StillSmart

In with the wash, took all the packing etc out the reflux chamber and switched it on.
Even without saddles, rashig rings or copper mesh in the reflux chamber, it was still chucking the spirit out at 80% to start with......
Then the penny dropped, that it wouldn\'t be in proper \"pot still mode\" until I switched it off, disconnected the water supply to the reflux jacket, then switched it back on again.
Just let it go like that. Left it running until I had about a gallon and a half, at which time, it was still measuring up at 40%, but the thermometer was saying 99.6 C so I switched it off.
Don\'t know if there would have been any more alcohol to extract though........ it was just a \"stripping\" run......
regards
P.

Usually run my essencia this way to strip BW washes.3x25L washes stripped gives me enough to do a spirit run.Works well,nice quick stripping runs too!

I\'m actually thinking of moding a mod......
My previous attempt at making a reflux head extension, which didn\'t work. well it\'s about a metre of so long and I\'m thinking that I\'ll just cut it down some, then fit it with a 45 degree reduced \"T\" then I can cap off the top and the \"T\" section will become the inner part of a condenser @ 15 mm, so I should be able to make a reasonable length condenser with 22 mm as the outer, modding for water fittings etc.....

Even pot stills have some kind of cooling as does the SmartStill, perhaps you should have used a fan ?