Packing

[buffalobob]

Eyup, I'm thinking of trying lava rock in my column. Where do others get their lava rocks and are they happy with the results? Cheers, Bob

[billythekid]

I've seen it used as landscaping material. Perhaps you could ask a neighbor for a few from their yard? Otherwise, perhaps a nursery?

Bill

[Easydrinker]

I might recall people getting it from a pet shop, as used in fish tanks?
By all means go your own way, but I think the consensus might be that there are better materials to use.

Robert.

[Mash]

Let's just check something here bbob.... You are talking about your still column and not a water feature

Once the world was flat, and there was no sputnik. You gotta try these things.

Ebay and amazon have it. A local pond /aquarium shop should too.

[buffalobob]

Yeah, it is for my still column and not my drive . What is the general consensus re. packing? I have considered all the usual types but tried only a couple. Scrubbies I've found to be hit and miss quality wise!! I've read multiple posts elsewhere about abv (and quality) being raised by using lava. I normally hit the high 80's with my current pita welding cable packing and am looking to change that . Can anyone here recommend a decent scrubbies supplier as an alternative to lava? I'd be happy to use them if I found a good product , cheers, Bob

[gaza the instructor]

Marbles, have a mate who uses Marbles.
Best is the SSP thingy's.
https://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/t500-stai ... l-saddles/
These are brill you can buy cheaper.
https://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/t500-copper-saddles/
And these for the top of the column.

[myles]

I have tried lava rock gravel https://www.specialistaggregates.com/pu ... -6161.html

I put it through a 10 mm garden sieve to try and get a consistent size. These days though I have gone back to using stainless scrubbers in a 3" packed column.
I use amazon : Spontex-Specialist-Stainless-Steel-Scourers

Edit. I add in a roll of copper mesh in the bit of column just above the boiler but under the packing retainer. I can take it out for cleaning without removing the rest of the packing. It does need cleaning.

[buffalobob]

Thanks very much for the advice chaps. I had considered mables along with everything else, but I'm giving the ss scrubbies another chance. They are light and easy to clean and efficient packing from what I've read. I'll put a few inches of copper in the bottom of my column too, thanks for that Myles, I'm waiting for 50l of your cornflake wash recipe to finish so I can get it in my pot, sounds good . Thanks for sharing that too!! Cheers Bob

[Easydrinker]

I am late to this chat.
My reflux column is gently packed with Aldi SS scrubbies, I am content with the way that they perform.
And for a few years now.
If I run it slowly, 94% is easily achieved.
Without wishing to be negative, there are quite a few reasons that a still may not perform as expected, or hoped for.
Learning the limitations of your current set-up, and deciding how to improve it, is quite a mind-set jump..
And all part of a learning curve.
Temps, cooling temps and many more variables need to be decided.
Some folk look for quicker and faster, I don't think that I can currently do better or faster, and so rest on my Laurels.
Lazy SOB that I am.

Robert.

[buffalobob]

Thanks for that E.D. I know about the variables and as a newb still reading and learning as much as I can about them. I'm keen to learn how to get the best from my rig . I run reflux mode slow, as advised, I want quality as opposed to quantity evey time. I didn't realise the effect that cooling water output temps had untii recently . But like you said, its a learning curve, loving it tho, oh yes. Cheers Bob

[Curmudgeon]

It's a surface area/resistance thing as I understand it. Scrubbers/mesh make the most sense to my wee brain, especially if some are proper copper.

Marbles I have read about, but I don't get the logic as the top half of each one is wasted space? Surely irregular shapes would be better?

[phantom]

It's a surface area/resistance thing as I understand it. Scrubbers/mesh make the most sense to my wee brain, especially if some are proper copper.

Marbles I have read about, but I don't get the logic as the top half of each one is wasted space? Surely irregular shapes would be better?

Which is why that it seems that SPP is the best answer.

Not seen any made in copper, but plenty of stainless steel. So I'd just put a couple of packs of the copper "saddles" that Stillspirits do for T500 columns in with stainless SPP...........

[Pinky]

I recall someone winding SPP from 2.5mm mains cable and a then cutting it into pieces?

Quick,easy and cheap..

[myles]

Which is why that it seems that SPP is the best answer.

Not seen any made in copper, but plenty of stainless steel. So I'd just put a couple of packs of the copper "saddles" that Stillspirits do for T500 columns in with stainless SPP...........

I have come to this conclusion regarding SPP.

If you want "neutral" all the time it works. However, if you are after a flavoured product from a packed column then use something else.
SPP is just TOO efficient. Once you have an SPP column configured for neutral, it is very difficult to force it to make anything else.

Also SPP seems to want to run in a semi-flooded condition - this is different to other packing's. I really do think it is a specialist tool that is very good at doing one thing only.

Stainless scrubbers, lava gravel and the others, are less efficient and thus are more versatile. SPP is good for neutral and only neutral.

[buffalobob]

For the amount of neutral I make, ssp isn't really an option. I've had some scrubbies on trial in my kitchen for 3 weeks now that seem very good so I got some in for my new packing. Luckily they came from my local £ shop . I have a copper 2" column and as per Myles suggestion have put a copper mesh 'plug' in the bottom ( of my column, cheeky) and put scrubbies on top. I'm sure this will improve my abv. I'm getting to know how my set up works now, the reading I'm doing is starting to make sense at last. Thanks for helping me get on the right path packing-wise. Cheers Bob

[Easydrinker]

Events in the last couple of days, and a couple of posts repllied to tonight have dragged my head back a few years!
Back then we were all chasing the most and strongest neutral that we could make, or so I recollect!
Many of us have moved on and now use our various stills to make many different products.
If we contiue to share, and pool information...
Things can only get better.
Happy stillin' out there.

Robert.

[phantom]

If you want reflux efficiency and flavour, fine, start saving as bubble plated columns are the way ahead........

Then either a packed section of reflux condenser do the trick for neutral or remove it/isolate water flow for yer flavoured stuff with better efficiency than a pot.......

[Easydrinker]

I agree.
I purchesed one "Torpedo" a few years back, and use it with or without packed or unpacked sections of column, depending upon what I am chasing.

Robert.

[phantom]

Hum? now I've seen plenty of picture of "torpedo's" in various selling sites and pics of peoples column configuration but I can't find much that explains what they actually do and how they work.

Packed ? or not ? Maybe just an "expansion chamber" so there's a greater concentration of vapour to rise up through to packing/plates/whatever ?

[Easydrinker]

The Vision stills ones have four copper things to each central "plate" which let vapour into the column,( or next higher Torpedo,- each Torpedo being a theoretical plate).
The condensed vapour, in reflux, passes back down the column, through another copper thing that works in reverse.
On top of each copper plate,(Holding the risers and the lowerer) there is a small amount of spirit.
The upward bound vapour has to bubble through this, much the way that a Thumper works.
The more Torpedoes, then the higher the % as the vapour rises.
I believe this is basically a Liffey still?
I stopped at one Torpedo, and use a packed column above it, for neutral.
Much cheaper!

I also remove the central plate containing the fancy bits when stripping whisky, it simply gives me a window into the column to stop boil overs.

I hope this makes sense, best that I can do at this time of night!

Robert.

[buffalobob]

I ran in reflux mode with scrubbies for my new packing material a couple of weeks ago. I ran my normal kale wash and did get an improved abv and the neutral was better too. Very little taste or smell. I managed 93% abv and am happy with that. I did bugger around with water flow and power settings and didn't really expect to get to 93% to be honest. The gin I made with it is better as well, I cut down to10g of juniper which was more to my taste. Glad I swapped my copper mesh for ss scrubbies thanks for all your help.

[myles]

I tried all sorts of combinations over the years.
My packed column is now a dedicated neutral machine for cleaning feints into a base alcohol for other infused products.

Small 3 kW 30 litre keg boiler, 1 perforated plate and a 76 mm column packed with stainless scrubbers. There is a small roll of copper mesh below the stainless packing but it is sacrificial - every now and then it gets replaced.

LM 3.png

I run an additional liquid heads trap above the product splitter. I use the mushroom style vapour / liquid trap (one of the alternative boka designs as I am not a fan of the slant plate.) It is a personal thing, nothing wrong with the slant plate, I just prefer the other design. I also have a coiled mini liebig product cooler.

Unless you have very specific requirements, stainless scrubbers will probably be all you need 95% of the time.

I now have an insulated ceiling in that room, and there is 1/2" clearance between the air vent at the top of the reflux condenser and the ceiling. Made to fit - just!!!

[Easydrinker]

I know the feeling myles!
I have a few pieces of copper wire poking up into the scrubbies in the base of my column, to try and ensure a central drip into the base Torpedo.
I have to mount the column diagonally, before fixing,due to headroom.

Robert.

[Leatherman]

Hi again everyone.

Didnt want to make a new topic so writing here. Can someone comment if I assembled bubble plates right?

[Easydrinker]

Yes mate.
That is correct.
And you have probably worked out that it is fitted the way up of your second pic.
Sexy and shiney, until you use it!
Do give it a clean, before first use, boiling water will do fine.
Wishing you fun with your new toys.

Robert.