woodduck wrote:But in saying all this maybe his lph have jumped a bit without him noticing it?
db1979 wrote:woodduck wrote:But in saying all this maybe his lph have jumped a bit without him noticing it?
I think this is highly likely. Like you said increasing cooling water temp will increase collection rate but if it's happening gradually over time it would be hard to notice unless the times between collection jars has been recorded.
I like to run mine nice and slow and I find a noticeable drop in collection rate as the run progresses towards tails. If my cooling water temp was to increase it would negate this slowing and it would instead be more constant.
woodduck wrote:To me if the dropping in % is not a wash problem it must be a reflux problem (more reflux means higher % alc) but not sure which one, leaking or not enough rc cooling. If his lph alcohol output doesn't change how can cooling water be affecting it? The reflux in the still is governed by the power input and the rc cooling. If the power stays the same but the cooling warms up there will be less reflux yes but only because the rc will be letting more vapor past it just like turning the rc tap off. I just don't think warm water would be enough to have this affect unless it is really warm, if I'm running on 2400w I need to have my rc nearly off (1/4 of a turn on a gate valve max) before I get any output to my parrot.
But in saying all this maybe his lph have jumped a bit without him noticing it?
Are you having to adjust your rc all the time through the run?
I would be checking my plates for leaks first as it's the simplest one to test :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Lowie wrote:If you're RC water is warming up and your heat input remains unchanged, this will definitely affect your abv as your essentially moving into pot still territory. To alleviate this problem I use a controller once the pot is up to temperature (I effectively turn my wattage down by over a third). This has a two fold effect for me. 1. Less wattage means cheaper to run, less water used means cheaper to run too. - less water also means it doesn't get as hot too which sounds like our problem. You could try a simple experiment by buying a cheaply controller off Fleabay (reckon I've seen them for a round $20). Cheers.
Borneogoat wrote:Lowie wrote:If you're RC water is warming up and your heat input remains unchanged, this will definitely affect your abv as your essentially moving into pot still territory. To alleviate this problem I use a controller once the pot is up to temperature (I effectively turn my wattage down by over a third). This has a two fold effect for me. 1. Less wattage means cheaper to run, less water used means cheaper to run too. - less water also means it doesn't get as hot too which sounds like our problem. You could try a simple experiment by buying a cheaply controller off Fleabay (reckon I've seen them for a round $20). Cheers.
This was on my consideration list too! Seems that Other Company with a Big Lizard makes a power controller kit for $50. I've got sparkies at work that will help me put it together...
PeterC wrote:I got one of these already built. Works fine. Just used a UK power plug to AU adaptor because it fits in the socket much better based on advice from this forum.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220V-4000W- ... 361f9d473c
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