Another quick VM thought

[karrotbear]

Hey all,

I have been thinking about having my VM's be potential pot stills too, is it possible to just incorporate a 2 gate valves, one just below the reflux condensor and the other on the off take, and just close the reflux one completely to allow it to go through the leigbig? Would I need to depack the column when I want to do this? or would it just be better to make a pot still special?

[crow]

without a RC the packing will virtually do nothing so no you wouldn't need to remove the packing ,yep if you could gate it somehow and shut the water to that condenser it would work ;-)

[googe]

I thought ya could just take out the rc, plug it up and open the gate?.

[MacStill]

I dont like the idea of valves on a pot still.

A lapse of memory and "BOOM"

[crow]

Yes of cause a still like this would need a blow out plug or emergency relief valve or sooner or later bad things might happen, reckon a boiler pressure gauge would be a must . Come to think of it the safety issues here out waigh the convieniance just build a pot head

[emptyglass]

I dont like the idea of valves on a pot still.

A lapse of memory and "BOOM"

:text-+1:

I know none of us drink while we distill :)) :)) :)) but just too easy to forget to set something.

[Yummyrum]

Did you see Jims Idea viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2980

Jim run his with minimal RC coolant flow,but I can't see why if you had no coolant flow and sufficient head of water in the vapour lock why it wouldn't work in Pot still mode as well.

Thinking further , why not just feed the vapour lock into the other side of the valve straight into the product condenser as well .Then there would be no chance of "blow off" going where it shouldn't should the valve be shut off

[Yummyrum]

Probably don't even need a vapour lock .Just a small tube from where the vent would normally be in the top into the product condenser

[MacStill]

Makes building a simple pot still sound like an easy option hey :think: