Turbo 500 problem

[Trot]

Hello world, it's been a while since i last posted. But i really need some help with my T 500.
its second hand, brought 3yrs ago. Distill with it every second month and it's been working great.
I use an external resivour connected to my 500 to regulate water flow. After every second session
it's broken dismantled and cleaned thoroughly.

the problem is the last couple of times I've gone to use the 500 every things good till i add the cold water
and my temp gauge drops like a lead ballon from 66c to 25.7c in seconds. i have new temp gauge, saddles
in all the other bits. at 25c when the spirit starts to flow it's clear, no smell and comes out at 96%ABV.
From 25lts of wort average sprit volume +/- 4lts.

i've asked my local brew shop about the problem and they are stumped.

Dose any one have any idear as to why my temp is dropping so quick even with new temp gauges.
Any help gratefully received

[Kindafrench]

Cooling water leaking into the boiler?
Ahm no. Reading your post again, it shouldn‘t be the case but worth checking anyway?
New temp probe too long, so it touches parts of the condenser?

I‘m not really getting how you run your still? Packed column?
How big‘s the water reservoir? At what water temperature do you add cold water? How cold‘s that new water? How much cold water do you add?

[Winnipeg204]

Are you still using the original needle valve?

[Winnipeg204]

Have any form or insulation? Mine runs like shit without the hoodie on it. Huge difference.

[zed255]

At the risk of talking out of my ass, here goes:

Any chance you have inadvertently started hooking up the water backwards? That would have you reading the water temp entering the RC and not exiting it.

Just a thought.

[Winnipeg204]

At the risk of talking out of my ass, here goes:

Any chance you have inadvertently started hooking up the water backwards? That would have you reading the water temp entering the RC and not exiting it.

Just a thought.

Smart thinking. That would be the only way to get anything to come out at 25°C

[Trot]

Winnipeg204 , thanks for your reply my resivour is the still sprits one for the turbo and that's only
a year old. but you mentioned the needle valve which i have not changer ,so maybe its that?


trot

[Saltbush Bill]

You dont need to know anything about the temp to run a T500 reflux still, you just need to watch the output speed of the spirit.....a nice steady broken stream/ very, very fast drip leaving the still is as good as it will get.
You will get better results long term by not being a slave to the thermometer.......all its doing is telling you what the water temp is leaving the reflux condencer.....and distracting you from other more important issues.

comes out at 96%ABV.

I bet that 96% isnt temp corrected, best they will do is 92-93%

[Winnipeg204]

Winnipeg204 , thanks for your reply my resivour is the still sprits one for the turbo and that's only
a year old. but you mentioned the needle valve which i have not changer ,so maybe its that?


trot

Check my pic ^ that needle valve on the cooling feed line came with the t500, you should have the same, make sure your cooling feed is connected where mine is (like Zed mentioned). I have 2x 100 liter garbage cans in the basement for recirculating mine. Some times it seems one hair of a turn can change it more than 5° but thats why you need to pay attention to the product outlet speed.

[Trot]

thanks Zed255, i wouldn't your an ass clown but i have considered that as i did do it once and learnt from my Homer moment but alas no as my ins and outs are colour coded water in blue, water out red and ethanol out green

Done two batches yesterday and still the same problem. So at this stage i'm thinking of buying a new T500 column.

thanks Zed255

trot

[Trot]

Saltbush Bill thanks for the reply still scratching my head .

trot

[Saltbush Bill]

So at this stage i'm thinking of buying a new T500 column.

My advice is dont.....there is probably no need.
Keep scratching "and thinking" I'll try to explain in detail when I have more time...busy day ahead.

[Winnipeg204]

Unplug the cooling feed and fill a bucket or a measuring cup with how youre trying to run it, I believe its supposed to be around 500ml or just over that per minute.

[Saltbush Bill]

at 25c when the spirit starts to flow it's clear, no smell and comes out at 96%ABV.

So where is the problem except that the thermometer is not telling you a correct temp that you think it should be ?
The still is making booze at "96%, its clear and doesnt smell".
My point about being able to run a T500 without a thermometer is this.
A T500 is a CM still, "Cooling Management". It is controlled by the amount of water/coolent passing through the reflux condencer.
You control that amount of water....NOT the thermometer.
Tap turned off = No water passing through the reflux condenser= No reflux = spirit gushing from the product spout of the still.
Tap turned full on = Lots of water passing through the reflux condenser = Full Reflux = No spirit leaving the product spout of the still.
Tap turned to just the right position= just the right amount of water passing through the reflux condenser = just the right amount of reflux = product leaving the still at the right speed.

What is the right speed for product to leave these stills ?
The right speed for milking off the fores is sloooow drips.
The right speed for milking off the heads is a bit faster.
The right speed for taking hearts is faster than fast drips......a broken stream or very thin constant stream.
Soooooo the more water through the condenser, the more the reflux, the slower the spirit leaves the till, the more the fractions are compressed, the cleaner your final product.
You do not need the thermometer to see how fast the product is leaving the still....your eyes do that, the thermometer does not control how much water goes to the reflux condenser......You do that.
Its all about fine tuning the water flow to " manage " how fast the product leaves the still and how much reflux there is.
Put tape over the thermometer so that you cant see the damn thing ......try running using your own judgement......you might be surprised.
Hope that helps a little

[rubberduck71]

Have any form or insulation? Mine runs like shit without the hoodie on it. Huge difference.
20210415_005438.jpg

Looks like a gangsta droid still...