26 gallon still build for running on solids

[Lundail_34]

Im going with a long leibeg condenser with a spiral so I can run with a trickle of water.

started by soldering the spiral on the inner tube.

This is what it looked like after soldering, and washing the flux off

The outer tube didnt fit over the spiral so I turned it down in the lathe until it was a snug fit

Here is the fit up of the outer tube

full condenser soldered up

Here is the 26 gallon keg with the 1100 watt ceramic heater wrapped around the outside, and inside heaters installed.
The plan is to have a switch on the controll box to switch the inside elements to being wired in series, or parallel for high and low mode.
Along with 2 PWM controller boards(still need to build these) And SSR's to control the dudy cycle of the outside element, and inside

Post Continued below...

[Lundail_34]

....Hot water pipe insulation wrapped around the outside

Running vinegar through it to clean

Was able to get by with only a tiny trickle of water

To test if I could actually run on solids without them burning, I poured in some cheap vodka,
and a can of quick oats and ran the sacrificial run.

Here is after draining out the oatmeal, I was pleased to see it not burned.

Just a note.. I tasted the oatmeal vodka distillate to make sure there was no burn flavour, and it tasted amazing.
I might actually have to try doing that for real...

[shadylane]

Here is the 26 gallon keg with the 1100 watt ceramic heater wrapped around the outside, and inside heaters installed.

What size elements?

[Lundail_34]

2x 1500 watt on the inside

[Lundail_34]

Well good news,
I stripped the first half of my barrel of slivovitz mash, and no burning!
Half the still was full of sludge the consistency of apple sauce, along with stones

Here is a foggy pic of the inside please to see no burning!

I hate sparging, and I want to get the extra flavour of on grain and on fruit.
I'm very excited for the possibilities this thing will open up, I cant wait to make more booze!

Up next.. Rye scotch

[Twisted Brick]

Congrats on your no-scorch run, Lundall.

Just a heads-up on the un-restrained fiberglass insulation, sir. Micro-fibers of this insulation become airborne at the hint of a sneeze, and once inhaled are prone to embed themselves in one's lungs. It doesn't show up right away, but lung-borne fiberglass fibers subsequently become scored-over with defensive scar tissue, and twenty years later are a prime cause of lung cancer.

Safety first before quenching your thirst!

[Wildcats]

That's one hell of a boiler. Thanks for sharing.

[Wonka]

You mentioned a 1100 W ceramic heater. I don’t see it in you photo. Can you provide the make, model? Is it under the keg? Thanks!

[Beerswimmer]

I don't understand, how are the elements not burned??

[Strawberrymoonmash]

I am confused, like the above gentleman.
How did you keep the elements from scorching the solids?