Gonzo Mk3-Golden Balls-

[R-sole]

My new still, i have to do a couple more joints, but here he be.

2 X Artisan copper Works bubble balls with 700mm of packable column. Coldfinger at the top to induce reflux and then 2" all the way through to a 65mm shotgun condensor.


Ain't it sweet?

gonzomk3.1.jpg

gonzomk3.2.jpg

[MacStill]

You told me you had no 2" tri clamps.... effing mumble grumble grrrrrr :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[R-sole]

Got 10 delivered yesterday, i think there's only going to be a couple left over. :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:


If i had em i would have sent them to you :violin:

[MacStill]

You run this rig yet?

Interested to see what you think of it, and how it can be improved if it needs it.

Cheers.

[R-sole]

Did a cleaning run today. I stuck in 6 or 7 litres of ujsm heads from my reflux keg and about 3l of water.

Yesti when i pressure tested and plumbed the coldfinger it's somehow got a leak on the inside where there's only pipe and it's not possible to leak, so needs further investigation with the hot flame.

I put a cap on top of the tee and left the 650mm of column packing uninsulated thinking i may not need to run a condensor at all.

Turns out i was right, first few hundred ml was running at 90% and as the plates loaded properly it slowly dropped to 86% and slowly dropped more as i took 2litres off in under half an hour.

At the end of the cleaning it was still running fine and putting out 80%.

I'll charge it up with ujsm wash tommorow and see what it does flavour wise. 8-)

[Icarus]

Hey 5Star, one of these might be better :lol:

http://www.whisky.de/archiv/experts/copper.htm

Icarus

[R-sole]

By god i think you blokes are onto something.

Found the sweet spot at 3l/h. It's holding at 68% with plain ol ujsm wash (no feints). Took 500ml of stinky into the reflux jug and then a litre of heads and i'm into hearts already.
Hearts are sweet and full flavoured. No hint of tails like a regular pot run. I'm thinking this is going to sit just under barrell strength after cuts.

I'm looking forward to a wash/feints run.

I'm already eyeing off the extra 80l keg i have sitting there, it only needs a drain socket and a refill port.... :idea:

[LWTCS]

Observations:
1.The larger volume of liquid (ABV) on the plate acts as a thermal barrier between the excessive heat from the primary boiler and the rectifying section.
A. The larger liquid volume acts as an automatic temperature regulator based on the ABV on the plate at that moment.

2.The larger volume of liquid (ABV) allows for lag within the phase change cycle and therefore is not as eminently dependant on the performance of the next lowest plate (or primary boiler) to remain eminently stable. And as such, the still head atop the thumper(s) will perform with more stability and with more speed.

Need to know:
Optimal input values,,,what is the optimal amount of liquid volumes needed for say a two thumper set up to fully exploit the above mentioned behaviors?

Example;
What would it take to get a 2”x 24” packed section to pound out a rock solid 95% @ 3 liters per hr. (or better) for the duration? Or what would it take to pound out an 8% wash at barrel strength @ 4 liter per hour…….?

[R-sole]

That's all beyond me.

I have a pefectly good 3" VM column for 96%. The bubble mcdogle is running well at barrell strength (or will with feints at a gas setting that gives me 3l hr. It's stable, but atm running like a pot on a single run ie slowly dropping in abv as the run progresses. I'm pulling tails at 6l/h atm.

The thing i need to get my head around is getting 3-4l of hearts in a run instead of 25l of hearts..... :|


Flavour is infinatley better, but 5l a fortnight is only just gunna keep up to her and my mates.

[olddog]

I only get around 3l at 90% from a 30l wash, but being a higher ABV it still gives me 7-8 750ml bottles per run when diluted to 40ABV for drinkin.


OD

[MacStill]

I only get around 3l at 90% from a 30l wash, but being a higher ABV it still gives me 7-8 750ml bottles per run when diluted to 40ABV for drinkin.


OD

.... same here ;)

[LWTCS]

I was referring to speed

[R-sole]

I ended up with not much heads and a lot of tails. I haven't done the cuts yet, but i reckon there's a liter and a half of heads, three litres or so of hearts, and four to 5 litres of tails.....