Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

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Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Wed May 31, 2017 9:53 pm

Hi Gang

I was hanging around the local second hand shop and happened across a deal i couldnt turn down. For $60 i picked up a secondhand Pure Distilling Ultra Pure Still.

I am in the process of sourcing stuff for a keg boiler and the 5Star modular pot but since i currently have a SS super reflux detuned for a pot i figured this will only be an improvement for my tpw and i can devote the detuned ss for stripping runs when i get around to it.

Unfortunately it is missing 2 pieces, its missing the little ball valve or needle valve and take off tube and also the tiny digital thermo. Im pretty sure i can use almost and digital thermo with an external diameter that fits internal of the little recess but i dont know any specs of the ball vale like thread, size, etc etc. Is anyone able to provide this info?

Thanks in advance
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby Zak Griffin » Wed May 31, 2017 10:17 pm

Nice pickup mate. The ball valve Is probably a 1/4" job but don't quote me on that. The thermometer isn't entire necessary anyway, just block the port if you get stuck :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby CyBaThUg » Wed May 31, 2017 11:03 pm

What does the internal hole size measure
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby crow » Wed May 31, 2017 11:28 pm

No need to block the port, its a sealed thermo-well. You can but those thermometers for 10 is so bux if you want to use one. If you got to get another valve anyway I would suggest a needle valve as the ball valve is a bit crappy and also will need to be restricted (they block it with solder and drill about a 1.5 mm hole through. This still will benefit from about 600mm packed column extension and will work fine all be it slow on a keg boiler.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Thu Jun 01, 2017 12:29 am

The thermometer hole is 4mm and i figured it was sealed since i couldnt feel air flowing through it and i couldnt see any torch light. I think I'll fit one anyway to have a very basic understanding of where things are at.

I had read that the outlet is restricted so i guess that lead free solder will be suitable for that. Thanks for the info.

I was considering just buying the "high yield conversion kit" (https://www.distillspirits.com.au/catal ... egory/199/) just because it will fit without mucking around to much.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby PeterC » Thu Jun 01, 2017 1:05 am

Hi, The kit you link to looks to be a 1/4 inch ball valve similar to this one in Bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/jflex-1-4-b ... e_p6270747 You are better to get a needle valve made in stainless steel. eBay has them for a similar price as the Bunnings nickel plated brass ball valve. I notice your other fitting is brass which is frowned upon here. eBay or some HBS have stainless steel fittings such as 1/4 inch nipples or sockets to make up the connections. They may just state 1/4 inch or maybe mention BSP (British Standard Pipe) which is common here. Much less common is NPT (National Pipe Thread) which is US sizing and not compatible.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Thu Jun 01, 2017 2:50 am

Thnks for the link petec, yeah definitely my intentions set to getting rid of the brass, why is it in a commercially available still anyway? I would assume once i know the specs i would be able to source almost all the parts in stainless.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby crow » Thu Jun 01, 2017 11:45 am

It would be a lead free potable liquids brass, I'd be more inclined to use it before anything nickel plated. These are good little stills, I have one myself although I haven't used it for years. They are slow but all 2" reflux stills are but the job they do it bang on and they are by far the best HBS still of their type. A few simple mods like a needle valve and extending the column will really improve everything that bit for you to run bigger charges faster.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Thu Jun 01, 2017 3:17 pm

Thanks for both your posts crow, ah ok that makes abit more sense. I had a quick google search and was there seems to be a load of options out there.

I figured for the money paid this was a decent step forward over the old ss super reflux i had and even once i get the bits and bobs i need I'll still be infront, use the sssr detuned for stripping the tpw and the and the ultra pure for the spirit runs. Which is still going to be large time saver over just the sssr anyway.

Should probably fix the taps in the laundry and start working out were the setup will go. Been well over 2 years since my last beer run and just over 12 months for spirits...
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:00 pm

Well i couldnt be arsed trying to source a needle valve in this damn town that wasn't,

A- drastically over priced
B- told "brass and zinc plated is fine"
C- purchasing the the needle valve online and than having to source the little fitting with the hole and etc etc blah blah which with shipping makes it all more expensive than buying the bit that i know will work prefectly from factory.


So i bit down on the wooden spoon and purchased the "high yield conversion kit" from brewmart (which were a delight to deal with) fits perfectly.

Went to reece plumbing and got some 1/4" annealed copper for the take off tube. Asked how much he wanted for it and he said not to worry it was only a couple of bucks. (Guess that guys on the gift list once up and running).

Just leaves me with sorting out the temp probe. I know The manufacturer has their "automatic timer and thermometer which looks to be drastically over priced for what it is. So after reading and watching a few reviews and a teardown video (the best channel of youtube uses one in almost every video) i figured I would by a TM-902C K Type Thermometer Meter Single Input + 2 Thermocouple Probe Set. They seem pretty accurate according to all the reviews and i got two for $13.98 with free postage.

Next step will be a power controller. A "friend" purchased a power controller kit and loves it so my next quest is to investigate that aide of things.
Last edited by Sam. on Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Removed unwanted advertiser
skurvy84
 
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equipment: Basic still spirits super reflux junker detuned, Pure Distilling Ultra reflux, keg boiler and pot still in the build process

Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:39 am

Received my TM-902 thermocouple today, fits perfectly in the thermowell with the tp-01 and the tp-04 probes. Found a calibration guide online if they are drastically out but they seem to be very accurate already. I purchased two and they both read the same temps.

Just have to wait for the ambient temp to get up alittle.more and start a tpw or ffv then the real test can start.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby Kenster » Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:56 pm

skurvey, nice path u r taking... its all falling into place. I noticed you mentioned you are about to suss your laundry tap out etc... My Still spirits T500 (in its original condition) uses around 300 lit per 25 lit wash. Thats a LOT of wasted water. A lot of us here have some form of tank/recycle setup... maybe just a thought for the future.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 10:32 pm

Yeah all sorted, i have a a couple ibcs which i plan on running the cooling water into to use on the our wicking beds or wash the car etc.
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equipment: Basic still spirits super reflux junker detuned, Pure Distilling Ultra reflux, keg boiler and pot still in the build process

Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:29 am

So, took a 4hr drive to the nearest HBS and picked up some dominos and DAP, the local stockfeed shop in town had bran at $9 for 3kg not exactly the cheapest but still okay for me.

Vinegar run went well, steamed for 20-25 mins than i shutdown, seemee pretty clean beforehand anyway but being a 2nd hand shop purchase figured better to be safe than sorry.

Cleaning run next, want to use a cask of stanley for my run but turns out casks over 2ltrs aren't sold in my town so 4 bottles of the cheapest instead.... probably abit short for a cleaning run at about 30-45mins but collected a good 250mls ( after getting to temp) and i already knew i wanted to take 200mls of foreshots and 250ml collection jars so realistically almost 1ltr of feints before i figured hearts would start to come through when i ran my spirit run.

So i had a TPW ready to go sitting and clearing for a few days so straight in she went, after getting to temp she stabilised at 78 on my t902 thermocouple and stayed rock solid, this is the only time i was sort of confused it says that (in the instructions) once you've collected foreshots to open the valve to fast mode, then after the temp has risen 2degrees from your initial temp (mine was 78 so i was waiting for 80) to close the valve back to slow mode and continue to collecting. This was different for me since the instructions say it should be in fast mode for approx 2hrs, mine was much shorter than that, maybe an hour. Once the valve was closed back into slow mode the temp dropped back to 78 and stayed there. Still quite fast collection and did up the cooling water to about 1.5lpm

All up from a 23ltr tpw, through the Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure, aired all my collection jars for 24hrs, i got 1ltr of what i will call hearts (super clean, warming on the way down not a burning kind, almost zero fragrance. About 500mls either side of that that still seem pretty good and i took 200mls foreshot, 3xheads @200ml .

Still using essence at the moment, saved 500mls of the cleanest hearts to age on 2 american oak dominos, 1 plain and 1 lightly chared about 35gms into 1 ltr at 65%abv since the 3/11 checking daily.

its a vast improvement over the still spirits super reflux.

Currently have a FFV Bubbling away for next week after nightshift, need to arrange some more storage containers, or just bite the bullet and by a 23L Glass carboy..
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equipment: Basic still spirits super reflux junker detuned, Pure Distilling Ultra reflux, keg boiler and pot still in the build process

Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby scythe » Mon Nov 06, 2017 12:23 pm

35g/L is going to oak up really fast and maybe not in a good way.
Split the dominoes in half with the grain and put one half of each back in...
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 1:02 pm

Ok thanks for the advise scythe, ive been checking it daily.... well to be honest every couple of hours since its my week off just split the domino down its length and was suprised to see that the internal of the domino is still bone dry. Normal? I had thought it would be pretty soaking
skurvy84
 
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equipment: Basic still spirits super reflux junker detuned, Pure Distilling Ultra reflux, keg boiler and pot still in the build process

Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:11 pm

What are peoples opinions on timeframe for leaving the oak in? 2x half pieces of american oak dominos, 1 lightly charred and 1 not, Been in since the 3/11/17.
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby Zak Griffin » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:55 pm

10g a litre for 12 months goes pretty good!
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Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby skurvy84 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 6:54 pm

Ohh thats to long to wait!...

I'll leave this for six weeks i guess and leave the rest of my dominos for the ffv if i haven't got a cfw started.

My real down fall will be using essences i guess, ive always used less than what they recommend anyway so see how it all goes.
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equipment: Basic still spirits super reflux junker detuned, Pure Distilling Ultra reflux, keg boiler and pot still in the build process

Re: Pure distilling ultra pure thingy that makes things pure

Postby scythe » Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:48 am

Oak takes a long time to get saturated, due to its tight grain structure.
Minimizing end grain also help this.
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