StillSmart

Hi Guys

I've been browsing the American forum and a lot of guys are using stainless steel flexible gas hose to make condenser coils from, here's a link to a US supplier

http://easyflexusa.com/2.0/content/stainless-steel

Does anyone know if these hoses are available over here in the uk?

Copper is much more efficient at heat transfer than SS and it's so easy to form a coil. I wouldn't like to try making an SS coil to fit in a 3" head.

Plus I just love shiny copper porn

AM

Wouldn't those have rubber inside?
Carrying water I know, but in the vapour path....

The guys on homedisiller are very anal about what materials they use for building there stills and this type of stainless gas pipe seems to be widely accepted.

I guess the benefit is that you can coil it by hand, and even uncoil it to change the size/shape of your cooling coil, I agree that copper is a better conductor than stainless but as we are talking about a wall thickness that is less than 1mm, I suspect there will be virtually no difference in heat transfer, one other advantage is it's increased surface area (all the ridges) so I would expect it to be more efficient than the same length of smooth copper tubing.

It also comes with ready made connectors for connection, of course if it has rubber inside this will insulate the cooling water from the outer tube and make it useless but from what I can tell it has no rubber inside.

I've found some UK versions that have a yellow rubber around the outside but not yet found one without like the Americans use' probably due to our stricter standards.

I still don't get how you're going to get enough of it coiled tight enough to fit in a 2 or 3 inch column.

AM

Check this build out, it's about the 20th post, the guy gets a coil made from 3/8" stainless gas pipe to fit in his 2" column

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 50&t=46915

I think it's a good idea, just depends if we can get it without having to order it from the states

Nice stuff, I've never seen CSST that small and if there's no liner inside it will work very well.

They say "you can learn something new every day, if you're willing to"! Thanks for the info Anavrin, good find. Please post link if you find a supplier this side of the pond

There are many distillers out there for whom winding a copper coil is their worst nightmare and this would make them very happy distillers indeed

AM

Yes I have seen DAD300 using this stuff with good results.

I have located a UK maker and asked for 6mm and 10mm samples in two meter lengths. See what they say.

If I have to buy a coil is there enough group interest to make a group buy feasible?

If so do we think the 6mm/1/4" might be better than the 10mm/3/8 all other things like price being equal? Less surface area per length so maybe not or maybe just need a longer length as easier to stuff in a column? Dunno, what do you all think?

My only response to your last post,is good luck with it.
Co-ordinating such a disparate group of users for a group purchase is a headache,that I would not take on.
If it was a seemingly ideal product,then maybe you could recover excess costs by selling on the surplus,on an auction site?
Not wishing to rain on your parade,and admiring your go-ahead style,respect,really.
Robert.

Yeah you may have a good point there. I'm not much for anything that is too much of a PITA. If the 6mm is the way forward for easy pease condensers and a roll is not too big or too dear then it might be worth just taking a punt and selling it by the metre on eBay or wherever.

I might even buy some...
Best wishes.
Robert.

i could be interested too but one thing to watch is that iirc the size published relates to the minor outside diameter so 1/2" flexible tube has a 5/8" OD of the convolutions

Good to know. We also know that 3/8 tube works in a 2" column so a 1/4" tube should be easier still if you will pardon the unavoidable pun.

I'd be interested too, the ones the guys in the states get come in preset lengths with connectors already fitted to the ends, is that possible with this supplier?

I think so but you might have to order a lot of the same length. they seem to be big boys who may not even want to bother dealing with me. No answer to email yet.

I was thinking a roll where we just clamp hoses over it like Dad300 would be the least trouble for them lowest cost option for us.

They do do a range of ends. but we would all have to agree on the same ends, what length it takes, and be right, hence the need for samples to be sure 2m is long enough in the 6mm. It is in the 3/8; maybe longer than needed. I think 40" or so is enough in 3/8. So 2m might do for the 6mm/1/4". Cant be bothered working out relative surface areas for a ratio. Any takers for that task?