StillSmart

I think I've already mentioned and like another one or two on the forum I couldn't resist buying more SD kit to create a three plate pro-cap dash column with baby dephlegmator.Well for anyone interested here's how it's gone so far
First try was torpedo only on the alembic head with standard pothead and a few ceramic saddles to create some reflux.i ran this on the spirit run of an all grain whisky and the product came out with higher abv (cuts were a bit of a guess)and I was pleased with the flavour carry through and smoothness of the raw spirit. thats in the barrel ageing now.
Second try was the full column with pothead on top as a condenser on a neutral spirit run.It ran at about 85% abv and was certainly quicker and ran on less than 1800 W for a fair bit of the time.i cut as some fogging appeared on the first glass.good result but with hindsight and some info from the SD forum I think I cut too soon. I was also running the dephlegmator a bit cool. The result was very clean but still not good enough to not require filtering.
Latest experiment following modifying pothead to give me a removable vertical column was with neutral washes.i tried it with alembic top, torpedo then product condenser but even with a SS scrubber in the neck wasn't getting enough reflux. Quickly shut down and stuck the dephlegmator on. What a result fast take off high ABV 80 down to 50% at the end shorter run time (about 2 1/2 after heat up) less power and water used.
Next try will be a hybrid full dash plus packed column which if it works I'm hoping might produce a clean neutral that avoids filtering.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Fun this

I run my 3Kw element at full power for heat up but I reduce to 450w for the Fores and Heads then 700w for the Heart. Once I detect definite Tails I open the power up and that's usually around the 55% mark and with the Hybrid I find there is a rapid fall in the ABV once I reach the Tails and I collect about 4Litres. With my conventional Pothead I'd routinely draw off 10Litres of Tails down to 10%

I'm also running a twin coil copper condenser in my column rather than a Baby Dephlegmator and I found running the power higher made the distillate too hot.

AM

Taste tests from this seem to indicate its pure enough without filtering obviously with correct cuts
To further Improve this time Ive done both strips with 3 plates and dephlegmator and even the stripped run has very little sign of tails or nasties
Ran both down to 15% or so and stopped. good alcohol harvest and if anything Just as quick or quicker than the simple pothead strip (4hrs from switching on) and less water used

Plan to combine the 2 as ever and run 3 plates plus packed column and dephlegmator, which should really give me a clean neutral

I am really getting to like this SD kit as I get to grips with running it. Cant wait to run it off the keg boiler.