possible upgrades for a T500

[H12rpo]

For a huge improvement in time spent just just a pot head for the t500. A full charge strip takes about an hour and strips out a gallon from the wash.
If you don't want the expense of buying or making a mead pot head then you could detune your column.........I've not tried it but no doubt that would not reflux much at all and therefore improve the strip time.
Both of these methods though sacrifice abv .......so is it any quicker? -dunno, maths wasn't my strongest subject

The only other suggestion it to keep the tails and rerun them in the next wash that'll improve the yield quite a bit

[H12rpo]

I don't think insulating the t500!will reduce heating up time.
When I strip I now take everything right down to about 5% abv and that is about a gallon from a malted barley wash at about 6%abv (though I haven't measured it accurately. I'll cut the fores and chuck them on the Spirit the run i.e. When I put 4strip run gallons in the still.
I know you say you don't like tails and that's fine but adding them to a spirit run and redistlling will reduce the vol of tails and collect more alcohol

[H12rpo]

I feel your pain.
I'm pretty new to this and already thinking of getting something that's twice the capacity and faster than the 500
A keg seems to be the way I'm looking for the future .....it's getting hold of them in the first place though

[gaza the instructor]

its a lot quicker using the copperware to
stripp with. Takes an hour to heat up as usual
and about 1.5hrs to stripp to 30%.

[RumJohn]

@H12rpo. A day or so ago you mentioned that you strip down to 5%. If that is the case, you are 5% away from where you started from which defeats the whole purpose of doing a srip run.

Aim for quality, not quantity.

[gaza the instructor]

With the reflux column on you know when
your at the end of stripp, it slows to
a drip rather than a dribble. How do
you stripp in 2hrs with the reflux?
Thats why I use the copper.

[Easydrinker]

Just to stir muddy waters...
I don't have a T500, but can run my still in Pot or Reflux mode.
I only ever strip in Pot mode.
Neutrals get switched off when the ABV reaches 20%.
A whiskey strip goes down to 5%.
Neutrals are reflux run at sub 30% in the boiler.
Whiskey's are more complex, and spirit Pot run utilising a feints receiver.
All the details are posted on this site if you really want to know.

Robert.

[H12rpo]

Yup that’s what I said..... simple physics mate

[packapoo]

How about better stability during the process?

[Mash]

Would work better stood on a new freezer

[Mash]

Good choice.

[packapoo]

How about better stability during the process?

Errr...slight misunderstanding has occurred during translation here it seems....
Read stability as consistency (temp wise) whilst running the still?

[gaza the instructor]

You can get around that by using one of these.
http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/t500-water-flow-regulator/

[Mash]

Better still a small pump and tank with a float valve.

[gaza the instructor]

Bought mine in a sale 39.99 it works and not
being the most practical person in the world
its easy.