Double Coil Condenser Build

[Anavrin]

Hi Guys

I had a go a making a double coiled boka condenser yesterday, I made a coil a few years ago which wasn't too difficult but it was only a single coil made around a 32mm bit of copper pipe, this one was far from easy and its fair to say I now have the start of a copper scrap pile which I'll get weighed in one day, here's some of my early attempts at the small coil.



I was trying to wind it around some 15mm copper pipe and found it almost impossible not to kink the 6mm pipe as I was trying to get the first couple of turns started, In the end I found a steel tent pole with a diameter of 18mm and this was a little easier.



I then removed the pipe to have a look



So I'm half way there, I pushed the pipe back though the coil and then put the hole lot inside a piece of plastic 36mm waste pipe I bought earlier from B&Q (£4 for 2 Meters) I cut a small slot in the end of the plastic pipe so I could continue the coil onto the outer.



I did kink the pipe a little while going from the small coil to the large but hope fully it will be OK when I test it with water for a good flow rate, this is what I ended up with.



Here's a view from the bottom where you can see the two kinks between the inner and outer coils.



Anyway time to test if the water flows ok.



To my surprise it worked well, I didn't have the tap on full but measured 800ml in 30 seconds so I think I could easily handle 2 liters per minute which I hoping will be plenty.

Now time to start fitting it into a 54mm copper end cap, without any soldering!!!



You can see from the above pic I've bought some compression fittings for the connections rather than solder anything, the fittings inside the cap connecting to the cooling coil are
6mm compression - 1/4inch BSP female thread
the fitting on the outside of the cap are
8mm compression - 1/4inch BSP male thread

Ive bent 2 bits of 8mm pipe and pushed on a little rubber tube to help with the hose pipe connection in the future.



After fitting the threaded connections together in the end cap, now time for some pics of the finished job.












Its turned out OK for a first attempt, I'm planing on financing my build by building 2 others to sell and to cover the cost I'll keep this one and hopefully the next couple of attempts will be nicer to look at with no kinks.

[Icefever]

Well done that man, those photos are great...where's the rest of the kit???

[Anavrin]

Haven't got any "rest of the kit"

This is the first part of my first build, Ive got plenty more bits including a 3m lenght of 54mm copper tube, will hopefully make a 2inch Boka

[Anavrin]

OK so I got a little carried away with my left over 6mm copper, now I have 4 of these bad boys :-)

The first is on the left and the last on the right, each ones getting a little tidier than the last, I have found a leak between the the two 1/2 inch threads that join the two compression couplings as they pass through the 54mm end cap, I guess they'll need some ptfe tape around the threads.

[Icefever]

Haven't got any "rest of the kit"

This is the first part of my first build, Ive got plenty more bits including a 3m lenght of 54mm copper tube, will hopefully make a 2inch Boka

10-rog on that...I've just made a 2" column with a Liebig for my T 500 boiler, I also have a length of 76mm copper ready for when I make my big still.

[Anavrin]

How do you rate the T500?

I looked at getting one but was put off by all the lads down under moaning about the price and saying they could do a better job for less $$$ themselves.

That's why I've decided to self build, 76mm gomnna be a beast, hope to see some build pics

[Icefever]

It works well I'm pleased with it...is it worth the money??? depends if you can justify £380. I wanted to get to grips with a still that could handle 25 litres of wash. I look upon it as serving my apprenticeship for when I have the time to build my big still..

This is my post http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2880 It's just finding the time....

[Anavrin]

Well that certainly is a big build

Are you getting any further with it?

[Icefever]

Nope... work keeps getting in the smegging way, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, I think....unless it's some f**ker coming the other way.
I looking at semi-retiring just do a couple of days a week. Then I'll have the time to get stuck into it, can't wait I'll tell ya. It all hangs on what happens over the next couple of months.