Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

My present cooling system for a T500 is the following pump from a 2000 litre tank.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/65L-Min-3-S ... 2a9db23a0b
I can get approximately 13 l per minute from connection but coming out of condensor on the T500 I only get about 3 l per minute.
The inlet and outlet hose's on the T500 are fairly small.

I would use 1/2 BSP fittings and hose's for the bubbler.
The question I am asking is the following :-

Is 1/2 BSP gate valve from Bunnings good enough to control the RC and PC. ? (Good wide opening no restriction)
Or 1/2 BSP needle valve, which will give greater control, but a restricted flow ?
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-2-DN15-St ... 0878143604
Any thoughts would be appreciated. :smile:

You will get greater control from a needle valve either way. They are designed for precise flow control where any other valve (ball valve or gate valve) will slow flow down when partially closed but without precise control of the actual flow rate

Needle valves are a waste of money on the water flow, way too expensive, the brass bunnings jobs are fine.
Its what I use, gives me enough control :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I cant comment on the pump, guess it depends on your head hight.
I use: https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-750w- ... p_p4816360

I use that pump and it does a good job, the flow isn't much different to the garden hose.
The gate valve is good for pc I found the gate valves too hard for control of the rc but I have a larger and therefore more efficient rc than most so the finer control is very much needed also the pump being smaller than the stigs would contribute. The lower wattage has saved me more than the cost of the needle valve over the last year and then some!
There's no hard and fast rules.

I run a 1/2" needle valve on my RC and 1/2" ball valve on my PC. The ball valve is just to increase system pressure a little bit so all the water doesn't go straight through the PC. I'm not interested in flow rate through the PC and think the more the merrier (within reason as I don't recirculate).
My 1/2" needle valve fully open on the RC lets through way more water then I would require at any given time (except full reflux).

:text-thankyoublue: :text-thankyoublue: Everyone.
Might have to try the gate valves on both the RC and PC.
I reckon that I'll get better water flow with the bigger opening.
If that does not work I'll change the pump.

Cheers

Ned

warramungas wrote:I run a 1/2" needle valve on my RC and 1/2" ball valve on my PC. The ball valve is just to increase system pressure a little bit so all the water doesn't go straight through the PC. I'm not interested in flow rate through the PC and think the more the merrier (within reason as I don't recirculate).
My 1/2" needle valve fully open on the RC lets through way more water then I would require at any given time (except full reflux).

:text-+1:
I have to have a needle valve on the RC and its just open half a turn when I am collecting. A bit more in summer when the cooling water is higher temperature. Half a turn more and I am on full reflux. This gives me very fine control of the collection rate, not easy to duplicate on a ball valve or gate valve.

PeterC wrote:

warramungas wrote:I run a 1/2" needle valve on my RC and 1/2" ball valve on my PC. The ball valve is just to increase system pressure a little bit so all the water doesn't go straight through the PC. I'm not interested in flow rate through the PC and think the more the merrier (within reason as I don't recirculate).
My 1/2" needle valve fully open on the RC lets through way more water then I would require at any given time (except full reflux).

:text-+1:
I have to have a needle valve on the RC and its just open half a turn when I am collecting. A bit more in summer when the cooling water is higher temperature. Half a turn more and I am on full reflux. This gives me very fine control of the collection rate, not easy to duplicate on a ball valve or gate valve.

Thats what I am trying to get my head around :angry-banghead:
What do you use for deliverying your water pump or mains pressure ?
If a pump do you know the litres per minute ?
:text-thankyoublue:

I did not think distilling was so much fun and thats even before you start to distil on a plate bubbler. :laughing-rolling:
It's enough to drive anybody to drink :text-lol:

I’ll drink to that :obscene-drinkingchug:

The Stig wrote:I’ll drink to that :obscene-drinkingchug:

And again :obscene-drinkingdrunk:
Just enjoying a Lazy Yak beer that I have brewed with Citra - Cascade and Nelson Sauvin hops.
Just poured a handle from my keggerator :teasing-tease:

Ned wrote:

PeterC wrote:

warramungas wrote:I run a 1/2" needle valve on my RC and 1/2" ball valve on my PC. The ball valve is just to increase system pressure a little bit so all the water doesn't go straight through the PC. I'm not interested in flow rate through the PC and think the more the merrier (within reason as I don't recirculate).
My 1/2" needle valve fully open on the RC lets through way more water then I would require at any given time (except full reflux).

:text-+1:
I have to have a needle valve on the RC and its just open half a turn when I am collecting. A bit more in summer when the cooling water is higher temperature. Half a turn more and I am on full reflux. This gives me very fine control of the collection rate, not easy to duplicate on a ball valve or gate valve.

Thats what I am trying to get my head around :angry-banghead:
What do you use for deliverying your water pump or mains pressure ?
If a pump do you know the litres per minute ?
:text-thankyoublue:

I use a pump similar to the one Stig linked to from Bunnings, submersible with a 1" take off in a 1000L IBC. I use 1/2" garden hose, click on adaptors and us a "Y" adaptor to split into 2 lines just after the pump. One line goes to the PC which has a 1/2" ball valve which is usually fully open. The other goes to my RC with a needle valve. I put a electrical tie on the needle valve handle so I can see the needle valve position. I run the return lines back to the IBC and the one from the RC I put in a clamp above the IBC so I can see the return flow. I like the flow meters some people use but watching the rate the hot water dribbles out is a great indicator. It is a fairly low flow. (I used to be able to pee that fast when I was younger, but not anymore :violin: )

In summer the IBC water warms up over time, I can do 2 50L strips in a day without problems and a another the next day. I have a copper heat exchanger from a gas water heater and was thinking to run the return water through it with a cooling fan but have not had the need as yet. It is good fun isn't it!

PeterC wrote:

Ned wrote:

PeterC wrote:

warramungas wrote:I run a 1/2" needle valve on my RC and 1/2" ball valve on my PC. The ball valve is just to increase system pressure a little bit so all the water doesn't go straight through the PC. I'm not interested in flow rate through the PC and think the more the merrier (within reason as I don't recirculate).
My 1/2" needle valve fully open on the RC lets through way more water then I would require at any given time (except full reflux).

:text-+1:
I have to have a needle valve on the RC and its just open half a turn when I am collecting. A bit more in summer when the cooling water is higher temperature. Half a turn more and I am on full reflux. This gives me very fine control of the collection rate, not easy to duplicate on a ball valve or gate valve.

Thats what I am trying to get my head around :angry-banghead:
What do you use for deliverying your water pump or mains pressure ?
If a pump do you know the litres per minute ?
:text-thankyoublue:

I use a pump similar to the one Stig linked to from Bunnings, submersible with a 1" take off in a 1000L IBC. I use 1/2" garden hose, click on adaptors and us a "Y" adaptor to split into 2 lines just after the pump. One line goes to the PC which has a 1/2" ball valve which is usually fully open. The other goes to my RC with a needle valve. I put a electrical tie on the needle valve handle so I can see the needle valve position. I run the return lines back to the IBC and the one from the RC I put in a clamp above the IBC so I can see the return flow. I like the flow meters some people use but watching the rate the hot water dribbles out is a great indicator. It is a fairly low flow. (I used to be able to pee that fast when I was younger, but not anymore :violin: )

In summer the IBC water warms up over time, I can do 2 50L strips in a day without problems and a another the next day. I have a copper heat exchanger from a gas water heater and was thinking to run the return water through it with a cooling fan but have not had the need as yet. It is good fun isn't it!

Fantastic information on this site. :text-thankyoublue:
I am looking at doing something the same. As I will have to feed the RC and PC
Presently I have the small pump pulling from a 2000litre tank and I recirculate the water. (which I can see) via the sink and via a diverter I recirculate to a 200 litre drum which has a submersible pump that starts automatically and pumps back to the 2000 litre tank.

Approximately what temperature does your water come out.?
I have the Aldi submersible pump (in the 200 litre drum) and have to be careful because the impeller will only take about 40 deg c.
Might have to put the Aldi pump in the big tank and re plump and buy a bunnings one for 200 litre drum.
Just trying to plan ahead

It would be easier and cheaper to run a direct return line
Depending on configuration, you can be returning water at 70+ degrees

RC Al wrote:It would be easier and cheaper to run a direct return line
Depending on configuration, you can be returning water at 70+ degrees

Yep the RC return is very hot. The pump you have in the top picture is a hot water pump, you can see the plate quotes 100C service. I come off my submersible with this tap fitting and split into a "Y adapter still under the water surface (small leaks not critical) then come out with 2 hoses so I have separate supply and return and I use the T adapter for connections in and out of the condensers. I find the connections leak if they don't hang vertical. Some use hoselock. I have bought these but not fitted them yet. The hot water runs into the IBC and can get into the low 30 degrees C range. I put a temperature indicating strip on the IBC to monitor like they stick on fermenters.

I had the exact same setup on my bubbler when I purchased it a few years ago from Mac.

The braded lines and Bunnings gate valves. I thought it was running sweet until I post a couple of weeks ago regarding running the bubbler with 4 plates and trying for rum/UJSSM. It was running like a pot still.

My cooling setup is a cheap 350w Bunnings submersible pump in a 1000litre IBC.

Considering I live in Darwin my cooling water starts at 32.5oC and my return water was 36oC I struggled to knock down one element at 2400w and I struggled to properly control the reflux levels (it was either too fast or too slow)

I replaced the braded lines with 19mm irrigation hose and 15m BSP to barbed fittings. The water flow doubled through the RC and PC, the internal diameter of those lines is very small.

I also replaced my RC gate valve with a needle valve from trade link.

Holy Jesus I feel like I have more control than Buzz did when he landed on the moonshine and I’m now kicking myself for not buying a needle valve on my RC years ago.

Either way good luck mate!!

:text-+1: I also use 19 mm line as I found the flow was too slow with the braided lines. I'm using a bunnings fountain pump,
https://www.bunnings.com.au/aquapro-water-feature-pond-pump-small_p2820006

Matt_Pl wrote:I had the exact same setup on my bubbler when I purchased it a few years ago from Mac.

The braded lines and Bunnings gate valves. I thought it was running sweet until I post a couple of weeks ago regarding running the bubbler with 4 plates and trying for rum/UJSSM. It was running like a pot still.

My cooling setup is a cheap 350w Bunnings submersible pump in a 1000litre IBC.

Considering I live in Darwin my cooling water starts at 32.5oC and my return water was 36oC I struggled to knock down one element at 2400w and I struggled to properly control the reflux levels (it was either too fast or too slow)

I replaced the braded lines with 19mm irrigation hose and 15m BSP to barbed fittings. The water flow doubled through the RC and PC, the internal diameter of those lines is very small.

I also replaced my RC gate valve with a needle valve from trade link.




Holy Jesus I feel like I have more control than Buzz did when he landed on the moonshine and I’m now kicking myself for not buying a needle valve on my RC years ago.

Either way good luck mate!!

Any pic of the 19mm irrigation hose. ?
So you still have a gate valve on the PC ? I think you did say that.

Some great information here on this site :text-thankyoublue:

How do you think these would go for cooling the RC and PC.
They are a ball valve and typically used for gas.
Thinking of the 20mm for plenty of water flow from the small pump.
https://plumbingsales.com.au/20mm-gas-c ... lared.html

Not enough control for an RC, better off with a gate valve. You don't need to have a large gate valve, 1/2" is fine. Pressure loss occurs when you have a small diameter over a long distance. If it's just a small section of the cooling lines it won't affect it. And when you're collecting product you'll find the valve is almost completely closed anyway.