Re: new water regulator from still spirits
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2016 6:22 amThe T500 is difficult to control even with stable mains pressure. A small turn of the tap or the needle valve floods the column and sends temperatures crashing or rising rapidly. The actual adjustment required when you are in the sweet spot is so small you can barely feel the movement.
After 3 years of various set ups and frustration, adding a gate valve solved it for me.
I dial in the water volume ( by watching the cooling water output temperature say 55 degrees) with the gate valve. Then ( because I already have one) I make any fine adjustments as the run progresses with the needle valve.
The gate valve gives much better control than a house tap and can make the tiny adjustments you require to run the still. I have run it without the needle valve and it works just fine. I only use the needle valve because I bought one in my earlier attempts at solving this problem.
After 3 years of various set ups and frustration, adding a gate valve solved it for me.
I dial in the water volume ( by watching the cooling water output temperature say 55 degrees) with the gate valve. Then ( because I already have one) I make any fine adjustments as the run progresses with the needle valve.
The gate valve gives much better control than a house tap and can make the tiny adjustments you require to run the still. I have run it without the needle valve and it works just fine. I only use the needle valve because I bought one in my earlier attempts at solving this problem.