Stepping up to bubbler

[teitan]

Hi

So I’ve stepped up from a pot still and now running a sac run through it now. Thought I’d check in and see if this is working properly So I don’t go down wrong path or learn bad ways or habits. Running on full reflux in this picture, one 2400watt On full, would you guys say the bottom plate is leaking and need attention?
Thanks.

[Doubleuj]

Looks like heaps of bubbles on all plates, I’d say she’s running great

[The Stig]

:text-+1: Looks good to me :happy-partydance:
Better than my first glasses run

[southern45]

Looks about bang on perfect! Those glassers are sexxxxxxxy! :romance-kisscheek:

[TBone]

Teiten... clearly you need to shoot some video of the still in reflux.

For "educational" purposes.

Bonus points for HD slow mo.

:techie-typing:

[teitan]

https://youtu.be/MSrwyCu1Q5g
here ya go guys

* oops 3rd edit is the charm!

[Redux]

Thats is a thing of beauty!

Well done, Sir.

[TBone]

Well done! :happy-partydance:

[Pedro1970]

Mmmmmmm she’s sexy and you know it! :clap: :clap: :clap:

[southern45]

https://youtu.be/MSrwyCu1Q5g
here ya go guys

Bonus points all yours. Well played, sir! :music-deathmetal:

[teitan]

Thanks guys. First casualty, cheap eBay power controller died. Safety switches are a godsend :clap:

[Andrew]

When you coming around for a good one ? :laughing-rolling:

[db1979]

Thanks guys. First casualty, cheap eBay power controller died. Safety switches are a godsend :clap:

What was the rated wattage of it? Mine is rated at 5000 W and I only run 2000 W through it. It's going strong after 2 years. Perhaps it couldn't handle how much was going through it.

[teitan]

Yup I'll phone Andrew and organise a pick up later in week. As for wattage it was those 4000w ones and it was running just one 2400w element. Just hit it hard this week, 3 times in a week was too much for it to handle. It's a few years old now but lasted longer then I thought it would. Oh well.

[woodduck]

My first eBay one did the same thing. I'm guessing because it was in a sealed box. I put vents in the box and the controller I bought as a spare at the same time has been going for about 3 years now. They build up a lot of heat. I have seen some guys on here that have put computer fans in them but that's a bit over my head.

[db1979]

I've got an old overhead projector fan inside mine, labbie at work was getting rid of it and gave it to me instead.

[teitan]

Ok so got everything sorted but one last problem still remains that I can't seem to get on top of. Initially it was running bit like a pot still, would start at 94% then drop a % per litre. So pulled the glass section and redid it. Worked a treat, next run pulled 94% right to the end. Problem solved I thought. Fast forward a few weeks and the very next run and it's back to dropping ABV % like before. I could see bubbles rising out from the outside of the plate and the seal. Badly on 1 plate and not as bad on others.

Does anyone have any advice. I do have to move it around as I don't have a dedicated stilling area so would this be an issue. Could having too much pressure on the rods be problem too?

[Maxxx]

Hi Teitan
I had that problem with mine in the beginning too.
Fix for me was initially wrapping the edges of the plates in Teflon tape so it did not move/rotate at all in the gasket and also installing 8 rods.
Before you go drilling holes for extra rods or anything just double check the edges of each glass section, they should fit snug within the gasket groove, you should not really have to stretch the gasket much if at all to fit the glass.
A couple of my glass sections were out of round and not perfectly flat on the ends from the flame finishing process and I could only just get the gaskets to stretch over them, this was eventually found to be the problem which was solved by swapping them out.