StillSmart

Done a couple of runs over the weekend in the super reflux with a 60cm column extension,on testing the final ABV of what was saved with 2 different hydrometers the still spirits one reads 95.8% the widder one reads 94%,both readings where done using the temp convertor on the HD website,think the answer maybe to buy a cheap bottle of whisky or vodka and try both hydrometers in that to see which one is nearest to true ABV.

hi optic do you have packing in the extension and is there a cooling jacket on the extension also what power did you run at.Stillers claim that 95.6 can be achieved with the Still spirits extension which is filled with ceramic saddles and has a cooling jacket

Cheers

optic wrote:Done a couple of runs over the weekend in the super reflux with a 60cm column extension,on testing the final ABV of what was saved with 2 different hydrometers the still spirits one reads 95.8% the widder one reads 94%,both readings where done using the temp convertor on the HD website,think the answer maybe to buy a cheap bottle of whisky or vodka and try both hydrometers in that to see which one is nearest to true ABV.

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I have found I can have one that reads okay at the top end, but not particularly close lower down. I bough a few months back some narrow range hydrometers, I've got a 40-50%, 50-60% and a 960-100% they are about 10 times the size of a standard hydrometer and you need a 500ml cylinder to float them in.
I also have a cutting one that is 0-60% and has a spirit thermometer in it which a really like
I still use the cheapo's when running the still for a rough guide, and only unpack these when, I'm sober, not tired, and not in a hurry.


Might be better to buy a bottle of IPA alcohol and test on that, the density is pretty close, would let you know how far off it is on the top end - and its cheaper than whisky.

Capt-Cudellez wrote

I have found I can have one that reads okay at the top end, but not particularly close lower down. I bough a few months back some narrow range hydrometers, I've got a 40-50%, 50-60% and a 960-100% they are about 10 times the size of a standard hydrometer and you need a 500ml cylinder to float them in.
I also have a cutting one that is 0-60% and has a spirit thermometer in it which a really like
I still use the cheapo's when running the still for a rough guide, and only unpack these when, I'm sober, not tired, and not in a hurry.

Thinking about it im more likely to believe the widder at higher ABV as the markings at the top end are a lot further apart,so was probably designed to be used mostly at high ABV.See you have a nice selection of hydrometers

billmcc wrote

billmcc wrote:hi optic do you have packing in the extension and is there a cooling jacket on the extension also what power did you run at.Stillers claim that 95.6 can be achieved with the Still spirits extension which is filled with ceramic saddles and has a cooling jacket

Cheers

Its 60cm of 22mm copper tube filled with a sheet of copper mesh rolled up and slid into the tube,no cooling jacket and the still spirits column on top has 3 stainless steel scrubers as packing.Its run as per Opus27 states in his post "our process"

http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wawcs0113 ... TILLS.html

this is the still spirits extension
Cheers