Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Howdy people.
Very happy now. Got a new stainless boiler. Sorta. 100 liters.
It has 2x 32 mm (roughly) as I have yet to properly size them with fittings from work inlets and outlets.
One male one female bsp threads.
I have access to a welder, not the machine, an actual welder. I'm not sure whether I should use the bsp threaded outlets or have them cut off and install the 2" ferrules? Are these in the element kits fsd sell? So I can just buy the kit and weld on the ferrules and go for gold?

How do you plan to build your boiler vertical or horizontal ? :-B

The things 1.4 meters long! Will definitely be horizontal with a small set of feet (or timber supports), a drain and 4" ferrule on top for future proofing. If I get all excited I may attack it with a lapping disc to get it all shiny when its finished. :-D
Will manufacture a small removable timber table on top of it to support the collection bottles/jars so there's not so much wasted space.
I want 2x 2400 watt elements for fast heat up with one on a control circuit for control.
I thought maybe two of these
http://www.5stardistilling.net/element-guard-2400w/
Or maybe something that's got a bsp thread would suffice. It has two fittings but ones too high up for my liking (in the center).
Do the above have a fitting for welding onto the boiler so you can easily attach the element? Weldless wont do as its an old pressure vessel and the ends are convex.

warramungas wrote:The things 1.4 meters long! Will definitely be horizontal with a small set of feet (or timber supports), a drain and 4" ferrule on top for future proofing. If I get all excited I may attack it with a lapping disc to get it all shiny when its finished. :-D
Will manufacture a small removable timber table on top of it to support the collection bottles/jars so there's not so much wasted space.
I want 2x 2400 watt elements for fast heat up with one on a control circuit for control.
I thought maybe two of these
http://www.5stardistilling.net/element-guard-2400w/
Or maybe something that's got a bsp thread would suffice. It has two fittings but ones too high up for my liking (in the center).
Do the above have a fitting for welding onto the boiler so you can easily attach the element? Weldless wont do as its an old pressure vessel and the ends are convex.

Yeah mate the 5Star fittings is what you want they will be perfect. but I recomend setting them low in your boiler so no chance of running dry.
The 5Star elements are bsp 32 mm but in your application the weld on ferules would be the way to go. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Looks like it is a 90lt cylinder if my memory serves me right I think they only come in 50lt and 90lt.

Nino wrote:Looks like it is a 90lt cylinder if my memory serves me right I think they only come in 50lt and 90lt.

Possibly. Maybe have to do a fill and measure it out for certain. I did a couple of measurements the used some estimation for the rounded ends. Came to 101.somethingarougher.
Sounds good. Will have to order a couple of elements and some ferrules next weekday.

warramungas wrote:Maybe have to do a fill and measure it out for certain. I did a couple of measurements the used some estimation for the rounded ends.

It should have the WC (water capacity) stamped into it somewhere. Probably been painted over. Might be a good excuse to get it shiny.

Cheers Phil

Nice find man, did you find it at a scrappy or elsewhere?

Should do some nice runs just make sure elements are as low as possible. Gonna run the 2" or build a bigger column after the boiler is finished?

Ill be watching, might pick up some tips :handgestures-thumbupleft:

warramungas wrote:

Nino wrote:Looks like it is a 90lt cylinder if my memory serves me right I think they only come in 50lt and 90lt.

Possibly. Maybe have to do a fill and measure it out for certain. I did a couple of measurements the used some estimation for the rounded ends. Came to 101.somethingarougher.
Sounds good. Will have to order a couple of elements and some ferrules next weekday.

there is usually a 10% gap between the capacity of the cylinder and the and the level of liquid in there so it would be about 100lt tank or slightly larger so that the cylinder can be pressurized. That is a good score as they are built to take pressure. :)

The WC isn't stamped on anywhere. It has a pressure vessel plate but surprisingly capacity isn't on it. It has a place for it to be written on in the painted area but its not marked.
It was given to me by a guy that services all the fire systems around here. He turns all the decommissioned ones into barbeques and fire pits. The price was right. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I'm going to use it for the 2" for now but will put a 4" ferrule directly onto the boiler with a 4" x 2" reducer.
I will be upgrading to 4" when I've got enough dough but this boiler should decrease run times by half (I hope). Sick of refilling the boiler 4 times during a run.
Will mount the elements either side of the 32mm female and place a reducer nipple 32 x 25 to stick a 1" valve for a drain.

What is the diameter of it? Looks like it would be hard to get the element low enough in the wash, unless it was full charge?

bluc wrote:What is the diameter of it? Looks like it would be hard to get the element low enough in the wash, unless it was full charge?

:text-+1: if you intend doing smaller runs you may want to try and stablise it in the vertical position, would be more flexible depending on how big a still you want to put on it.

bluc wrote:What is the diameter of it? Looks like it would be hard to get the element low enough in the wash, unless it was full charge?

Picture of the top of it. Diameters roughly 360 ish. Wont do any work to the other end as without cutting off the stand, which I need for storage, it would be a pain to weld the ferrules for the elements on low down.


Plus if I ever want to do smaller runs I still have my 30 liter boiler.

Oh OK bigger than I thought.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

If you're in WA and you think this is a good boiler idea. Go here Bunbury Gumtree Ad

Bushy wrote:If you're in WA and you think this is a good boiler idea. Go here Bunbury Gumtree Ad

Maybe mines an 80 liter? The piece between the two convex ends, straight cylinder section, calculates out at more than that though? One thing I have noticed though with the ones at work around the fuel farm is they easily look 100 liters, compared to say the fsd milk can, but only have 60 liters volume written on them? Maybe they only list the working fluid volume?

I just went"F**k it" and measured mine with a funnel and a marked bucket.
Holds a smidge under 110 liters. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Ireck on the eight litre would be the quantity of fire suppresion not the actual tank volume. Maths don't lie mate. whatever vol you worked out has gotta be close.

unless i missed something, what material is it made of...just curious... not mild steel?
Not similar to an LPG tank..?

Kenster wrote:unless i missed something, what material is it made of...just curious... not mild steel?
Not similar to an LPG tank..?

Foam (blue band but I've also seen solid blue ones) are stainless steel. Powder (white band) are mild. Not sure about about CO (black band) cylinders.

Carbon Dioxcide fire extinguishers the ones with the black band are an aluminium composite like gas cylinders eg. oxygen cylinders.