SD Dash column. results so far

[Admiral Toad]

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

[Almanac]

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

[Admiral Toad]

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.