Extension and copper packing

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Extension and copper packing

Postby Astro1986 » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:44 pm

Hi everyone

I have a pure distilling reflux still which has the copper body. It came with steel packing. The shop has told me it won't make a difference packing it with copper as the body is already copper. He also said it wouldn't make any difference adding a colomn extender although I have read different.

Is there likely to be any improvement by either adding an extension or changing the packing to copper?

Thanks
Ash
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby The Stig » Wed Sep 25, 2019 6:19 pm

I have had this argument with a few people before but only face to face so let's see if I can get the idea across in written words .
The walls are copper but the vapour doesn't swirl around the walls it shoots straight up so most doesn't even come in contact with the copper.
Stuffing the column with copper will force all the vapour through over and around a bunch of copper and you'll get a much improved result.
Does that make sense ??
Remember , old mate at the brew shop wants you to keep buying his crap and frankly most of the idiots on Facebook havent got a clue and just don't want to learn the truth.
Here we will endeavour to instill the best practices and safety possible.
Cheers
I'll get off my soapbox now :laughing-rolling:
Welcome
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby bluc » Wed Sep 25, 2019 6:23 pm

Going taller will allow faster take off rate at given abv. Depending on current acievable abv it may bump abv up also. Going wider will do same thing.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby Astro1986 » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:35 pm

The Stig wrote:The walls are copper but the vapour doesn't swirl around the walls it shoots straight up so most doesn't even come in contact with the copper.
Stuffing the column with copper will force all the vapour through over and around a bunch of copper and you'll get a much improved result.
Does that make sense ??
Remember , old mate at the brew shop wants you to keep buying his crap and frankly most of the idiots on Facebook havent got a clue and just don't want to learn the truth.
Here we will endeavour to instill the best practices and safety possible.
Cheers
I'll get off my soapbox now :laughing-rolling:
Welcome


Thanks for the reply. This is exactly what I was thinking. At the end of the day, I'm not so worried about cost just quality. I think I might grab some copper and use that instead.

Ash
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby Astro1986 » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:36 pm

bluc wrote:Going taller will allow faster take off rate at given abv. Depending on current acievable abv it may bump abv up also. Going wider will do same thing.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Thankyou. That confirms what I had previously read and thought.
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby The Stig » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:39 pm

Your problem is those stills have a funny size connection so an extension will be hard
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby Astro1986 » Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:07 pm

The Stig wrote:Your problem is those stills have a funny size connection so an extension will be hard


I've got a few mates with them and also found them readily available online however the extension is SS which is kinda crap.
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby RC Al » Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:46 pm

As stated before, the ss column wont realy matter as such, as long as you load it with copper packing like the mesh 5 star sells :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby Astro1986 » Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:15 pm

RC Al wrote:As stated before, the ss column wont realy matter as such, as long as you load it with copper packing like the mesh 5 star sells :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Yeah. I have decided that I will pack with copper. With the stainless extension, my OCD just goes nuts haha. My reflux is copper bodied and I want the extension in copper to match haha
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby Danbo » Thu Mar 05, 2020 12:52 pm

Maybe pick out a nice looking insulation, problem solved. Depending how deep the OCD goes.
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby bollo » Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:28 pm

Astro1986 wrote:
The Stig wrote:Your problem is those stills have a funny size connection so an extension will be hard


I've got a few mates with them and also found them readily available online however the extension is SS which is kinda crap.


Hi mate, where did you find the adapter for the pd still to add an extension?
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby The Stig » Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:36 pm

5 Star sell the lid adapter
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Re: Extension and copper packing

Postby jman69 » Sun Jan 17, 2021 1:10 pm

I agree with the stig. my turbo still has a copper colum that came with stainless steel saddles but i changed them over to copper for the last two distillations and found it was clearly a better tasting drop.
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