Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I've seen a few posts where people talk about using their pool as the cooling water for the still and was wondering if there's any negatives to this? Will the salt and chlorine react with the copper and shorten the life of the condenser?
On my first spirit run, I had a 100l tank available so used that to recirculate but had to swap out pretty frequently. I knew 100l wasn't going to be enough so was prepared but, despite that, I was surprised at how hot it got in a short space of time. 'Knowing' something isn't the same as experiencing it. I intend to find a bigger tank or come up with a solution to cool the water to help it go further but, I also have a swimming pool sitting out there and I feel it's laughing at me.
One of the solutions in consideration is just to run the hot water off to pipes submerged in the pool and use it as a heat exchange.

Submerging pipes in the pool sounds like too much hassle. I would just use a pump and use the pool water as a coolant. The frequency you use the still will take forever to have any real effect on the copper. If u are concerned you could always flush the pipes with fresh water after use.

I wouldnt worry bout chlorine pool but think twice bout salt water.. salt water is very corrosive all steel on coast is 316 stainless and still corrodes...

i use the swimming pool.
just have a $69 Ozito submerged pump (rated for continuous use) and no problems.
the pump goes to 3 x valves, 1 for the RC, 1 for the PC, 1 for a bypass valve, then back to the pool.
water is constant pressure and temp.
i can put the pump into a big bucket of fresh water to wash everything out, but usually it's easy for me to dismantle the modular bits and clean.

Thanks for the input guys. It's a salt water pool so I'll take your advice bluc and stay away from using it directly.

In the short term pardot you could always feed your 100 litre tank from the garden hose and have the return water go to the lawns via a sprinkler. This time of year the gardens all need a drink. Doing it this was stops any pressure variations due to others in the house using water. I have a 2000 litre tank and this time of year it gets to hot. It starts at about 24 degrees after a hot day

Heh guys,
I’ve just bought the 350w Ozito submersible pump and intend to use it to circ my 1500l spa water which is only heated when we need to so is ambient temp around 24C in Sydney atm.
My question is if I’m connecting a 12mm garden hose which then runs through my reflux condenser of reduced diameter, does the pressure need to be backed off somehow? (Not sure how yet). Cheers.

from my post above..... i used a 12mm x 30m hose cut in half.
so 15m from the pump to the valves, through the pc & rc, then 15m return to the pool.
the pressure is just about perfect and i do not use the bypass.
the pump blurb says 7000l/hr (bullshit), probably lucky if you get 2000l/hr when it's all connected up.
my RC & PC are both shottys with a lot of spacers( =resistance?)

howard wrote:from my post above..... i used a 12mm x 30m hose cut in half.
so 15m from the pump to the valves, through the pc & rc, then 15m return to the pool.
the pressure is just about perfect and i do not use the bypass.
the pump blurb says 7000l/hr (bullshit), probably lucky if you get 2000l/hr when it's all connected up.
my RC & PC are both shottys with a lot of spacers( =resistance?)

hee hee give that little pump a 40mm pipe to feed and watch it send it.. saved my bacon the last 3 days in brizzy

dazzerthemighty wrote:

howard wrote:from my post above..... i used a 12mm x 30m hose cut in half.
so 15m from the pump to the valves, through the pc & rc, then 15m return to the pool.
the pressure is just about perfect and i do not use the bypass.
the pump blurb says 7000l/hr (bullshit), probably lucky if you get 2000l/hr when it's all connected up.
my RC & PC are both shottys with a lot of spacers( =resistance?)

hee hee give that little pump a 40mm pipe to feed and watch it send it.. saved my bacon the last 3 days in brizzy

good to hear, hope you are ok. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
it's amazing what different pipe diameters will do, once the waters gone around my still, i could pee further. :smile:

I have a pot still and the pool water goes into a stainless pot.

I use the still beside the pool so only have a 3m hose which can be run by a small pump.