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Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:39 pm
by musicman
I made a coil double helix style 12 in long 1/4 in tubing in a boka removable of corse
But when I tested it to see if it would knock down steem it just blew out the top past the condincer my boka is 58 inch by 2 inch I did not pack it with mesh yet and no cap water was very cold goin in and out the steam that did get knocked down was like 120 degrees coming out the spout also the heat scorce is a Turky fryer and boiler is sanke keg
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:41 pm
by musicman
Also the keg wasent very full and I ran it full blast
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:51 pm
by zacwest52285
Condenser seems fine, full blast maybe a bit too much heat. What was the water source? I would say just running too hot, may want to try again at a more realistic pace.
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:13 pm
by musicman
Haha I was just cleaning it so I ran it hot ,just wondering if the condencer was supose to be able to knock it all down I wanted the steam on that one to clean the flux ,I got 2 gal of vinager to add to do it again. my real question is the condincer aduiquat size.water scorce was a out door hose full blast at spicket but metering valves in front of the condincer is the important to restrict vapor at a reasonable knock down amount
The coil has a space for copper scrubbes as well the keg deff heated up a lot faster then I thought it would with the turkey fryer
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:38 pm
by Lazarus Long
Water used for cleaning will not knock down as easily as alcohol vapors. You may very well have enough condensor for a real run.
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:11 pm
by zacwest52285
I run a boka style head occasionally, and I have never steamed, cleaning sacrificial, or real runs. I agree with rockchucker a little more reading may be needed. I think you are headed down the right path, just don't want you to run into the pole that holds the finish line up....
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:04 pm
by jarheadshiner
I'm with LL on this one. Once you do your sacrificial alc run you will get your answer. Never ran a boka but a 12" double coil sounds like more than enough to me IMO. I run a VM with a much shorter single coil of 1/4" and it gets the job done

Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 12:26 am
by musicman
Yah I deff was trying to see what it could do I'm more intrested in the packing. opinions are all over on how and how much
I deff have instructions on running this style of still but wanted opinions on the packing and coil thanks for the input I realize steam is much denser then alcahol vapor thus harder to knock down and I had the heat scorce at the lowest setting and the highest to test the whole set up I was just wondering if 1/4 inch was to small
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 1:38 am
by skow69
musicman wrote:
But when I tested it to see if it would knock down steem it just blew out the top past the condincer ... water was very cold goin in and out
You sure?
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:53 am
by Hound Dog
A double 1/4" coil 12" long with I will assume small spaces between the coils as you usually see pictured? This should be more than enough. Like it has been said, see what happens on the sacrificial alcohol run. The only concern is that your water coming out was cold. It should heat up quite a bit. Do you know how much water was flowing through your coil? You can add a little copper mesh in between your coils also as an added heat sink. I do this as added insurance but I do a single wind of half inch thin wall stainless steel flexible gas line 12" tall in a 3" and it knocks down everything. I personally would not mess with a pain in the ass copper coil again.
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 7:47 pm
by musicman
So I did a vinagar run today ran way better dialed it back to a more reasonable heat level and worked great my concern is the temp of the distiller water coming out the still. I realize water isent the same but it was like 150 + coming out I'm waiting for my scrubies to arrive but yah the water going in was way cold and coming out like there's not very much heat transfer going on. although I turned water off and steam blew out like crazy then turned water on and steam stopped immediately. My copper tower was built out of 2 1/8 out side so can't find a cap any where
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:04 am
by DAD300
If your condenser is stopping all the vapor, You don't need a copper cap. You need something to keep the bugs out and the wind from blowing down it. A piece of foil, a wad of SS Scrubbie, a piece of wood, a clear jar, a plastic bag will work...
Something clear will let you see vapor, if there were any to escape.
Keep the water temp, coming off the condenser below 130 deg F and you are sure to be knocking down all the vapor.
Re: Is my condenser to small
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 4:49 am
by musicman
Good idea glass jar prolly work good