StillSmart

Its here, will be running a wash through it over the weekend and will report back.

First impression, it was easy to assemble and is taller than I thought it would be.

A better pic:

Wow....I like very much!

looks good, keen to see how it works on on the first batch.

First wash i do always comes aout around the 40-50 range wonder if the 500 does betteer on the first run?

I would be nice not to have to distill everything twice

Well it certainly does look very much like an updated version of the SS super reflux, though the column and condenser appear to be stainless - the super reflux (well my one anyway) column/condenser are steel.
Though the super reflux condenser is a coil type whereas the T500 looks like it's a liebig condenser, not that matters I suppose, it looks like it's got a lot more "length" for sorting out the refluxing through the saddles etc, and I'm presuming that the cooling jacket area is much longer as well.
It's certainly a beautiful looking device. I was studying the pictures and trying to understand where exactly the temperature measurements are taken. Obviously it's somewhere, where the thermometer isn't exposed to the full heat of the refluxed vapour, as that'd have to be measuring 78/79 degrees C. The link to the instructions didn't seem to mention the normal distilling/boiling temp of alcohol numbers, but lower ones that I presume just measure from a different location but still enable the refluxing to be at the "right" temperature, and the thermometer(s) to be giving numbers as a guide for the efficient running of the device.
Yes, very nice looking indeed.......
Good to hear that it performs as they suggest it should be.......
p.s. the only downside being, that the 750$AUS price quoted, at the time of typing this, is being returned as a shade over £450....... Ouch........

Phantom

Perhaps im wrong but the temp probe measures the temp of the cooling water through the column outlet.Which still spirits say is a new technology feature of this still.This has got me thinking (although i have not yet got a super reflux)would it be possible to add a temp probe to the cooling water outlet on this still and would it improve the efficiency?.

Phantom, optic is correct.

There are 2 temp probes (red marks in pic), 1 at the very top and one on the water outlet.

The top one is pre-installed and sealed.

The bottom one needs to be installed by the buyer, I couldn\'t get the bottom one to seal so I used some blutac around it.

The top temp was reading 78 - 79 deg C most of the time, the bottom one is what they say to keep an eye on.

I kept mine to about 50 - 55

hi andy

How did the first run go??

what was the % like?

Phantom

Perhaps im wrong but the temp probe measures the temp of the cooling water through the column outlet.Which still spirits say is a new technology feature of this still.This has got me thinking (although i have not yet got a super reflux)would it be possible to add a temp probe to the cooling water outlet on this still and would it improve the efficiency?.

Phantom, optic is correct.

There are 2 temp probes (red marks in pic), 1 at the very top and one on the water outlet.

The top one is pre-installed and sealed.

The bottom one needs to be installed by the buyer, I couldn\'t get the bottom one to seal so I used some blutac around it.

The top temp was reading 78 - 79 deg C most of the time, the bottom one is what they say to keep an eye on.

I kept mine to about 50 - 55

Ok, so yes, that\'d make sense, though it does seem that the top one is in the actual vapour i.e. the 78/79 degrees C being the giveaway temperature, but the second one is a little more confusing to follow what it is that they\'re actually measuring there.
It\'s pretty obvious that they\'re making better use of technology to temp monitoring, as well as a better design for the actual column i.e. a greater reflux area, and presumably a larger, more capable filter jacket for the reflux chamber. I noticed that they\'re using copper saddles as well as ceramic ones. I wonder if it\'s possible to make some copper rings..... just chop up some 6mm ductile copper pipe and try that in the reflux chamber.......

HangOver

How did the first run go??

what was the % like?

The answers are here::

http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/topic.php?id=237
@ Phantom.

They are measuring the water temp that is leaving the column jacket.

They say "the cooler this water is the better concentration and quality"

It also flows slower (the alcohol that is)

hi guy\'s. just signed up
made two diffrent stills in enzed n rapt how well the turbo 500 runs for u all.

looking to build a third as moved oz and had\'nt mastered the purity the turbo has. bloody good design. gud ol kiwis.

any chance someone knows how many coils are in the tower?? that and wether the water is regulated some how.

any comment would be a great help

cheers

mac.

any chance someone knows how many coils are in the tower??

Sorry, no.

wether the water is regulated some how.

They supply an adapter that screws into your tap.

This adapter has a very touchy tap in it so you regulate the flow of water.

I found I was running 850 ml of water per min to keep the temps down to 50-55 deg c.

The ambient temps are now cooler so I guess this should drop to 500 or 600 ml per minute.

Great advice Andy for anyone looking at purchasing one of these. Keep us updated regularly.
Brian

I have been in contact with Richard at wineworks about the T500 and he said they are looking at sometime around september before they reach the UK and he reckons they will be around the £300 mark,roll on september I say.
Optic

hmmmm, 20 weeks till september thats £15 per week i need to save then