I built the valved reflux still and followed the exact directions for building the condenser as well. However, now that I am operating the still, I am finding that at the operating temp of around 175-182 degrees F, vapor is escaping the top of the condenser. Precious vapor and it is getting the non drinkers in the house dizzy on the vapors!
If I turn the heat down then my output is effected, drip by drip. The output distillate is of high quality 85-95%ABV and if I get 1000ml, I am happy. There is only one of me!!
I posted the picture of the condenser to show you what I am up against:
condenser is embedded in a 8 inch, 3 inch copper pipe housing and when I made it, it was formed by wrapping it around 2 inch pipe.
-should I add another 8 inch section of 3 inch copper with the same exact condenser?
-should I fill the center gap in the current model with additional copper pipe to condense the vapors?
I would make a double coil then put a copper cap on top of it with a 1/4 drilled hole in it .then lay a penny over it .the copper mesh is a good idea also.. either way will knock down the vapors with proper water temp and flow ..
I would think stuffing a scrubber in your coil would be sufficient. Nice workmanship by the way.
It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856
The scrubbers will probably solve that problem.I made a double coil for mine,but used to run a single.A longer coil will always be better.I have 18 ft of 1/4 inch in mine now,and still use a piece of scrubber in the middle of my coil,and at the top.Its open,and never loses vapor,with some water flow running to it.
wineo
Yep, like Coops said, stuff a scrubber in the top of the condenser. I had a similar prob because I was using a 1500w element that made the boil to severe, after I put the scrubber in the condenser it solved the prob.
I've got a 1000w element coming on friday which will make my condensing heaps more efficient.
I have the same problem on my PDA-1 but I already have a scrubber stuffed in there and it's not enough... My problem was that the 1/4 ID copper is so small and so long that the cooling water needs to be pressurized to flow through it at a good enough rate to absorb the heat.
Anyway, using city water it's not a problem (around 50 psi?) but with the two pumps I tried (2000GPH utility pump but no pressure) it's not enough... I might have to go with an over-the-top jet pump and a pressurized tank...
so, if you're using city water, turn it on full blast!
I am actually using a water fountain pump which can do around 150 gallons per hour. The output from the pump is a 1/2 inch pipe that I have reduced it to the 1/4 inch size of the condenser.
One thing I have noticed is that the higher the temperature of the vapor coming into the condenser area then there is more vapor loss.
Since I operate a valved reflux still and monitor the temp from the top of the main column. I have so far noticed that correlation.
On the other hand, I am happy with the amount of distillate output. If I wanted to increase the efficiency, in my case would have to be a bigger condenser column then. In building the condenser, I only used 7 to 8 feet of 1/4 inch soft copper. I read the forum and there are guys that are winding over 20 feet of soft copper for the condensers!
Maybe it's like buying a stock car and adding the bells and whistles to it to make it perform better!!
average might be in the 15-20 range ..for a reflux . one thing to keep in mind is that the longer it is the more resistance it will have meaning to keep the rate of flow you have you will need little larger pump.. bigger is not always better if youre dumping it back into the same barrel you collecting from. the pump will generate heat on its own making it harder to keep the temp down... the condenser you have looks really nice but if it was me and you made another I dont think I would use the brass inside the condensing chamber .. some here im sure sure will disagree but only thing i like coming in contact with the product is copper or stainless or glass.. I use a very small brass drip valve but If i could find a way around that I would replace it as well .. it might not be a big thing and yours may very well be just fine .. unless you just have to have it then less of anything else besides copper and SS the better I think .. just my 2 cents for what it worth .
Your points about the length of the pipe and energy needed by the motor to drive the water through the system is well taken.
I am still learning the characteristics of my still during it's operation. Even though I built the basic condenser for the valved reflux I am still able to improve its implementation further.
At this point, I am concerned about the brass fittings and the chemistry of the metal and its reaction to the vapors. Since I have not done much on the researching of the subject if there are any links to materials for reading please forward them to me.
I agree with you about the brass fittings within the vapor path.
You would probably be "better served" to re-work this condensor coil. If you rebuild the condensor, I would recommend having the in and out lines simply "hang over" the lip of the condensor tube, OR you can run them through a tube end cap (sized for your 3" I think, condensor pipe), and then sticking out the end of the cap. Thus, there is NO brass fittings in your vapor condensation path, AND the condensor is much easier to clean (simply pull it out the top, to clean). NOTE if you use an end cap, be SURE to drill a hole in it (you can cover that hole with a penny if you chose to). The whole is a vapor escape and needed 'just in case'.
There are several pix of a coil that "hangs" into the condensor chamber (like I have written). If you search you can find them. Also, someone (grayson?) wrote a step-step howto, and describes building one.
thanks Huskier for backing me on the brass , I kinda thought I might take a thrashing for that one . here is link to some pics maybe that will give you some idea http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... t=#6713378
As a result of this, I have dismantled the old condenser and will rebuild using the "hang over" style. Yes, it seems to be the best for my still and doing away with the brass fittings all together.
As a result of this, I have dismantled the old condenser and will rebuild using the "hang over" style. Yes, it seems to be the best for my still and doing away with the brass fittings all together.
Way to go hooch, I built mine with a hangover condenser, easier to clean and a lot less effort to build.
I built another condenser coil today using a good 14 1/2 feet of 1/4 inch copper. The condenser consists of an inner core which I constructed by wrapping it around a 1.25 inch PVC pipe and an outer coil which I transitioned on to a 2 inch PVC pipe. It actually came out alright!!
The inlet and outlet are the "hang over" style. I tested the water pressure and my pump which is rated to pump up to 240 gallons per hour seemed to be doing o.k.
anouther thing i forgot to mention the other day is it also seems to help to have a littel space between each wind of coil so the vaper can go between the coils.if you already have it made you can take a flat screw and spread each coil a littel it really don't take much but it helps.I have 24' of 1/4 in double coil mine and i still use the mesh in the top of the condenser.
Ran the still today with the new condenser installed. HUGE improvement!!!
-The output distillate ran faster.
-I was amazed to see very little heads, like 100 ml.
-Was able to collect about 1600 ml of distillate out of total wash of about 4 gallons.
-Actually saw the temperature fluctuation where I was getting tails. It smelled funny and tasted funny. I poured some and tried to take a match to it. It did not burn. Kind of tasted like it had too much water in it.
Is this something that you folks experience?
Keep on Stillin' 
