Despite my previous vow to use my new hooch maker as a pot still..I decided it would be less dangerous for my pals to use the reflux mechanism so it would be more purer...would hate to accidentally give one of them a batch of foreskins..lol. So I packed both columns with the copper wads..still have a bag left over..hooked all the crazy water lines as best as I could (thanks for all the tips on that Div) Tried to pass about 3 gal of half water and vinegar through it. Came up to 214 within a couple of hours with the BH hotplate. Everything was going well till I turned on the water. It started spurting everywhere. Got everything in the man cave wet. Narrowed down to one nipple fitting fiddled with all the hoses..took it off and reattached. Some problemo. Water seems to be passing through the condenser ok. I have come to the conclusion there is a bad weld on one of the little criss crossing pipes where it exits the column. I see on the column where it looks like it been hit with a grinder or some type of abrasive brush in the general area of where the water is spurting out. Or..maybe I have it hooked up wrong and the water is pushing where it should be pulling. Who knows? I call them..they do not call me back. This hobby is becoming tedious.

I am too ignorant to post pics on here..lol. I could send some to an email address. I know how to do that sorta:) I figgered you was going to chew me out about not checking the water function before I fired it up. Which..I now in hindsight see would have been a good plan...kick kic. Unfortunately they did not list that step in the owners manuel. I will take some pics if you can come up with a email to send them to. Thanks.

Not finding you in the Spam folder. I did not send you any email yesterday. Now I have called and talked to the answering machine twice in the past two days. First time I just hung up..second time I left a message call back number etc. Maybe that is what your thinking of?

PS edit: Want me to send the pics to you?