Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I'm looking for a way to simplify my post run cleaning regime.
I read somewhere that people run water backwards through there still after a run. By that I mean hooking up a hose to the pc and running the water back through the still and over the plates down into the boiler. From there it would just flow out of my drain and away.
What do the resident boffens think of that? Is it good idea and would the water need to be hot for effective cleaning, was also worried cold water might crack the sight glasses? I guess it would pick up a bit of heat working it's way through the condensers and 90° bends etc.
Thoughts :think:

res wrote:I read somewhere that people run water backwards through there still after a run. By that I mean hooking up a hose to the pc and running the water back through the still and over the plates down into the boiler. From there it would just flow out of my drain and away.

Thats exactly how I intend doing it once I have my new boiler built, Ive lived with my current unmodified beer keg for far to long, taking columns off boilers to rinse them out has knobs on it.

SBB wrote:taking columns off boilers to rinse them out has knobs on it.

:handgestures-thumbupleft:
Cheers for the feed back, does sound like the go. :D

I just screw my thermometer out that is at the top and stick the hose in and it runs through the plates and the PC. Works for me.

newbiboozer wrote:I just screw my thermometer out that is at the top and stick the hose in and it runs through the plates and the PC. Works for me.

And never any problems with cold water hitting hot sight glasses?

No mate I usually give it 10 minutes or so then drain off my backset, push the boiler to the edge of concrete drain it and rinse. Never busted a SG.

I drain the boiler then connect my hose to the drain point and fill up the boiler and column through the drain until water flows out through the product condenser. If I want to let it soak I can rotate the condenser to point up and leave it full for a while (or leave the tap running as a water fountain).

Three would be air pockets under my bubble caps which which are not in contact with water but it is my best effort at a good rinse without a full dismantle of the modules.

5 o'clock wrote:I drain the boiler then connect my hose to the drain point and fill up the boiler and column through the drain until water flows out through the product condenser. If I want to let it soak I can rotate the condenser to point up and leave it full for a while (or leave the tap running as a water fountain).

Three would be air pockets under my bubble caps which which are not in contact with water but it is my best effort at a good rinse without a full dismantle of the modules.

I thought about that, and have done it in part. Not to clean the still but to pop out my fill port (finger over the pc until pressure built) but it's a lot of water :think: Would solve the heat issue however.
I'll try the backwards approach and if it fucks up and cracks my sight glasses a small donation to the mac fund helps us all 8-}
Cheers mate. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I doubt you'd crack those SSG's res :handgestures-thumbupleft:

MacStill wrote:I doubt you'd crack those SSG's res :handgestures-thumbupleft:

No, me either. Thanks mate.

being outside I have to disassemble after each run. Same as others here a good hose out is normally it. It gets a major clean every 25 + runs.

One caution in winter pays to dry it well between runs if not using as much to avoid mold/staining etc.

bt1

How often are most guys disassembling their columns to clean?

Paulb wrote:How often are most guys disassembling their columns to clean?

depends what you're running, some wash's are filthy while the neutral type wash's aren't too bad..... low wines even better :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I'd reckon on average every 6th run maybe :think:

BTW: you're profile is out of date :teasing-neener: