 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5
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my new carbon filter eats all the alcohol out of my shine??? its a 2"x34" s.s. tower and i put about 1.2lbs of carbon in it. my shine is about 60% abv at 110 proof. i washed the carbon with water before putting it in but did not think that mattered. after filtering it has 0% abv. its just water?????? anybody know whats going on?
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 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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Did you follow the instructions real close for the starting and ending of the filtering cycle? You have to start the operation with warm water, when that gets down to where your reservoir is empty and the top of the carbon in the column starts to show that's when you pour in your c2h5oh. You can follow the cooler alcohol down the column as it pushes the warmer water out. Once you get the cooler alcohol down near the bottom of the column you can start tasting what's coming out , as soon as you taste the alcohol start collecting your filtered product. When you get to where your reservoir is getting low have a 1/2 gallon of warm water ready. When the reservoir empties pour in the warm water and follow that down the column. When it gets warm near the bottom start tasting it again. When you can tell the water is starting to come out stop collecting and catch a little bit more in another bottle and add it back into your next mash run. You also have to be sure not to let the carbon in the column to get uncovered during this process. Did you do something like this?
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5
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no, i just filled the column with carbon that i washed to get the dust off of it and poured a quart in. i dont understand where the alcohol went and why only water came out??
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5
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oh ya, sorry. I dont have instructions I am buliding everything myself so I am kinda winging it
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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It's good to heat up your carbon in water and then pour off any floating dust. To correctly prime your column you need to pinch off the tubing on the bottom and then fill the column with water. When the column is full of water then you spoon the carbon into it until its full. Then you open the pinched off tube and let it start to move the water through the filter. (your column filled with carbon will hold about 175 ml of water.) When that empties to the top of the carbon is when you add your alcohol. You really need to filter several gallons at a time. One quart wont even fill the column. Your one quart is probably still in the carbon. I'd run a half gallon of hot water through it and collect it all and redistill it. If you want to just get a filtered affect on one quart just put it in a jar with a cup of carbon and swish it around a few times a day for a week or so. Then pour it through a coffee filter.
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5
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Thanks, ill give that a shot. I have 3 gals ready to go in I was just a bit apprehensive after that first test jar. thanks for all your help.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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Hey Speedy, Brewhaus has a downloadable book on carbon filtering. Everything you need to know http://www.brewhaus.com/Activated-Carbon-Book-C106.aspx
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5
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thanks man, that will be a big help! I went ahead and ran a gal of hot water through the filter and got most my quart back a little weaker but back nun the less. who would of thought! Glad you guys are here you keep the fun in the hobby!
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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I tried that when I first started out using a Britta water filter. It seemed to work except you didn't get much through it before it plugged up. Kind of expensive buying the replacement filters for the Britta. I went to the BH stainless steel filter and have been using the same carbon for a couple of years now. Of course you have to boil the carbon and bake it in the oven after you use it so it will be ready for the next filter job. Most people will tell you not to use the picture type water filter for a number of reasons.
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 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 64
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This is the way I was taught to filter hooch. Buy 2 coconuts drink the milk eat the nut part and make charcoal from the shell as follows; break the shell into small pieces and place them in a metal container with a lid. The lid must have holes to allow the gas to burn off. Burn the container in a fireplace or outdoor fire. You will notice that the gases escaping from the can burn. When the gas no longer burns coconut charcoal will remain in the can. Wash the dust from the charcoal and use this to filter the hearts when you are distilling. I use a stainless funnel withna coffee filter.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 64
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Never tried the bag stuff, if it works would be a whole lot easier than my coconut. I might give it a try if I can find some of that premium charcoal. I'm assuming you mean the charcoal that is irregular shaped I think they call it natural or something like that.
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