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On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:30 am
by vcurams
I am in a bit of a pickle here looking for something to hold my 15 gallon keg still up. I have done a few externally runs with the thing and I have decided to convert her.

I could stack two cinder blocks and put silicone mats on top and felt underneath of them but im not totally sure what to do at this point. I only have wood floors!

Any advice will help, thank you!

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:10 am
by Jkhippie
As long as you avoid any scenario where you'd have to grab the hot keg, any flat, level, sturdy base should do. I've even know people to use double or triple layered bath towels under their keg (no legs, of course).

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:32 am
by greybeard_biker
well just a thought, how about one of the insulated boards you buy at hardware stores you put under and behind wood stoves to keep heat from damaging or setting anything on fire

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:32 am
by The KYChemist
Once I get my internally heated keg still completed, I'm planning on using a couple of pavers, to keep the keg off the floor. Should do just as good a job as cinder blocks, and not add as much height.

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:47 am
by granddad
2'' x 24x24' pink or blue hard foam insulation learned that one after I melted a rug w rubber back to the tile floor in the laundry room a quick clean up before the wife found it now the foam board reflects heat back to boiler tile floor acted as a heat sink equals a shorter run time 2nd benefit and easy wipe off cleanup just my experience good luck Granddad

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:52 am
by Prairiepiss
When I ran mine in the bathroom on linoleum floors. I just put down 3 pieces of 2x6. And set it on that. I would do the same on a basement or unheated concrete floor. No need to waste heat soaking into the concrete. Like a heat sink. Not I have a bench made from 2x12s. Sit it right on it. Hasn't made a noticeable difference on the wood. I wouldn't trust it in a finished wood floor. Just something between the boiler and the floor will work. Piece of plywood or some 2xwhatevers. Will work good. You could het all high tech. But really there is no need for it. It's not like a wood burning stove.

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 12:13 pm
by Litebread
I use a pizza stone, the kind you put in your oven to cook pizzas more evenly. I picked it up a the discount store for a few bucks and it works great.

I've even taken to putting a few of those furniture glide disks under the pizza stone first. Then with just a little push on the keg it'll slide around for ease of assembly and final placement even when it's full but stays put during the run.

-Litebread

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 12:26 pm
by sambedded
I'm just using a ceramic tile (renovation leftover ) placed on top cardboard. Boiler doesn't become hotter than 100C , so almost any pad is safe.

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 3:40 pm
by Cardinalbags
I used three layers of water heater aluminum foil insulation on the top and bottom of my keg, and two layers on the sides, all held in place using aluminum foil tape. I can place my hand on the boiler anywhere during the run.

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 4:52 pm
by pfshine
I used 1" duct insulation all around two layers each top bottom and sides. I also put legs on it so its not touching the floor. The insulation is so good its kinda a pain in the ass. The left over wash will stay hot forever if i left it in there. I did a run sat morning finishwd around 8am took the still apart and left the backset to cool and dump. The next morning got up and the temp was still at 165f this is during winter the ambient temp was around 35-40f . I now dont even wait there is no use i just take it right after im done in a molested keg and dump it in the rocks.

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:42 pm
by Drunken Unicorn
My floors are laminate and are fairly new so I didn't want to ruin them. I got a carpet square for a surplus store. Then, I put 3 bricks in a triangle shape and put my keg on that. Works pretty well. The carpet square cost a buck and the bricks where in the backyard.



-DU

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 2:12 pm
by NZChris
On a couple of saw horses so that I can get a bucket under the drain valve to dump the wash and get ready for the next stripping charge.

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:27 pm
by apdb
How would a little miniature sandbox work on top of a floor mat with 1 to 2 inches of sand or kitty litter? Throw in a tiny little rake too, what the hell! :D

Re: On what surface do you run your internally heated still?

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 10:10 pm
by ohyeahyeah
I bought two 24"x12" (ceramic?) floor tiles at the hardware store. I can touch the tiles, they never really get really hot.