What Next?

[TheRealMrMessy]

A strip run from a 60L like you're planning i tend to collect 15L at around 40, 45%. I do that twice then combine that with a 30L fresh batch in a 70L boiler. Gives me 10L of room. Usually works out around 30% abv. Meaningful stuff from a neutral, I'm in the ballpark of 12L at 95%.

In your 50L boiler, you'll probably want three strip runs 40L each, get around 10L from each. You'll probably want to add 10L or so of water after combining those to get under 40% abv for the spirit run, and should be ballpark from that 9ish litres. Thats 9 litres give or take AFTER the heads. Guesstimate, 1.5 to 1.8L of heads in front of that. Tails... i don't bother with on neutral.

You could run the strip runs out to 15L from each and get the same abv level, plus capture a bit more booze - but diminishing returns on power and water cost need to be considered.

[Dfer]

Thanks Woody and messy. I think im beginning to see glimmers of light on the horizon- but, reading some of your posts on your initial experience has me wondering Woody! :-D :-D

[WoodyD40]

Thanks Woody and messy. reading some of your posts on your initial experience has me wondering Woody! :-D :-D

I learnt a lot after the first few runs. :angry-banghead:
Now I'm getting consistent results that I'm happy with. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

In the early days, stig was probably scared every time he knew i was about to run the still - now i dont stress him out any more. :laughing-rolling:

[TheRealMrMessy]

This one is related to Wulf having flooding issues with plates, but i run through how to get a bubble plate still up and running. Worth a browse through perhaps.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15395&p=255426#p255143

Edit to add... I've not flooded my 4" column plates even at 5kw. Add in a packed section for neutral and I sure flood that easily.

[Dfer]

Good read Mr Messy.
Not sure I grasp it 100% but I think it will be clearer once I get some practical experience.
Cheers
Dennis

[TheRealMrMessy]

Not sure how obvious it is about receiving a PM Dfer, but sent you one to check out.

[TheRealMrMessy]

Dfer a belated thought. You'll want to give some thought to the logistics of things at this scale. Sucking on siphons or using saucepans to transfer liquid gets old quick, and for cleaning purposes the sooner you can get the hot liquid out of your boiler when done and rinse it down, the better - rather than having any sticky residue dry here and there.

I've got a jiggle siphon, that I ended up removing the jiggler from when I upgraded to a connecting it to self-priming food grade diaphragm pump. Now, I'm looking at fabricating a bracket with stem similar to the Apollo fermenters with a float and filter - my fridge fermenters are both Apollos, and it'd be handy to have a similar mechanism attached to my pump for the rest. Apollos, I transfer with CO2. Think Andy sells the self primer (yep, but says he's out of stock right now).

Also, for pumping out my hot boiler I've got a kegland 65w pump with the high temp pump head (think that might be standard now). I originally bought it as a recirc pump for a cube to recycle cooling water, but over a big run found I had to fiddle with temp and power too much. Went back to mains water.

I just use generic silicone hoses for all the transfer stuff as its easy to clean and dry, but invested (at 10 bucks a metre) in good braided silicone hoses and brass dual-seal fittings for all my cooling lines - to take the heat and pressure.

[Dfer]

Thanks for the input mrmessy
Unfortunately my plans have been put back a week or 2 as i blew up my shoulder playing golf. (maybe shouldn’t use that terminology around here :o ) Got some heavy lifting to do to rejig the pallet racking i have in the garage.
I got the ready made cooling connections when i bgt the gear from Dark Alchemist and Andrew has kindly supplied new hoses.
I am going with mains Melbourne water cooling to start with until i figure out a recirculating system. Also using one water input and Y splitter into both condensers , is it a good idea to incorporate a 100 kpa pressure valve into the hoses?
Do I need to filter Melbourne tap water into washes?
I will also just use syphoning for transfers initially .
Thanks
Dennis

[RuddyCrazy]

Eh Dennis have a look in the group buy section mate as I did put some seaflo transfer pumps in there, only takes 10 minutes to transfer 50 litres into the boiler and just hook the pump upto a 12 volt battery with an on/off switch. Now I can let you have one for $50 + postage mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dfer]

Eh Dennis have a look in the group buy section mate as I did put some seaflo transfer pumps in there, only takes 10 minutes to transfer 50 litres into the boiler and just hook the pump upto a 12 volt battery with an on/off switch. Now I can let you have one for $50 + postage mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Check pPM Bryan

[Dfer]

Garage is all set, time to unpack all my new fsd goodies.
love all my shinny new bits , the Chupa Chups were a very pleasant surprise , thanks Andrew, nice touch. Grand daughter immediately grabbed them! :-D
Getting my 2x 2400s wired Monday - nearly got ripped off but Stiggy to the rescue! Can’t afford any unnecessary expenditure as the minister of finance says i’ve already spent my birthday and Christmas present money- for the next 20 years!
Off to pick up my fermenters and a Bunnings water filter tomorrow. Still trying to figure out how to filter the wbab wash into the boiler , Bryan made one but thats way beyond my capability.
And then I have to go to Costco to buy a truckload of sugar.
Shouldn’t be too long before i have some happy bubbles in the fermenters - and then the real fun bit. Although the highlight will be eventually drink the stuff
Cheers
Dennis

[howard]

Off to pick up my fermenters and a Bunnings water filter tomorrow. Still trying to figure out how to filter the wbab wash into the boiler , Bryan made one
Cheers
Dennis

did you consider one of these counter water filters?
i have one that i have put hose fittings onto, and just move it to wherever i need filtered water, using the outside hose.
it does about 4L/minute.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221357044531?_skw=PLATINUM+0.5+Micron+BenchTop+Water+Filter+System+Counter+Top++Single+Bench+Top&itmmeta=01K76DTGXC9H1C23AGA1F88V4A&hash=item3389e87333:g:IvIAAOSwFUJn2uqg&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABMFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cnnlTp6PKwId3hCHZiUJ5KTBK33u9S%2FIbI1heV4eq1nbczJjhIBppaFoAjPONljLEFOonAQoqpnUdp8wIt6Vp4UwRFmqCmheApqvwiaUch2WCXQHtXNCcjbsdbom6bkuIDnLjQ%2FjG871UPMXemDIxeAFq5XP14o1tm3%2FRZ0FhG3toNmHRyji0hqLT0trM6zFcssKPqj5q%2BVIE%2FDWAJmmmDk3mHv0UGKm3KBd%2FPr0jSLxa0kJF%2FA4O%2F5Zur4%2BX8NWlafyzC3e2LBCkwvWRrYmwJU01AbQTDv2g7JWHDlTJweZliFL3GQpmBu419zS3Gaa%2BWPwWvwAUXb%2BmZPoldxtwx88yGwJXES7ti8gzEGmELf699DhX30rH3S5FgTmMdlZg%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-aO6s25Zg
it has a 'Stefani 1/4" Shut Off Valve' & a '1/4" tube to hose fitting' (both bunnings)

[RobMichelle]

Hey dfer glad you getting there, I’m confused about needing to filter the wbab wash into boiler. Or have I missed something?

[Dfer]

Hey dfer glad you getting there, I’m confused about needing to filter the wbab wash into boiler. Or have I missed something?

More likely I am - but i would think I have to give all those hard working yeasties a suitable funeral- or do i just chuck the lot into the boiler???

[RuddyCrazy]

Well talking with Dennis in PM he decided to grab one of those SeaJet pumps :handgestures-thumbupleft: so transferring the wash from the fermenter to the boiler will be a breeze, now while your shopping mate grab a few metres of 10mm clear plastic tubing and even go into a fish shop ( not a fish & chips shop :laughing-rolling: ) and look for a filter for the suction side of the pump :handgestures-thumbupleft: as one will needed so the yeast bed and solids in the wash don't get sucked in.

Mate how are you going about the cooling water for the still as a IBC or 2 will be the go then just use the town water to fill them up as you do your first run :handgestures-thumbupleft: even better if you collect rainwater it will be better as it doesn't have all the chemicals the town water has :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan

[howard]

Hey dfer glad you getting there, I’m confused about needing to filter the wbab wash into boiler. Or have I missed something?

More likely I am - but i would think I have to give all those hard working yeasties a suitable funeral- or do i just chuck the lot into the boiler???

if it's anything like FFV, you wait until the wash has cleared and syphon off the trub, leave the yeast behind.
there is an element of necessary waste in this hobby :smile:
this is what i've used for years on my 30L buckets.
you need the clip they sometimes sell separately and 50mm bulldog clips are always handy when juggling with hoses.
https://brewmart.com.au/products/syphon-auto-large-1-2-inch?_pos=6&_sid=aeaf3bf85&_ss=r

[The Stig]

To “filter” into the boiler , keep it simple.
I use this : https://kegland.com.au/products/the-ama ... e66d&_ss=r

[Dfer]

You guys are legends, so patient with wood ducks like me ( Sorry Woodduck :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-)rolling:
I haven’t solved the cooling and have decided that I will be watering the garden and going to storm water in the short term- got enough to think about now. Filtered water, wash - which one , ferment, put neutralise together, cleaning run, empty, clean boiler, run wash, fores, heads, tails, cuts, age - oh, f**k, I forgot drinking!
Sounds like fun :teasing-tease: :teasing-tease: :teasing-tease: :teasing-tease:
Cheers
Dennis

[Dfer]

To “filter” into the boiler , keep it simple.
I use this : https://kegland.com.au/products/the-ama ... e66d&_ss=r

You forgot the next bit Stiggy- Keep it Simple STUPID!
Thanks mate

[RuddyCrazy]

Dfer you will find the 10mm hose will be hard to put on the pump so a simple lesson mate just warm up the plastic pipe with a ciggy lighter and it will just slide on :laughing-rolling: Now one can use a hose clamp but I just use some 1.6mm copper with one twist then use my old sidcrome pliers and twist a few more turns to get a tight twist :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Now it has been a few years since I made my 30 micron filters it may be time for me to revisit making them as with SS it's just case of using flux and gentle heat to solder SS :scared-eek:

But eh if I can get this done I may just include this in every sale of the 5 I have left and send you one as your life down the rabbit hole goes deeper.

As far as cooling tell SWMBO you need a better solution and you need room for a couple of IBC's so you can conserve water so you can recycle the water to cut down the cost on the water bill :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan