STILL FIRE!!!!

Discuss safety issues here.

STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby MtnMoonshiner » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:17 am

As the title displays, my still caught fire today. Holyfuckingshit! There was a small leak I was trying to patch with paste, when the cap popped off a little, and that's when the real trouble started.

I jumped back just as flames and wash start spraying out. The entire shed, save for the corner I jumped back into, immediately filled with flames, and the cap shot off and away. Think house fire, mixed with science project volcano! All I could think was that I was trapped! Fortunately the flames died down just enough for me to duck by and out the door. I scraped by with a toasty red face, and singed hair. No blisters fortunately.

Lessons learned!:

1) My fire extinguisher wasn't in an easily accessible location compared to he still. Stupid me. Keep fire extinguisher located in better location, and more of them spread around.

2) if there's an uncontrollable leak, shut the heater off and fix it. Or just quit the run entirely. A little liquor ain't worth death or destroyed property.

3) Don't overfill your pot. Not sure if this contributed to my issue, but again, a little more liquor ain't worth it.

4) Always work in a well ventilated area. Mine was, but it's worth saying again.

Of course these aren't all the lessons I'll learn. Just my initial thoughts. Comments are welcome. I know the "you're an idiot" and "retards" are coming, so let it fly. Just make sure you learn from my mistakes.
MtnMoonshiner
 
Posts: 118
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:21 am
Location: Southwest Virginia, United States of America
equipment: 50 gallon (roughly 190L) copper pot still, with a 10 gallon (roughly 38L) thump keg, as well as a 20 gallon still with 5 gallon(roughly 19L) thump keg for small specialized runs, and experimentation.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Linny » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:36 am

your only an idiot if you do it twice , glad your safe though . was there much damage to the shed / surrounding area ?
Linny
 
Posts: 1147
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:46 pm
Location: Newcastle NSW
equipment: 4 Plate 3" Glass Bubbler - 50L Boiler
50L BIAB Temp Controlled Mash Tun

3" Carter Head Soon to Come

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby MtnMoonshiner » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:44 am

No, surprisingly. I had some cabinets installed, and the varnish is a little charred, and the floor was flooded. Fortunately nothing really caught fire, or I'd be in jail probably, and not posting this now!

Aside from that, some plastic bens were melted a little and deformed, as well as some other items suffering minor heat damage.
MtnMoonshiner
 
Posts: 118
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:21 am
Location: Southwest Virginia, United States of America
equipment: 50 gallon (roughly 190L) copper pot still, with a 10 gallon (roughly 38L) thump keg, as well as a 20 gallon still with 5 gallon(roughly 19L) thump keg for small specialized runs, and experimentation.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby CHEROKEE » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:47 am

Hello MtnMoonshiner

That's only a learning curve, don't worry about it ...........................................................the best is yet to come. Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:
CHEROKEE
 
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:10 pm
Location: Perth Riverton Western Australia
equipment: FSD Mac-4 SSG 4 Plate 6 inch Bubbler on a 80 Litre, 6000 Watt Keg Boiler.
IBC cooling system utilising a 4 inch submersible bore pump.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby wynnum1 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:26 am

The cloth you wear is also important synthetic material can melt and give off toxic fumes .
wynnum1
 
Posts: 1494
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:18 pm

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Yummyrum » Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:55 am

Glad you're OK.
Were you runing your still on gas ?
Yummyrum
 
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:19 pm
Location: Near Coffs
equipment: Did use Still Spirits Reflux
Now use 50l Keg with Pot head for Rum and Neutral stripping runs on gas .
LM/VM head with 1m packed 2" on Still Spirits boiler for Neutrals.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby MtnMoonshiner » Mon Feb 24, 2014 6:15 am

Yes, I was running my still on gas, just like I've done for years. I'm going to buy a large electric burner now though haha.
MtnMoonshiner
 
Posts: 118
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:21 am
Location: Southwest Virginia, United States of America
equipment: 50 gallon (roughly 190L) copper pot still, with a 10 gallon (roughly 38L) thump keg, as well as a 20 gallon still with 5 gallon(roughly 19L) thump keg for small specialized runs, and experimentation.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Brendan » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:10 am

Damn!!

A lot of people running gas convert to electric eventually, it's just a matter of when.

Glad you were okay after the wake up call :smile:
Brendan
 
Posts: 2154
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:06 pm
Location: Hunter Valley, NSW
equipment: 4.99L Essential oil extractor

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Petulance » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:06 am

Yeah, gas flame + 93% alcohol = YIKES!!!

Good to hear that you survived with only your eyebrows and pride a little singed.
Petulance
 
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:27 pm
Location: A smidge north of Brisbane
equipment: 4 plate 4 inch modular copper bubbler with 300 mm packed or unpacked extension on 50 litre SS keg. All my own work. It ain't pretty, but it's all mine!

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Urrazeb » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:19 am

Close call MM, could have been a lot worse. Glad you ok.

I had my gas tubing melt and create a flamethrower. Scared the shit outta me, definitley changing to electric














SOON :shock:
Urrazeb
 
Posts: 2340
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 8:42 am
Location: Perth
equipment: Column & pot

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Kimbo » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:37 am

Well that's a good lesson to everyone right there. Thanks for Maning up and not keeping it to yourself.
We are glad you came out of it ok.... Stay safe everyone ;-)
Kimbo
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 5461
Images: 0
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:33 pm
Location: Perf WA
equipment: 4" bubbler with a 6"inline thumper

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby baysidebogan » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:56 am

Good to know your ok :handgestures-thumbupleft:
baysidebogan
 
Posts: 159
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:33 am
Location: Latrobe Valley Victoria
equipment: 2 inch JayD copper pot,50l keg 2400 mac element, and a 19lt pot still with thumper that sits on the stove in the kitchen

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Gas on » Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:31 pm

Good to here your ok :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Be safe!!
I'll stick with my lecy elements & silicon seals :-D :-D
Gas on
 
Posts: 356
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:51 pm
Location: perth sor
equipment: baked beans & rum

arfa 5 star bubbler

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby 1 2many » Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:15 pm

Bloody hell glad you're safe that would of got the old ticker beating like crazy, You have inspired me to get a couple of fire extinguishers must say I am a bad boy and don't have one yet, what type do we require for ethanol again i have read it but can't remember. :shifty:

Co2 or foam does that sound like the go?
1 2many
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 4215
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:08 am
Location: Where the sun shines
equipment: Portable A.G brewery ,#001 5 STAR blockhead 4" Modular 4 plate SSG with,6"inline thumper, 2.5" 9 tube shotgun, packed section, Boiler 50 ltr inverted keg 4"still mount, 2.4 Kw FSD elements 1"drain.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby MtnMoonshiner » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:25 pm

Today I used the kind with dry chemical, and it worked splendidly. You'll want a "dry chemical" or FFFP extinguisher.

I wish I didn't have first hand experience. You'd better get an extinguisher before you still anymore!

And yes, my heart hasn't beat so hard in quite a while! :laughing-rolling: I can laugh about it now, but I assure you it wasn't funny at the time!
Last edited by MtnMoonshiner on Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MtnMoonshiner
 
Posts: 118
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:21 am
Location: Southwest Virginia, United States of America
equipment: 50 gallon (roughly 190L) copper pot still, with a 10 gallon (roughly 38L) thump keg, as well as a 20 gallon still with 5 gallon(roughly 19L) thump keg for small specialized runs, and experimentation.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Andy » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:31 pm

Image

this would be me using a gas still!

glad you are all right- and have a valuable lesson to share to everyone
Andy
 
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:49 pm
Location: SOR, Perth
equipment: Copper Potstill on a 50L keg boiler with a 2200w element.
Doesn't get more simple then that

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby 1 2many » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:46 pm

Andy wrote:Image

this would be me using a gas still!

glad you are all right- and have a valuable lesson to share to everyone


:text-+1: Yes me too,thanks MM just been checking Ebay and what size do you think is a suitable size i.e a couple of 1 kg car type ones or one 2.5 kg. :-B
1 2many
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 4215
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:08 am
Location: Where the sun shines
equipment: Portable A.G brewery ,#001 5 STAR blockhead 4" Modular 4 plate SSG with,6"inline thumper, 2.5" 9 tube shotgun, packed section, Boiler 50 ltr inverted keg 4"still mount, 2.4 Kw FSD elements 1"drain.

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby Smbjk » Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:10 pm

:scared-eek: glad you ok mate. I make sure I always do a pre check when starting a run. Water line running, gas cylinder appropriate distance from burner, 2 extinguishers on either side of still and a back up water hose ready to go. Also once up to temp all seals are checked with a mirror for vapor leaks. Never can be to carefull :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Won't be long till I go electric anyway open flame does worry me a bit. Please please safety first guys :pray: keep safe everyone
Smbjk
 
Posts: 863
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:22 pm
Location: Brisvegas
equipment: 50lt keg boiler with 2"boka
3" bubbler with 4 perf plates
All grain brewery ( Small Scale ) Keg Fridge
50lt keg boiler 2x2400w elements
Control box
Building fund is depleted

Re: STILL FIRE!!!!

Postby 1 2many » Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:12 pm

Food for thought not my words but I thought it would be good here..

Well just consider what parts of your still may cause a fire. There is your heat source and the ethanol itself. So you could have a electric fire (because you you run electric elements), a liquid ethanol fire, or gasious ethanol fire. Most standard fire extinguishers are labeled ABC. This means they will put out solids, liquids and electrical fires.
From there there are two types of ABC extinguishers. Dry chemical, and Co2. The cheapest option will be a ABC dry chemical extinguisher. This type of extinguisher works by putting a blanket of non flammable, material over the fuel depriving it of oxygen. This will work well with burning liquid ethanol, or an electrical fire, but if you have a fire coming straight from your still where the ethanol is burning in a gasious form it will not work as well because it cannot blanket a gas with the solid material. The ABC Co2 extinguisher on the other hand will put out the ethanol burning as a gas as well as the other two conditions. It creates a cloud of gasious carbon dioxide that dispaces all the oxygen around the fuel.
Now this part is very important! If you happen to have a fire started by ethnol in gas form, like from a leak in your still, or if your condensor isnt working properly then you really dont even want to be around your still because it is completely filled with a slightly pressurised flammable gas. This is a perfect condition for an explosion. The best thing to do in this situation is turn your heat source off and walk away till it cools down. The scary part about that is that pure ethanol burns clean without color, so you may not even know if you have a leak that has caught fire. This is why paying attention to your still is very important. Buy a mirror and hold it up to where you think you have a leak, and it will fog up wherever ethanol is escaping as a gas. Seal all leaks as soon as possible because you just dont even want to mess with that catching fire.
When looking for an extinguisher just make sure it is the ABC type, which shouldent be hard to find. Then think about the capabilities of the two types of ABC extinguishers and which you would rather have. One other thing to keep in mind is that dry chemical extinguishers will make a giant mess, putting very fine white powder everywhere, where as the Co2 will just dissipate and leave nothing behind.
1 2many
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 4215
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:08 am
Location: Where the sun shines
equipment: Portable A.G brewery ,#001 5 STAR blockhead 4" Modular 4 plate SSG with,6"inline thumper, 2.5" 9 tube shotgun, packed section, Boiler 50 ltr inverted keg 4"still mount, 2.4 Kw FSD elements 1"drain.


Return to Safety Discussion



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests

x