bubbler cooling system

[EziTasting]

Up to this stage my cooling has been a recirculating system using 2 x 200l barrels.
A pump in barrel 1 sends the water to the still.

My options were either cooling, running water to waste with a flow from the tap or a bigger reservoir.
An IBC was considered but takes up too much room and my submersible pump (550w) would be a hassle.

I have now added a cooling system to the flow.

I visited a local car wrecker and purchased a radiator complete with fan (cost me $50)

In addition space taken up by one 200l barrel now available with not a lot of noise from the fan.

One Happy Teddy.

Hah, noice! I am looking at using an old AC unit (minus the Refrigerant part) in a very similar fashion as you are doing with this radiator. We've never had the space to use 2 x 200L to extend our cooling water, but I can see the advantage of using a 12V fan over adding another 240V unit to our house circuitry... Maybe I need to redesign my plan!
Its not the first time I've read about a car radiator set-up... wonder why it slipped my mind :think:

Must be getting old!

[scythe]

Yeah always try and use a shroud.
Air will take the path of least resistance, like water and electricity, so unless you actually direct it through the radiator you will never get the full efficiency, it will work just not well compared to a shrouded one.

[bluc]

I put my rad (new vz commodore rad)in a pine box filled gaps with expander foam. But the bathroom exhaust fans i installed dont cut it..not sure ambiant will cut it either when in my shed its quit often high 30's low 40's. For pc its fine but want a better solution for rc..

[Doubleuj]

Best not to turn this thread into a reticulation system thread guys 8-}
Then again, I just re read the whole thread and I seems that it’s become a retic thread and a good one. Carry on good fellows.
Shroud away 8-}

[bluc]

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

[rumsponge]

get an old AC, is my advise. comes with built in fan and shrouds and its very effective (the cooling capacity is in the same range as our typical heating power). My reservoir can be as small as 50L (porbably lower) and the temperature wont rise over ambient over several hours of running (even when throwing ~3-4kW in pot still mode). The fan has about 100-200W, so only takes about half an amp. they can be had for a few bucks, just make sure its NOT one of the inverter types, because the rewiring of the fan could be more complicated.

http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=9231&p=156810&hilit=cooling#p156810

cheers rs

[woodduck]

I'm sure you've already thought about it but sometimes the solution is right in front of us and we don't see it. Do you have a rain water tank on your house or shed? I recalculate out of mine, works a treat and no water lost.

[bluc]

No no water tank :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[EziTasting]

get an old AC, is my advise. comes with built in fan and shrouds and its very effective (the cooling capacity is in the same range as our typical heating power). My reservoir can be as small as 50L (porbably lower) and the temperature wont rise over ambient over several hours of running (even when throwing ~3-4kW in pot still mode). The fan has about 100-200W, so only takes about half an amp. they can be had for a few bucks, just make sure its NOT one of the inverter types, because the rewiring of the fan could be more complicated.

http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=9231&p=156810&hilit=cooling#p156810

cheers rs

Thanx for this link Rum. This will come in handy when it is our turn to do this... As the AC unit doesn't cost us anything (helping an old man clean up his yard - they've been replaced by insurance 2 yrs ago) so will have a play with them. If it fails then I will go down the Car Radiator route and 12V fan...

We are competing with higher ambient temps than most on here and don't live on blocks but rather suburban style 3-400 sq. Chook-pens...

[rumsponge]

As the AC unit doesn't cost us anything

winner :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I have zero technical skills and I managed to get it to work - so I am sure you can do it. A hacksaw and a couple of hoseclamps is all you need.
Re: high ambient temperature. The main issue here is potentially the pump, as many of the cheapos (supposedly) shut down over 35C - just something to keep an eye on.
NEver happened to me and I have been stilling in the middle of QLD summer.
Cheers RS

[RC Al]

For those going down the 12v route, you can generally use larger computer power supplies picked up on the side of the road on council collection weeks, they sometimes have more than one 12v channel though YMMV

[bluc]

Most modern pc power supplies need to be jumped to turn on..

[RC Al]

Pin 16 - the green wire to any black, I used 3 staples still stuck together and the switch on the back of the supply on the last one I used.
If you want to do it properly, any momentary switch will do

[Doubleuj]

Let’s remember that all electrical work should be performed by a qualified electrician.

[Amberale]

Nice set up, simple and neat.

[Amberale]

After totally overthinking this, I am getting somewhere.

I ran my sac run on the new Neutraliser last week.
I have a gravity fed system with a lot of drop but have had problems in the past with stablising flow.
With that in mind and after reading others’ problems with the super model braided hose(looks great but is too skinny and under performs) I went the whole hog and plumbed 18mm lines to the condensers.

I used over 6000litres of water on my sac run!

It is all recycled with a couple of litres of dead dinosaurs to pump back up the hill but WTF?

I’ve since downsized the gate valves from 1” to 1/2” and will replace the RC with a needle valve for better “feel”.

My last run only used about 1200ltrs.

I have also put a cheap flow gauge in the RC outlet line.
Not to be anal about flow rates as they will change with water temp but so I can see if I have actually changed the flow rate when I move the tap handle.

Fun fun fun. :)

[Amberale]

Ok, another couple of changes after an episode of spewing high proof spirit out of the parrot and breather at high volumes and on the next attempt a puke.
Both of these were while trying to find a balance between RC PC and my second element setting.

I had changed to a needle valve to try and get a bit more control and I’ve changed back to a gate valve but I think my problem was actually the exhaust side of the cooling system.
My PC cooling was running at 5-10 ltr/min while my RC was running at .20ltr/min and both exiting via the same drain to a tank outside.

For my last run I have run the RC to waste on it’s own and had much better control over the process.

I can see and measure the output of the RC cooling as I adjust it and I don’t have the back pressure of the PC cooling muddling the pressures/flow rates.
I’ll be changing back to the needle valve as I’m using .180-.250 ltr/min on the RC during take off.

[EziTasting]

Loving your feedback!
Keep it coming....

[Scubadriver]

Hi, great thread! Does anyone have the part number for the Y piece from Bunnings please, I couldn’t see it on the website?

[The Stig]

Not Bunnings but cheaper https://www.5stardistilling.com/product ... ing-brass/