Home Distiller

I've been searching a bit here and other places, but I am having a hard time figuring out the difference between these two types of condensers. Supposedly the West condenser cools better according to some, and seeing as I have not built the liebig that I was planning, I figured I'd do some more research.

I also have 2, 1, 3/4 and 1/2" tubing available to use for my pot still build that could be used for this.

Thankyou , today has been a learning day .

Although I work in a Lab and have been distilling for years , this it the first time I’ve heard of a West Condenser .

So from my 5min of googling , it does seem to be a type of glass liebig .

I can assume that it is required in a Lab situation because normally glass condensers are used .
Glass is a shit material at transfering heat and is more a heat insulator than a conductor .So in a Lab it may well be a better condenser .

However , we aren’t in a Lab and copper is about the best conductor of heat . So a Liebig is perfectly suited to the task . In fact , I’d place my 5min of googling on the line and hazard a guess that made of copper , a West condenser would be no better than a Liebig .

The reason I ask is that I had read a post on here suggesting that a West condenser could be more efficient than a longer Liebig, and also suggesting that a lot of Liebigs were also actually West condenser designs.

But, doing some searching, I also could only find the glass style West condensers.

I'm in no rush, so I just thought that if there was something more efficient that could be built, then it was worth the investigation. But I have yet to come across any plans for building one.

If you have the materials already, build a shotgun condenser. 2" shell 20" long, with 4x 1/2" vapor tubes. Way better than a 48" liebig.

Edited to keep the peace

Deplorable wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:08 pm Way better than a 48" liebig.

As well as being complete over kill in 95% of cases and 5 times more difficult to build.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:07 am

Deplorable wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:08 pm Way better than a 48" liebig.

As well as being complete over kill in 95% of cases and 5 times more difficult to build.

While this is true, I can say I use less cooling water than I did with my liebig. It's also matter of convenience. It's compact size affords a smaller footprint, and ease of storage for people that don't have the space or privacy to leave their still set up all the time. And I've never heard anyone say "I wish I had less cooling capacity."
Just because it challenges someone skills is no reason to discourage a builder from exploring its use. As a novice myself, I didn't really find the build to be any more challenging than building the rest of my still. Something that is strongly encouraged here everyday. This hobby can be as much about expanding one's skills in the shop, as it is about making quality spirits.
The OP says he has the materials to make a condenser. Why would we not encourage them to explore all options?

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have looked at the shotgun condenser, but thought I might leave that build until my soldering skills become a little more practiced.

This is the post that referenced the "west" condenser, by "Alchemist75 who hasn't logged in here since March:

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 87&t=65944

Well after seeing that ,I’d say we have all been making West condenseres and calling them Liebigs .
The defining point is having a narrow water jacket . That is what we all do when we use 1/2” inside 3/4”.
A liebig would be like if we used 1/2” inside a 1 1/2” shell .

Nobody builds them like that .

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 11:51 am Well after seeing that ,I’d say we have all been making West condenseres and calling them Liebigs .
The defining point is having a narrow water jacket . That is what we all do when we use 1/2” inside 3/4”.
A liebig would be like if we used 1/2” inside a 1 1/2” shell .

Nobody builds them like that .

That makes a lot more sense to me then. I was trying to find out how these could be any narrower than the liebigs being produced on here were, but I couldn't find any differences.

Guess I am off to make a liebig.

I would agree yummy, I'd say the 1/2x3/4 liebig that is commonplace here is more of a west condenser. Easier to spell west over liebig.

dunluce wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:58 pm

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 11:51 am Well after seeing that ,I’d say we have all been making West condenseres and calling them Liebigs .
The defining point is having a narrow water jacket . That is what we all do when we use 1/2” inside 3/4”.
A liebig would be like if we used 1/2” inside a 1 1/2” shell .

Nobody builds them like that .

That makes a lot more sense to me then. I was trying to find out how these could be any narrower than the liebigs being produced on here were, but I couldn't find any differences.

Guess I am off to make a liebig.

Many actually take it further than this by including a spiral wrapped and soldered copper wire on the outside of the inner condenser. It further increases the surface area, and (if sized correctly) breaks the laminar flow of water down the liebig raising the efficiency.