Airstill pro super slow on reflux mode

[Fat Tony]

I did the turbo sugar wash that came with the kit and did a stripping run on pot still mode yielding a bit over 2 litres at 43%. This completed in about 4 hours. I stopped collecting when ABV dropped to 20%.
Yesterday I tried to run it (diluted down to 30% making total volume about 3 litres) on reflux mode but after 7 hours it had only produced about 200ml (93%) so I turned it off and went to bed.
Anyone encountered a similar issue? Could it be because the still wasn't full? (4 litre capacity)
Any advice appreciated.
cheers, Fat Tony

[Fat Tony]

Also, I just read now that the copper saddles should be above the stainless ones. Mine were mixed. Could that be the cause?
I guess I'll try again with the still filled up and the saddles distributed correctly.

[TheRealMrMessy]

Hey Tony.
No experience with the pro I'm afraid mate, but the couple reviews I watched when it released there seemed to be some stressing that the saddle configuration was important. The copper is added into your vapour column to remove sulphur compounds, and normally I'd say mixing them up wouldn't bother the offtake speed, but your still is designed with a pretty specific set of parameters in mind - so it just might.

That does seem a very, very low offtake rate though... quick search shows Distillery King has a few videos on running it - checked them out?

[Fat Tony]

OK, so I ran the still again after the changes I mentioned above. I added water to fill the still to the "full" line. I also rearranged the saddles to put the stainless on the bottom with the copper above (this is not mentioned in the written instructions btw).

Anyhoo, the still ran perfectly.

[RuddyCrazy]

Eh Fat Tony slow and steady is the way to learn mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: as our motto is " Hurry up and wait" :laughing-rolling:

Now when your weetbix ferment is all done and the way to check the ferment is done is take a SG reading 3 days in a row and if the SG doesn't change it's done, so leave it for a week to clear then strip it in pot still mode and keep going until you have enough to do a spirit run in reflux mode.

Before long mate you will will be venturing into All Grain and don't worry other members do use a air still for doing this too :handgestures-thumbupleft: So don't be afaid to ask questions mate as we are here to help.

Cheers Bryan

[TheRealMrMessy]

All good bloke, hopefully your lesson saves someone else from the same ;).

You'll want to keep the copper saddles clean, too. The sulphur compounds are deposited on the saddles and needs to be removed from time to time (maybe every 5-8 runs? guessing here). Recommend making up an appropriately sized batch of 5-5-1 copper cleaner: 500ml water (warm works faster), 50ml 3% peroxide, 1oz (28gm) citric acid. Probably 100ml water would be plenty with the few saddles involved, so divide the rest by 5 too.

[howard]

works on copper mesh..............
after a sugar wash stripping run, just put copper into the hot remains that would be discarded.
works for me,