Power controller questions

[stattonb]

So i just made up a power controller for my 2'' pot still that is attached to a t500 boiler, i was told and i have been reading up on using a pot still and from what i have seen is that for a spirit run you want a slow drip for a spirit run but i just dont understand the whole concept of lowering the temp with a controller to make a better product if anyone can help that would be greeat :)

[rumdidlydum]

Your not lowering the temp you are modulateing the rate of boil ie hard boil slow boil.
On a strip run hard and fast. Spirit run dial it back til you get a small toothpick to drible output. ;-)
Have fun :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[stattonb]

cool thanks for that with the strippinng run i have been just using the water flow no controller and with the spirit run i have been dialing it back where i get a constant dripple does that seem right ? sry for the newbie dumbass sounding question

[rumdidlydum]

I'm a little lost are using the t500 to strip or a pot still.
We all were newbs at one stage :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[stattonb]

im using the T500 boiler with a pot still condenser just moved from the reflux to a pot still and only just got a power controller for it so a new learning curve lol

[rumdidlydum]

Roget that.
You can't control output with a pot still with water you only want it to condense the product.
For striping dont conect your controller and let it boil as fast as possible. For spirit conect your controller and dial it back to the desired output. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[WTDist]

basically you want to slow the speed at which you evaporate the vapor. instead of evaporating 5L an hour you slow the speed down to 1L an hour. think of it as changing the speed to slow not fast. the stream will be the size of a toothpick.

[stattonb]

soaking in all the info guys cheers the one thing im having problems with is the water flow and the controller,on a stripping run i have the water flow turned right up and let it go and collect down to 20% (hose is connected to the tap out the back) but not to sure what the water flow and the controller setting should be on a spirit run 50% power ???
alot to take in lol

[TasSpirits]

To many variables I think, have a play and you will sort it, with my 3" took me about 5 runs to find the sweet spot. :handgestures-thumbupleft: mines not really a 3" :music-deathmetal:

[stattonb]

worked out the controller on the pot and refulx awesome stuff

[Cols15]

Don't adjust water flow with a pot still, just leave it at maxim flow every run.

For striping run's the power controller is not needed, collect the low wines as fast as your able to.

For spitit runs measure the spirit coming off the still vs time. I collect at around 2lt an hour, I adjust the power controller so I get 100ml every 3mins.

Collect in 250/300ml jars and make cuts.

[WTDist]

2L an hour is a bit fast isnt it for a pot still? considering a 4" bubbler goes 2.5L an hour.

i thought a pot still should go around 1 to 1.5 max??

[scythe]

A pot some still will go fast but it wont have the same high ABV that a bubbler will.

[stattonb]

thats what i do have the water flow on max for stripping and spirit run,have the controller on for spirit run and collect around 1L per hr.
Make my cuts in VB stubbies :)

[WalterWhite]

Sounds like you are on the money now Statton.
The theory behind running it slower in your spirit run is that the different components evaporate at different temperatures so running as slow as possible allows each component to separate from the others better.
As your wash or wines start to boil the temperature will be at whatever the lowest component boils at. So the fores may start to evaporate at 55•c and then once they are gone the temp will rise to whatever the next component boils and evaporates at .... If you don't control the power then the different components will boil and evaporate together causing smearing through your product.
So the power controller does only control power and not temperature. It is actually the different boiling and evaporation points within your wash that controls temperature. Lower power just slows the whole process down allowing the temperature in your boiler to rise more gradually and therefore getting better separation of heads, hearts and tails.
That's my understanding of it anyway.

[stattonb]

cool thanks for that im understanding the process better now

[valkorum]

Further to this:

I have recently acquired a 4" pot still with 2 x 2400W elements (from 5Star). For a spirit run would it be fine to just run 1 of the elements?

[WalterWhite]

Yes mate .... Have a look at Macs guide to running a bubbler

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2681

[Taz]

Hey Valko you will prob find 1 is still to fast with no controller mine runs about 4l hr on single element great for strips to fast for spirit runs

[WTDist]

Yes mate .... Have a look at Macs guide to running a bubbler

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2681

all well and good if he had a bubbler but i believe he said pot still ;-)