Water usage for condenser

by **Lupus** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:25 pm

Hi,
I am in the process of getting a set up created. Aside from the still, I also need to look at water flow through the condenser.

Seeing reports of various stripping and spirit runs, it has become clear that these runs are not short term affairs. As we are using water flow to condense the alcohol, it is beginning to become evident that I need a large reservoir of water to keep the condenser cool. While I am sure I can use water straight from the tap, I am not keen on higher water bills that is going to attract. And, some one suggested to me once that significantly increased water usage on a property may also tip the powers that be about a drug lab. So, I would prefer not to attract said attention.

As such, I need some form of water recycling. Seeing as I do not have access to a rain water tank, what size water tanks can be used as a minimum to avoid the water heating up, and any suggested set ups? I know the local HBS sells pumps and suggest a 100liter tank. But I am beginning to suspect that may not be enough?

Suggestions and recommendations would be appreciated.

by **kelbygreen** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:37 pm

very interested in this also,

we are about 30% below the average usage in our area so I dont think the usage would be to much of a issue but the cost might be. I am not close to setting anything up yet and it may take me a while to do a set up I have alot of gear I can use from beer brewing but there will be a bit of cost involved and I will have to get bits here and there as I go.

by **googe** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:39 pm

Hey mate, i have a 50L keg with 2 inch pot still. Just went through what your asking, i brought a plastic 44 and a $50 bunnings submersable pump. Works great, keeps up to stripping runs and doesnt get anywhere near hot when i did my spirit run. I had the flow turned down to very very low on the spirit run. I'll post you a vid of my setup later.

by **Lupus** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:58 pm

Googe
Thanks for the feed back. As suspected though, the HBS store suggestion was a wee bit on the light side. Your 44drum is double the size reccomended. Was it full when you did the run?

I am planning on running a double condenser boka as listed on the coop store

by **mauler** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:12 pm

googe wrote:i brought a plastic 44 and a $50 bunnings submersable pump.

how many watts is the pump and how did you control the water flow

by **kelbygreen** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:18 pm

I have a magnetic drive pump and you can throttle them back on the outgoing side, its not a submersible pump but it does allow you to control the flow with a valve.

Edit: this is the pump I use many use the march pumps but this is a cheaper one and is fine for water http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=4270 Some guys run cheap brown pumps but I would go against it running for a long period

by **kiwikeg** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:53 pm

Hi with my current setup I use about a bathtub of mains water for a run not exactly an excessive amount IMHO, in summer I run the my still outside so the warm water goes straight onto the vege garden so nothing is wasted.
I have a 220l drum i plan on setting up with a pump as the council has just jacked up water prices in auckland from daylight robbery to extortionate levels.

by **dillsandwitch** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:59 pm

i have a 1000L tank. one of them white ones with the metal cage round it. cost 125 and once i fill it up after a few more runs will be using the submersible pump to run the water through.

Hey Lupus where did you here that increased water may indicate a drug lab thing? :shock: I had one quarter my water was up a bit due to fish tank changes, and heaps of watering the garden and playing hose with the dog and all i got was a letter attached to my rates asking if i had a busted pipe or something i wasn't aware of :o

by **grumpthehermit** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:01 pm

I am lucky enough to have a 60,000 litre pool and a 5,000 litre tank to play with, have never had to use the tank as yet and am very lucky that I am able to divert water from the pump via a valve that someone was nice enough to install long before I arrived here.

:D

Our local produce company sells palletcon's on occasion, 1000L cube plastic container storage inside a galvanised metal support frame for less than 300 bucks from memory ... One of those would be perfect I reckon if you could find one?

Cheers
GTH

by **googe** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:26 pm

Lupus wrote:Googe
Thanks for the feed back. As suspected though, the HBS store suggestion was a wee bit on the light side. Your 44drum is double the size reccomended. Was it full when you did the run?

I am planning on running a double condenser boka as listed on the coop store

First of all i would dich the HBS suggestions, all you need is on this site ;), The drum i brought was $30, but can get ehm cheaper, not sure about the amount of water needed for your setup but mines well and truely good enough for flatout strip runs, yes it was full. This link is handy for you to look at too viewtopic.php?f=24&t=572&hilit=pump . Mauler, the pump is the one on the link. I control the flow with a cheap valve on the outlet.

by **Kimbo** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 10:13 pm

grumpthehermit wrote:I am lucky enough to have a 60,000 litre pool
GTH

Me too :mrgreen:

by **dillsandwitch** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:33 am

grumpthehermit wrote:I am lucky enough to have a 60,000 litre pool and a 5,000 litre tank to play with, have never had to use the tank as yet and am very lucky that I am able to divert water from the pump via a valve that someone was nice enough to install long before I arrived here.

:D

Our local produce company sells palletcon's on occasion, 1000L cube plastic container storage inside a galvanised metal support frame for less than 300 bucks from memory ... One of those would be perfect I reckon if you could find one?

Cheers
GTH

theres a guy over at regents park that sells them and also the blue food grade barrels. he has his whole front yard covered in them and they are pretty cheap too :D

by **NotBenStiller** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:25 pm

hey Lupus,
head to the calcs page
http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/xcalcs.html
and second section from the bottom is
"Heating Time To Temp"
Punch in some numbers there to start getting an idea of how much water is needed
ie 100L tank, 2000W, start temp 20C, end temp 35C (maybe some pumps don't like much hotter than that)
Keep in mind that you won't keep the element at full power for all types of runs tho.

by **Aussiedownunder01** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:37 pm

grumpthehermit wrote:I am lucky enough to have a 60,000 litre pool and a 5,000 litre tank to play with, have never had to use the tank as yet and am very lucky that I am able to divert water from the pump via a valve that someone was nice enough to install long before I arrived here.

:D

Our local produce company sells palletcon's on occasion, 1000L cube plastic container storage inside a galvanised metal support frame for less than 300 bucks from memory ... One of those would be perfect I reckon if you could find one?

Cheers
GTH

300 bucks thats new price look around you should find one $60 at the most

by **Urrazeb** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:50 pm

I have a car radiator set up, it's still got thermo fans attached running from a battery charger. Not ideal but may give u some food for thought. Also got a ~250w sub pump, 100l res. it's doing the job for now but really just a botch job to keep the system flowing.. Needs fine tuning... I heard the 1000l cubes are good shit, in perth I seen em for as low as 25 bucks so shop around! :)

by **crow** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:06 pm

Bought one (1KL) on ebay not long ago for $30 seen them cheaper but this was fairly close :D

by **Lupus** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:37 pm

NotBenStiller,
Thanks for the pointer. Viewing the site via Tapatalk make me forget the site has a frontage with a link to calculators. Will check it out.

I have seen 44gallon drums go for about $25 on gum tree. Problem s getting them home. Driving a mid sized car with two kid seats in the back limits my carrying capacity. :)

Croweater,
So, how big is a1Kl container out f curiosity.

by **MacStill** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:21 pm

Lupus wrote:NotBenStiller,
Thanks for the pointer. Viewing the site via Tapatalk make me forget the site has a frontage with a link to calculators. Will check it out.

I have seen 44gallon drums go for about $25 on gum tree. Problem s getting them home. Driving a mid sized car with two kid seats in the back limits my carrying capacity. :)

Croweater,
So, how big is a1Kl container out f curiosity.

Would look pretty cool driving down the road with one of those strapped to your roof, 1000 liters :laughing-rolling:

by **Urrazeb** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:00 am

Haha I seen a dude the other day w a mattress on his roof, the thing nearly fuckin folding in half!!

by **crow** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:29 pm

sorry missed this ok 1000ltr palleton tank is 1200x1000mm by 1150 high