StillSmart

Sitting here a bit puzzled guys. Doing a 25 l classic wash (8kg) run used carbon cleared ok ABV was around 17% as previous but it just seems to be running slow and the ABV from the parrot a Couple of points lower. Was expecting about 4litre useable at 92 ish as before but seems to be running out of steam at 3.2 l. Temp been ok can't detect any leaks maybe I should repack column before next run ? Any ideas or just one of those things ?

In the absence of any suggestions I gave the old T500 a 'full service' on the weekend stripped it right down (not much to them really as someone said) cleaned the cooling coil, inside of column, denture wash for ceramics citric for the copper.reassembled with plumbers tape on the top and other joins and got a comfortable repack of the saddles . Twas like new !
Ran a 7 kilo VS Monday no probs back to proper output etc.
I still think that the classic wash was part to blame as when I emptied it prior to the big clean it was a bit murkier than usual think I sucked up some sediment with new syphon.
Still makes me like the old VS even more !

Glad you got things going again Mr Toad - I don't think packing would stop all the available alcohol being extracted (other than flooding the column) - it will affect the ABV you can pull, but even running as a pot you'll get to all the grog.

The only thing other than a leak I can think of, is either, you didn't add 8Kg of sugar and you miscounted or the wash wasn't dry - did you taste it before it went in the still? Either way less alcohol in the wash sounds plausible to me.

If you're sure the sugar was right, and the wash was dry, when the output stopped, did you reduce the cooling and watch the top temp? it should climb in to the 90's when all the alcohol has been extracted.

Strange stuff

Hi cap'n
Yeah sure about sugar and final SG figures just didn't want to distil well and taste and ABV on parrot weren't good at an earlier stage than usual.like I said think wash went in a bit murky.didn't try your temperature trick will remember that.
Wash still had alcohol smell when drained so it hadn't all extracted.
As I said wasn't happy so decided to ditch it plenty more where that came from