Water in the summer, Air in the winter

[Budapest8485]

We don't get a lot of time without HVAC assistance where I live. I've studied the different condensing methods and find air cooled very interesting. The prospects of using the heat to supplement my winter heating expense is interesting to me. I don't like waste...saving water and supplementing heat makes a lot of sense to me.

I don't want a long condenser with a series of computer fans. For air cooling, my preference is to use a box fan with a series (spread out shotgun) of tubes splitting and then coming back together for collections. Looking through some of the plans I've seen on the site, a manifold that constricts the vapor flow farther from the source insures even distribution. This looks like the duct work running through some of the building I've seen...it gets smaller the further it is from the source of heat/cooling.

I'm not aware of any ready to buy manifold that will provide increasing restriction as it reaches the end of distribution. I have to make it myself. This will push me further beyond my current skills and abilities. I will have to grow and learn and create what I need...unless the collective (this site) tells me there's an easier way!

Thanks in advance!

[HDNB]

i use a recirc tank. it was getting too hot on longer runs, so i added a car radiator, electric fans and 12vdc power supply. it was a little expensive at 300 all in, but it is very effective at keeping cooling water cool.

[Stew8]

Hey Buda
I made a double barrelled air cooled condenser and attach a Liebig in the summer.
It needs to run slowly in the winter but it works.

If you want more photos send me a pm.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70265

[shadylane]

...unless the collective (this site) tells me there's an easier way

Here's an experiment I did awhile back.
viewtopic.php?f=87&t=56652

[Budapest8485]

Hey Buda
I made a double barrelled air cooled condenser and attach a Liebig in the summer.
It needs to run slowly in the winter but it works.

If you want more photos send me a pm.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70265

That's a different look than I've seen before...like coils of wire instead of fins. The aspect of warming the house with the heat from distilling is appealing. Sounds like i might have to slow down some though. Thanks for sharing!

[Budapest8485]

...unless the collective (this site) tells me there's an easier way

Here's an experiment I did awhile back.
viewtopic.php?f=87&t=56652

I think I'd probably go the same route as you with building the manifold. I recently learned how to "tin", so I would probably create the cone shape using that technique to bring the pieces together.

[shadylane]

...unless the collective (this site) tells me there's an easier way

Here's an experiment I did awhile back.
viewtopic.php?f=87&t=56652

I think I'd probably go the same route as you with building the manifold.

The manifold was pretty copper porn
Unfortunately the manifold was inferior to connecting the condensers end to end.
In electricians terms, series worked better than parallel.

Long story short, the Zig Zag air-cooled condenser I built last, worked better than the pretty manifold I built first

[Budapest8485]

...unless the collective (this site) tells me there's an easier way

Here's an experiment I did awhile back.
viewtopic.php?f=87&t=56652

I think I'd probably go the same route as you with building the manifold.

The manifold was pretty copper porn
Unfortunately the manifold was inferior to connecting the condensers end to end.
In electricians terms, series worked better than parallel.

Long story short, the Zig Zag air-cooled condenser I built last, worked better than the pretty manifold I built first

So doing this in series, you have to put the tubes on a slit diagonal with gravity to keep it moving the right direction?

[shadylane]

A pic is worth a thousand words.

[Budapest8485]

A pic is worth a thousand words.

Yep, that's what I figured...slight diagonal to keep it moving. Maybe I'll do something like that. Maybe I can get something on the cheap as salvage to assemble it. I'll make sure there are no existing solder joints to ensure a lead-free condensor. I already have the fan.