Extension to the ultra pure reflux column

[stilly_bugger]

The instructions only tell you to take the heads and throw them away and to keep the rest, by heads they mean foreshots and by hearts they mean heads,hearts and a bit of tails all mixed together ...

The other night I was doing a reflux run of low wines. I take about 900mL/hr. After I don't know how many hours I thought, 'I'll take a litre at the collection rate that Ultra Pure recommend, and then compare it to stuff I've collected at the slower rate either side'. Should have stayed at 900mL/hr.

The needle valve is awesome, I have no clue about about Mrs McStill's distilling supplies but it's a great piece of kit and it works well, I highly recommend upgrading to one over a ball valve if you want a precise flow control.

Yep. I'm sold. I'll have to try to get my hands on one.

[Multipleg]

I've had one of these stills for about 2 years and it's a great beginners still.

When I insulated the boiler I got a marked drop in purity. I believe it is from pushing vapour through the packing too fast from the equivalent of the extra power. I keep the column insulated up to the take off point. I added a sort of Liebig (plastic fittings from Bunnings none of which touches product) around the take off tube after the valve as the product comes out pretty warm.

The whole thing seems really well balanced for very simple operation. However, you can get much cleaner product by slowing down the take off rate. I try to run it at about 600 ml / hour but I think that's a fair bit slower than necessary.

The brass bits in the product path definitely get a schmear of lead-coloured stuff which can be wiped away. I deluded the brass according to directions on the other sites. I don't like that the brass is in there. I held off getting an extension and changing the crappy valve saving for a proper VM column instead.

I swapped some email with the company early on...

Regarding the column operation:
The still was never designed to be the best POSSIBLE still for everything. It is a bit of a tradeoff of speed / cost / practicality and purity.
Most people are just looking for a cheaper way of making spirits, and a bit of a hobby. This still ticks all the boxes for that.

You CAN make it slightly more pure by adding a longer column. Because of the fitting on the bottom it is very easy to do with 2 fittings available from Reece Plumbing and a length of 50mm copper.

Insulating it may give a little more refluxing

Slowing the collection rate will improve things.
Reducing power will improve it too, but slow things down considerably.

All of these things have been 'set' so the average user will get results they are happy with. Many improvements could be made to make it that bit better, and that bit more flexible.

Because of the design, and the reflux ratio not actually being able to go from 0 to 100% (The least reflux you can get is probably something like 30%), there really doesn't seem to me to be any point in removing the packing for stripping. I would think you would get a better result by leaving it in, with no slower speed or anything...

Feel free to post this on the forum, and ask any more questions.

[stilly_bugger]

I've had one of these stills for about 2 years and it's a great beginners still... The whole thing seems really well balanced for very simple operation.

I agree. Compared to what else is available on the retail HBS market, these are a standout.

I swapped some email with the company early on...

They're pretty helpful, and honest. I've rung the owner/manufacturer a couple of times asking questions and he's been great.

It isn't that hard to remove most of the brass in these, especially if you consider adding an extension, when you can take the big brass nut off the bottom. However, I can't remember what the condensate capture cup is made of. It's a ~15mm (5/8") elbow, fed by a couple of lengths of thick metal tacked onto the lowest point of the condensor to direct flow to the cup. It may very well be brass, though it may also be copper. A copper elbow would be the cheapest option.

If you are going to make any changes to these columns, I advise running the numbers through the purity calculator over at HD: http://homedistiller.org/theory/refluxdesign/rr.

• Obviously, your column diameter is 0.050m.
• If you're running the standard boilers sold with these columns your power input is 2000W.
• As for reflux, the Ultra Pure head is calibrated to take off 1.5L/hr fully open. If you're running a 2000W boiler you'll have 3.7L/hr of liquid coming off a ~14% wash as vapour and going up the column. If you're collecting 1.5L/hr you have a reflux ratio of 1.47 (to 1). 3.7L/hr up minus 1.5L/hr off equals 2.2L/hr back down the column. Therefore, 2.2L/hr to 1.5L/hr is your reflux ratio, or 1.47:1. (If you're running 20% turbo wash or a low wines you're going to have a lot more vapour coming off the boiler and your reflux ratio will increase dramatically, as it will if you run the calibrated gate valve at less than 1.5L/hr. Neither of these things will have a massive effect of purity. Well, not as much as a slightly longer column. However, they will have a marked effect on the separation of the various components of your wash: fores, heads, hearts and tails.)
• Lastly, packing height. I know these columns are now 50cm in length. They used to be 40cm, as mine was. I would guess that the 50cm column has 0.33m of packing height. There is 17cm between the thermometer port where the packing stops and the top of the 40cm column, and I can't imaging this has changed in the 50cm column.

These numbers give you 3.8 theoretical plates and an estimated output purity of 90.4% abv.

Adding a packed and insulated extension to these columns is the best way to increase the purity of your output.

:techie-typing:

[R-sole]

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1560

I strongly suggest checking this out and if you are thinking about getting a 'proper column' you could do a lot worse than supporting a charity of your choice with your stilling dollars to pick up a very good piece of kit.

[3draws]

Sorry to bring up an old topic but here's the extension i did for my still and now its insulated and also the boiler :music-deathmetal:

[crow]

:handgestures-thumbupleft: nice one

[jasonc2861]

Sorry to bring up an old topic but here's the extension i did for my still and now its insulated and also the boiler :music-deathmetal:

So when this is done you pack the extension piece all the way to the to the top piece?very keen to try this,,does the temps when you run it stay the same? :text-thankyoublue:

[crow]

yes and pretty much, just insulate the extension ;-)

[Aussiedownunder01]

Heres my extension its now isolated stainless steel with coper scrubbers

[3draws]

Here's mine with insulated camping mat and nitto tape wrapped around it :D also no longer using the drum :violin:
Now using IBC container :happy-partydance: