Yummys adjustable RC

[Yummyrum]

OK your probably going to say WTF is he doing that for when he hasn't even built a bubble and you would be right but this is my way of getting started :doh:

I got this idea after seeing bt1's tuna can RC and a crazy idea Googe had about sticking a pipe on the side of an RC and adjusting its angle to vary the level of coolant in the RC.

So I got my "Heinz big red" can and stuck a hose in the side and a 3/4" pipe reducing to a 1/2 ". The Idea was to see how much flow would be able to go down a 1/2" pipe ,the outlet height to determine the level in the RC.

I found a maximum flow rate of 9 liters per minute before the outlet pipe could not cope with the inlet water and the level started to rise above the outlet.
Since most are saying that they need a mere trickle during a run ,I figure this should easily cope .

Adjustable RC 001.jpg

So my Idea is to have a peice of 1 1/4" pipe that sits to the side of the RC , it will have a piece of 3/4" that slides up and down on a length of 1/2" sealed with O-rings .
The side of the RC will be open to the top half of the 1 1/4" for its full height .Might even have a glass in the connecting section so I can see the level.

As the 3/4" section is moved up or down it will set the level so I have a fully adjustable RC from empty to full .

Adjustable RC 003.jpg

I think I will adjust the height with a rack and pinion.
I cut a length of "allthread" and found a pinion on an old stepper motor that meshes pretty well with the allthread ,connected the pinion to a piece of brass from an old pot in the junk bin ,filed it in the drill and as luck would have it the shaft fits perfectly inside a piece of 1/4 in hard drawn copper which I think I will connect somehow to the side of the 1 1/4" pipe with a 1/4" compression fitting to act as a sort of bearing/seal .Just got to think about that some more and play around with it.

Adjustable RC 002.jpg

[1 2many]

This looks very interesting , but how are you going to control the stepper ? via pc (computer) or by the pot you have pictured ? Looking forward to this mate. Could be fun :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Yummyrum]

Hi 1 2many.

just pinched the pinion off the motor ,its going in the bin now. will adjust by hand .Thats what the knobs for .Fits perfectly on the 1/4" :D

I just showed the pot and stepper to explain where the bits come from.Helps people picture where they can source shit from

[bt1]

Dam,,

I'm well impressed...ppl that push the design limits are few...WD in advance and I'm keen to see how it goes...admiration and 100 karma pts to you for going at it....

Geez there's some top blokes around here
bt1

[Yummyrum]

Did a bit more today while I was running the VM.

Its a bit fuggly,I brazed the shell.This is going to take some cleaning up.But if it doesn't work ,it may end up in the bin.
There's a few pink bits for the perves .
The funnel on the end of the 3/4" serves as both an easy inlet and as guide to help center it as it slides up the 1/14" shell.

The reason for the large gap between the RC and the adjuster part is so you can fit a tri-clamp around the RC without too much bother
I need to re-address the "O ring" fixing rings as I'm not happy with that .

I was originally going to use a rack and pinion to move the adjustable outlet pipe (3/4" with the funnel) but I may just use a ss rod and just pul it up /down directly.

I was going to put a sight glass panel in the connecting shell but considered it to much bother so will probably do an external glass pipe on the side if the 1 1/4" .

Adjustable RC 004.jpg

Adjustable RC 005.jpg

Adjustable RC 006.jpg

Adjustable RC 007.jpg

Adjustable RC 008.jpg

[db1979]

Looks brilliant! I had absolutely no clue how you were going to get it to work but it looks so obvious now that it's coming together. You've really thought it through, I hope it works well. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Yummyrum]

Thanks bt1 and db1979 for the encouragement.

Sorry db ,I should have stuck up a drawing of my Idea first :doh:

Also my main thoughts behind this was due to observations that many complained of difficulty in controlling reflux ,there seeming to be "touchy" water flows required almost to a slight trickle in larger RCs .Some of the smaller ones having difficulty obtaining full reflux with warmer water .So I thought by adjusting the water volume from nearly empty to a full sized capacity along with being able to adjust water flow,that some less touchy control may be realized.
But then again I might bust be pulling my pud and its a waste of time :laughing-rolling:

So here's a crude sketch incase anyone else is confused

[blond.chap]

Nice work mate, I was thinking about this a few months back but couldn't work out how to have it adjustable without having it leak.

Love your idea, and I think it will be helpful, though you'll probably work out the minimum volume the first time then never change it again (totally worth it still).

[Yummyrum]

Lol BC ,recon you will probably be right.

Wondering where I might get hold of some glass tube like the site glass they used to have on the side of Hot water urns ?

Also after any feedbck on number of tubes and sizes .Thinking of going 4" with 7x 3/4"

[tickle]

Fuckink cool! Never saw anything quite like it. Two things:
1: your plan with the rc tube sizing and quantity are fine. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
2: here anyway, the tube type of sight glass is fairly common, we sell it as "steam boiler sight glass, or steam boiler level gauge " it is 5/8" od and ususally 12" long. Easy to cut. You can also get it in a kit with adaptors to go to IPS male thread, gaskets, and some protective rods. I can find you a link if you need it.

I love the idea

[Yummyrum]

Had ago at this with a rack and pinion drive .
It was a disaster :handgestures-thumbdown: Should have known better.Might revisit one day with a "matched " set of gears .

Adjustable RC 012.jpg

So out with the Mapp torch and Mark II is born .

Adjustable RC 015.jpg

This time I have gone with a screw drive .
I soldered a length of SS 6mm all-thread onto some 1/4" copper ( ground down and inch of the all-thread so it would fit inside the copper).

A 1/4" compression fitting was drilled though and welded to a plate on top that will act as a bearing and seal.I just used and "O" ring instead of the olive so it seals but is easy to turn. A washer well underneath and the Knob fitted will act to stop play in the 1/4"shaft. Rough but works :handgestures-thumbupleft:


I put an inspection hole in side ( where the old rack drive was) and this serves two purposes.

First, it allows access fof fitting O rings and lubing .

Adjustable RC 014.jpg

Secondly, the cover plate here will have a guide that allows the 3/4" slider tube to move up/down but not rotate as the drive screw is rotated

Adjustable RC 016.jpg

Will look kinda like this

[Yummyrum]

Should look like this .There will be a matching slot in the side of the RC that will let the water flow across.

Adjustable RC 017.jpg

All I gotta do now is build the rest of the Bubbler :laughing-rolling:

[db1979]

After building that the rest of the bubbler will be a piece of piss! Well done :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[hillzabilly]

nothin better than turnin an idear into reality ,look forward to seein how the still works out and here is another design to look at cheers hillzabilly

[Yummyrum]

Thanks for lookin guys .Probably looks like some fucking weird thing that shouldn't be put on a Traditional looking still :laughing-rolling:

Anyway pleased that you are thinking .Hillzabilly cool !

Just can't see how its going to control the level in the RC .I'm probably missing the obvious here LOL Help me out.

[MacStill]

it looks "yummy" :D

[Yummyrum]

it looks "yummy" :D

"No Darlin ,that dress don't make ya ass look big " :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Mac :))

[hillzabilly]

The level is controled by adjusting water flow,as water enters the level gets to a number of small holes drilled through the inner tube (the smaller blue arrows) it flows out this is the min level,so as the flow is increased into the RC the amount escapeing the holes stays realitivly the same and the level rises,when level gets to the top it overflows into the inner tube (the big blue arrows).and out of the RC,add an external sight glass and your good to go.hope this helps cheers hillzabilly.

[snapperhead]

My bent 2 cents worth
I just stripped out a large copier/printer for the stepper motors,toothed belts, gears and shafts for another project I am playing with.
There were a couple of ABS plastic rack and pinion sets inside, and I noted the rack plate was screwed in and could have been transferred easily to another use.
I have no idea about the temps you will be getting in the coolant side, but ABS will cope with living in submerged hot water, if under boiling temps.
they were around the same size as your set.
Shafts were on sintered bearings that could be soldered in and an o-ring groove would be easy to cut into the shafts for sealing.
It was in perfect working order, and only cost $2

Anyway, just throwing ideas out, there are heaps of mechanisms inside them that can be modded for other uses.

[Yummyrum]

Cheers for that Snapper head

Knw the'd be some useful stuff is some junk that would do it but didn't think about that .Anyway ,I will see how this method works .If there is no gains with this project ,then its getting Flatpacked :laughing-rolling:

If it does work ,I may revisit the R & P method .It is faster to adjust and there is no extra height needed.

Thanks for the explanation Hillz ,missed the holes bit first time round.Still thinking it through .Seems that the same could be achieved with a small hole ( even adjustable IE valve) on the output of a standard RC with the input valve adjusting flow to set level inside but it still becomes flow critical which was the whole Idea behind my idea to avoid fiddly critical valves