StillSmart

Yep, that'll do it nicely :-)

JOHN DOE wrote:Hi Anavrin,
I was thinking about the alembic pot head as it needs to have a lower start as far as i have seen, as it can omit some vapour if your not careful. its great to hear your views, i want to get a better way to control the pot still and the water flow doesn't seem to affect this setup. it does work fine when i have the column lid, and the flow controls that very well, but has no effect to control for the alembic lid, when it starts the coolant can't really cool it enough and the output of still is hot and fast. i was looking from point of view i do need a dial control to somehow manage it better, but it needs less power at start and as it rises you can turn it up. i will look into the ssr controller i know little about electrics i thought that turning on off would be fine as thats the way i manage it now just for first bit of stripping. but i do need to upgrade my control.

if the still is leaking address that before considering powering up. a wrap round the lid/pot seam with ptfe tape under tension could help, if not there is always the flour paste option. but a leaky still is not a safe still.
extra bull dog clips perhaps, and bricks to counterbalance the offset condenser might help too??

I am attempting to come in here as a mediator,before two members fall out,so easily done.
If I am reading this wrong,forgive me for trying to help.
It seems JD is saying that the alembic head/condenser is not catching all of the vapour,it seems, at the start of a run.As it is hot and fast.
That,in itself is not strange, and smelly vapours get through first.
And the condenser may well not be able to cope.
He wishes,I think to power down,not up.

This topic is being discussed elsewhere on the site.

Fil seems to think that JD's still leaks,I don't read it that way,I'm happy to be corrected,as always.
Fil mate,I think you got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
But what do I know?
Robert.
The loud,shouty,obnoxious one.

emitting vapors rang the warning bells for me, if i got the wrong end of the stick - mia culpa..

i have had a near escape with emitted vapor and wouldnt like to see anyone else in a similar position

Fil's right, escaping vapours are a potentially serious problem and the obvious solution is a lower power startup.

Billmcc's link offers a perfect, ready made, solution that will give you the control you need.

I've expressed concerns in another thread about the 'so-called' Alembic dome and condenser for the T500. This problem would seem to support those concerns.

AM

Hi,
Just to clarify it's not leaking just i think a bit fast on the start. i am sure i saw a bit of vapour steam so i do power off once or twice until the fore is done. it seems to be fine once its going just hot on the start.

so i want to power down for start of the run. i wrote to revlon thy said the controller its not suitable. so will need to build what fil made. if i can get a parts list. Any chance of posting a link or guide to those parts for the ssr and dial and read out i can assemble electronics if simple.

cheers

JD

billmccs link is not suitable as i wrote to them. they said it won't work with a 2kw boiler.

Strange that, their blurb on the site says "It can handle any AC power tool up to 230 volts/10 amps/2000 watts"

However, I'm not a sparks so can't argue the point

AM

I can't see why they say it won't work.

I was just having a look at this Revlo speed controller thinking maybe it alters the frequency, although if you could make a frequency controller that small for £25 I would be amazed!!

But it states it wil not control the speed of induction motors, which rules out frequency control as the speed of induction motors are frequency dependant not voltage.

Did they say why it's not suitable? Maybe ask them what sort of control circuit it uses?

the kit i got off ebay isnt about at the moment, and im no electronics bod so if ive got it wrong about the control pot please shout out.. beyond a box, flex to wire up and whatever plug/sockets you opt for.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SSR-40VA-40A- ... bbc712c2is the sort of ssr, i used a 25a version, if you look at the picture it tells you a it switches between 470 and 560k ohms 2w of power max so a rotary potentiometer (variable resistor or pot)
rated to handle 2w covering that range like
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/680K-Ohm-2W-V ... 2ec3e42cb8
this 0-680k one should work ?? Im not too hot on the electronics and all my bits came in an ebay kit . the way im reading the ssr is 470k ohm and less resistance = no power. and between 470 and 560k ohm resistance you get an increasing amount of power to 100%



So then just add a dial smilar to http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATLAS-VOLUME- ... 232eca53d1 or mark your own..

and for info about the power output i used one of these..http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AC-Volt-Amp-P ... 43cf3678c0
dont forget a heatsink for the ssr too
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Security-New- ... 3ce7bbbefa

Fil beat me to it,I was offline compiling the following.
I'll post it any way.
I use one of these;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1pc-KYOTTO-AC ... 0839922818
Attached to one of these;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminium-Hea ... 0553987088
Using some heat compound paste(don't buy that,I'll squeeze some into plastic bag and post it to you),a metal box,(an old style metal whisky box is ideal),some flex (I used heat proof 'cos I had it) and a socket and a plug.And a few old fashioned small brass nuts and bolts.
I gave my tin some holes,but didn't bother with/seem to need a fan for my 3Kw boiler.
Plugging the thing into a simple plug in domestic power meter,power use meter,obviates the need for any meters on the box,and makes the whole thing more sensible,as you can use the latter to check on other domestic useage around your domicile.
Any questions,just come back,someone will help.
Robert.

This seems a pretty controversial topic across a lot of forums and topics I've been looking into.

My problem is that there seems to be a humungous amount of comment and instruction on how to build a controller - but not a whole lot on how to best use one.

I've been using a T500 with an alembic pot head. I've managed to get hold of a 5k lighting dimmer that controls the power nicely and I've got a power meter hooked up to it so I can see the power consumption of the boiler in watts. So far so good.

From what I'm reading, best practice in using a controller seems to be:

1. Bring the boiler up to temp at full power
2. As the hearts begin to come off, reduce the power to around 50%
3. Once you know that tails are coming off, whack it back up to full power to pull them off right to the end, if you're going to want to keep the

I'm principally wanting to using it for gins runs. I use a stripped, spirit run and filtered neutral, and load around 15 litres at 30% into the T500. I add the juniper and botanicals in muslin bags and let them macerate overnight.

Odins guide for gin says that there will be very little heads - just around 20ml for 15l. So I'm imagining that the main use for a power controller will be for the tails cuts. Am I right?

My plan in line with points above is to:

1. Bring the boiler up to temp at full power
2. As soon as the heads start to come off back off the power to around 1Kw and take off the 20ml heads
3. Run at 1Kw and take 5 litres of hearts off (Odin reckons on 400ml per litre of 'wash')
4. Keep the power down to 1Kw and continue to take of spirit in 100ml batches
5. As soon as I'm definitely into tails, whack the power back up to take the rest off.
6. Grade the 100ml samples the next day and keep any the still make the grade as hearts

Comments on this approach would be much appreciated!!

Ok,this is the way that I am answering you,it may not be correct but is my opinion.
Using your power controller on your spirit run,fine and dandy.And the way you describe sounds right.
Using it on your gin run,I am not so sure it is needed,the same way.
I run my Odin's Easy through my Smart Still,and while it has a homemade power controller,I don't use it,it is only 300 Watts.
Maybe winding your T500 down from 1800W is a wise move.
These days I macerate for 10 days,filter and run.
I found having the botanicals in the Spirit/Wash made the result taste way off.
I believe this is why some suspend them in baskets in the vapour path.
You are basically doing a 3rd distillation,you should have very little in the way of heads and tails,the small amount thrown at the start is I believe done to ensure that any Methanol picked up from the botanicals is accounted for.
Myself,for each litre of 45% macerated,and then diluted to 30% that I run, throw 10ml,collect 500ml @ 63%,(expect a different volume and percentage with your set up)which dilutes to 700ml at 45%.
I then switch off,uninterested in any tails,as by then the resultant distillate is not so good,and while coming off at 30% and falling,life is short.
Maybe if I made as much Gin as whisky,I would collect these tails and keep separate,to recycle in gin production.
I hope that is of help?
Wiser heads may be along soon......

Robert.

Hi,

I'm a beginner with the T500 and also have the Alembic head.

I distilled the wash with the reflux column and discarded the heads. ( I plan to keep the next batch and use it to remove labels from wine bottles...)

My first batch macerated Juniper and Lemon peel (fresh) for 24hours then distilled everything. I collected in 150ml batches and only included the batches that I liked the taste of.

The resulting product was then diluted to 40% abv with filtered water. It was very nice but just a little cloudy. I would describe it as a "Juniper Bomb" but not in an unpleasant way.

My second batch followed the same scheme but I include Orris root and Angelica root. I'm not too happy with this batch - too many "earthy" flavours. I'm not sure if I've had too many of these latter ingredients or if it's over extraction by including them in the distillation.

I plant to make up jars of orris root and angelica root individually and see if I actually like these flavours.

I don't plan to include coriander as I have an unfortunate allergy to it.

Just the sort of thing I was hoping to hear Robert - thank you. I'm not entirely convinced that the power controller makes a massive difference on a fine run either, so good to hear your views.

I think we could probably have a discussion about keeping the botanicals in the wash - it works for me, but hey each to their own on that front I reckon Good to see your numbers too, makes me feel much more confident in what I doing.