Reflux problem

[BackyardBrewer]

I have one of these rigs and it sounds like it might be a leak. Vapour is pretty hard to spot.

Also the instructions insist that after citric acid you rinse in baking soda and flush with hot water. That's not what's causing your prob but might be worth ensuring everything is clean.

Bubbling in the column means wash is all up in that sucker, or that water might be leaking out of the reflux.

[wedwards]

Nothing different about the last 2 batches - in fact they should have been even less likely to puke than previous ones as they had fermented out to 990 and then I didn't get around to running them for a month after that. I did stripping run in pot still first then put low wines in reflux and topped up to 40% with plain water so I can't see how that would puke unless I filled too much which I know it wasn't.

Will pull all the packing out later and see what I find. Maybe there's a leak somewhere that's not noticeable or something.

[BackyardBrewer]

How long have you had it and how hard have you been running it? I've got cracks and stress fractures on mine after just a year of pretty full on use (at least 70 runs between March 2012-May 2013)

[wedwards]

Prob had it about 7 years - done a reasonable number of runs but nothing like your duty cycle ;)

Been tossing up getting a bubbler off Mac - if I can't fix this it might be time.

I think you might be right about the leak. It has the same rubber washer inside that it came with originally and I have a feeling I should have replaced it a long time ago.

[Canadoz]

Nothing different about the last 2 batches - in fact they should have been even less likely to puke than previous ones as they had fermented out to 990 and then I didn't get around to running them for a month after that. I did stripping run in pot still first then put low wines in reflux and topped up to 40% with plain water so I can't see how that would puke unless I filled too much which I know it wasn't.

Will pull all the packing out later and see what I find. Maybe there's a leak somewhere that's not noticeable or something.

Yup pretty tough to puke it if you stripped it first. Weird mate.
I'd pull the packing out and see. If you've still got it running right now you can check Backyard's theory by holding up a mirror to the places on the column where it could possibly leak. foggy mirror=leak

[wedwards]

Nice idea - will give that a go and see what I find

[BackyardBrewer]

And if you pull the packing out you will never get it back in!

[wedwards]

Son of a motherless goat - there's a tiny tiny leak where the column joins the stupid lid. I'm assuming that would be the rubber washer on the inside not sealing properly? If so, I have no idea where I will get a replacement until Monday.

Might have to do a rerun next week.

[wedwards]

Ok I've kinda stemmed the leak a bit with a healthy dose of plumbers tape - prob not kosher but the only way I will get the run finished without taking an axe to it.

[wedwards]

Anyone know where I could get parts to adapt the column to sit it on my keg boiler? If I have to buy a new washer I might as well bite the bullet and just change it over to the bigger boiler and be done with it.

[Canadoz]

Hope it all works out. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[wedwards]

Thanks all for your help and suggestions - always good to be able to ask when something bad is actually happening haha

[Canadoz]

Anyone know where I could get parts to adapt the column to sit it on my keg boiler? If I have to buy a new washer I might as well bite the bullet and just change it over to the bigger boiler and be done with it.

Talk to Mac. he probably has something already that just screws on to adapt it to a 2" triclover. If not, try keg king.

[wedwards]

Yeah will do thanks

[Linno]

Anyone know where I could get parts to adapt the column to sit it on my keg boiler? If I have to buy a new washer I might as well bite the bullet and just change it over to the bigger boiler and be done with it.

Talk to Mac. he probably has something already that just screws on to adapt it to a 2" triclover. If not, try keg king.

Gday WW

if you are going to go to the trouble of changing the still to suit a keg, for the minimal cost, i suggest a small packed extension that goes to the base of the column, some of the guys here have done that and you can get a better end result and you can always take it of if you want to do a smaller run in the original boiler.

[wedwards]

Hey that's an awesome idea - thanks for that. That something I can hit Mac up for, or they just make themselves?

[Linno]

Hey that's an awesome idea - thanks for that. That something I can hit Mac up for, or they just make themselves?

they dont make them but i have been lucky enough to see a couple Mac made. it is a very simple and effective addition to these stills and you can determinr the size that suits. if you are handy with tools the info is here to make one but if your like me its easier to get one in a box from the postie :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[wedwards]

Awesome thanks!!