StillSmart

Nice job, that's similar to what I was going to make a few of, I've had to put it on hold as I'm getting married next month, and need all my spare penny's for that, but I will make some in the next month or two

Looks great... But without getting lost in all the replies can I ask a question please?

Why would this be better than the Turbo 500 reflux column?

Sorry if stupid question but newbie using Airstll at the mo but thinking about upgrading at some point in the future.


S4BB

Not better. Just for different jobs.
This will pass more flavour. think all grain whiskey.
A column removes flavour to provide neutral spirit. Think vodka.

I would also use this for stripping.

Beautifully put Mashy. S4bb I'll use this for fruit brandies, rum and for stripping what ever before I it run through the reflux column. I've been doing this for a couple of years now but with a much smaller piece of kit. Bigger better faster.

Mr Four Square wrote:Beautifully put Mashy. S4bb I'll use this for fruit brandies, rum and for stripping what ever before I it run through the reflux column. I've been doing this for a couple of years now but with a much smaller piece of kit. Bigger better faster.

Where's the best place to buy the boiler, something like the Turbo 500 one but cheaper

If you want one cheaper, your probably going to have to build one, a 50lt beer keg would be a good starting point, you could fit a element in the side and use a tri-clamp ferrel on the bottom of your column for the connection to the keg.

I'm in the process of building one myself, I got a brand new keg for £75 and it's about £16 for a 3kw heating element, there's still some expense to get the element fitted with a flange and additional bits you might want like a bottom drain.

But the T500 boiler is £180, so you have a lot of room left in your budget, plus a keg is much bigger than the T500.

Hi VT great job, thinking of making pot head as per yours, couple of things; 1 - do you use thermometers to measure temps. 2 - if so, what temps do you run at?
Keep up the good work
Arf

I built one of these a few months back. Its been fantastic ! Really improved my pleasure with distilling and the quality of spirits. Plus you get the pleasure of building it yourself. I'd encourage you to give it a go.

I didn't bother putting a thermometer on mine and haven't missed it at all.
Most of the things you think you want a temperature gauge to tell you can be better observed by other means.
Once the column starts to get hot about 1/2 way up I turn on the cooling.
When its running I just watch the output flow of spirit. Steady drops for a very slow run, broken stream if I'm running it a bit faster and max flow and cooling for a strip run.

If you are going to attach one of these to a T500 or an electric boiler you will need a controller anyway. I run mine through one of those plug in energy manager thingies and that gives me the Watt reading which I find really useful for repeating the sweet spot.

As I'm a close neighbour of yours, would you care to share your electric controller thingy? Please?

I'm just presently searching for ideas so am curious......

Here's an update on an old post. PM me if you have any questions

I have been using this set up for a couple of years now to control an 1800 watt element on my T500 boiler.

Its easy to build, cheap and effective for this size element and runs cool for hours without a fan despite my best attempts to blow it up.

The watt setting on the plug-in meter gives an easy and reliable measure of the power running through the element. This makes it easy to return to the same setting every time (All things being equal).

Kit:
one of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AC-220v-3000W ... 3688wt_952
This one suits the T500 boiler (1800 watts) Bigger elements require bigger controllers.

one of these
http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Power-Products- ... r/p/MS6115


Male plug
Female plug
(cut a lead or an appliance and save yourself the trouble of wiring it up)
A tough plastic, clip lid lunch box or circuit box
This stuff fractures so take it easy.

Mount the controller through the centre of the lid
Drill a hole either side for the male and female leads to go through
Pass the leads through the holes, strip the ends ready for wiring and then tie a single granny knot in the flex to prevent the lead passing back through the hole.
Wire up the controller as per the instructions (2 terminals closest to the top are the output)

At the top end of the dial a small movement produces a big reduction in power while at the bottom end a lot of movement produces very little change.

Happy stilling

Thanks for advice FS so much info on this site!!! Makes your head spin trying to re-trace your steps after having seen ideas etc.
Will go ahead with build and go via controller route, will give you a shout if I get too lost lol.

Cheers for that Mr Four Square.
That meter looks espesh handy and would tell me what my element is rated at without having to get into the guts of things.

The suggestion I use the plug in power manager came from ED. I originally had a spectacularly complicated method that involved calculating the various set points of the dial. That lasted as long as it took me to buy the plug in and see it all work beautifully

Down to acquire one next trip to town - we actually have a Jaycar outlet here.
Think I recall a spectacularly complicated setup being detailed here some time ago, complicated enough for me at the time to punt it to the too hard file.
Elsewhere I see Chug having a doubt but having thought this thru it must be consistent and therefore constant. Just too easy and thanks to ED as well.

I think Chug was commenting on another Jaycar product. The speed controller with a double outlet on board. Looks good if it works.

The hardest part with my one was choosing the box to put it in.