Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I use the same pump and standard 12mm garden hose to the still and back.
Check that the pump is actually working .
Why was it returned ? Bet the guy who returned it swapped a dead one for the new good one

The Stig wrote:I use the same pump and standard 12mm garden hose to the still and back.
Check that the pump is actually working .
Why was it returned ? Bet the guy who returned it swapped a dead one for the new good one

I removed the reducers and there was heaps of water coming out, i will give it another try tomorrow, do you know roughly the length of your hoses, mine is sbout 7.5m

I run from a spa 15m to the still up about 2m to the top of the still and 15m back

Cheers, i only tested in about a foot of water, unit was not fully covered, if i have no joy will return it tomorrow and see what they still have.

Do you run a 2nd line off your main line back to your water supply as a type of pressure release so you can run your still slower, i read that some do that?

I don’t run a “pressure release” at all, I run the PC flat out and only control the RC.
Silly question, if your only in a foot of water , did you lift the float ?
If the float is down the pump won’t run

Hi Shaun
I run my pump in the swimming pool. It runs a short distance across and then up to the still and back. I have a double connector on the pump so not all of the water goes to the the still - there is still heaps of pressure. I angle the non-connected piece so I can see ripples in the pool so i can easily see that the pump is working.
I agree with Andrew on the float as a possible source of the problem. I have found that it needs a bit of jiggling sometimes to get the pump to start.

Cheers
Carol

Another option for a water reservoir could be an IBC and if look at home aquaponics set up they cut in half and get two from one IBC..

That's for all the help, the unit does run ok as i can see and hear it running, i will fully submerse it today to see if that helps, i will also test with and without the pressure line.

Why was it returned?
Have a length of large ID hose to match your pump outlet at a convenient length then reduce down to hose size of your PC and RC.
Some add a tee but your PC can act as a tee.

I also asked the “why was it returned “ question

The Stig wrote:I also asked the “why was it returned “ question

Very true, you would have thought it was tested rather than put on the shelf at reduced price, but who knows.

scythe wrote:Why was it returned?
Have a length of large ID hose to match your pump outlet at a convenient length then reduce down to hose size of your PC and RC.
Some add a tee but your PC can act as a tee.

That was my thought, but from everything that has been posted it should work with standard hose.

I strongly advise a return T. On the more powerful pumps such as this the PC can and does act as a pressure block/ reducer and if the pump is run for long periods of time it will overheat and die. (Ask me how I know)

6 years and running strong with the same setup on a 50L keg and now a 100L boiler, mine is the 350 as well

Ok an update, my stupid testing in the first place, this unit has an internal float, it has to be fully submerged initially to run properly, basically it needs to fill up, i will add the return hose as this is the 550w clean water version, thanks for all your help i hope this post will help others in the future.

:whistle:

The Stig wrote:6 years and running strong with the same setup on a 50L keg and now a 100L boiler, mine is the 350 as well

Now you gone and done it :laughing-rolling:

db1979 wrote::text-+1: and the water reservoir doesn't need to be large in this setup, mine is about 10 L. Makes for a massive space saver.

15740655618062.jpg

Hey DB, can you show us a bit more of that setup mate? Cheers.

dazzerthemighty wrote::whistle:

The Stig wrote:6 years and running strong with the same setup on a 50L keg and now a 100L boiler, mine is the 350 as well

Now you gone and done it :laughing-rolling:

I have a spare just in case 8-}

I am back with a few more questions, i am just running a vinegar cleaning run because i don't know when this was last used.

I have 10L in the boiler 50/50 mix, i have hoses connected pump running, i am using a pressure release tube on the input line, all is working i have a dribble from PC a bit of a squirt from the return hose but there is a fair bit of water comming out the pressure release hose and my RC is pretty hot, if i block the pressure hose it cools down.

Now i have no idae of the size element in here and plan to get a power controller from 5 star but do you think if i get an adjustable valve on the pressure hose to reduce the amount of water would help.

Lowie wrote:

db1979 wrote::text-+1: and the water reservoir doesn't need to be large in this setup, mine is about 10 L. Makes for a massive space saver.

15740655618062.jpg

Hey DB, can you show us a bit more of that setup mate? Cheers.

Have a look at the photos on this post mate.
Since then I've made the lines in and out of the radiator modular and continued the 32mm pvc tubing (actually classed as 25 mm pvc tubing) with valves and snap connectors so I can move it outside the shed. I'll get some more photos tomorrow when I've got some light.