there are some things to be aware off.

I hope your cooker is stainless steel and NOT aluminium. Besides the gasket in such a thing may not be suitable for alcohol vapours with a high ABV.

With a 1 gallon pot, cuts will be hard to make.

Probably you would be better of building yourself another still..

I am not writing this to bring you down..