"I just got my brewhaus products. Got the 8 Gallon premium kettle, the essential PSII. Gonna run it on a propane burner. For my first wash I am doing a basic corn wash to around 12%.
My question is, how is the best way to start to run. Both sections put together? Any packing? How is the water best run? I was going to run into the condenser, then run that same into the cross tubes. Or should the tubes and the condenser be run on their own system?
Whats the best way to know heads, hearts, tails? This is all so new, doing lots of reading, yet still lost. Thanks for the help...."

"Hi Mercerks, If running for flavor then you run in Pot mode. You can one or both sections of your tower for Pot mode, I only use the top section. The taller the tower is the more separation you get and that equals less flavor/higher alcohol percentage.
In Pot mode you ONLY cool the condencer Not the tower. It's a good idea to use at least one roll of copper in your tower in Pot mode to cut the sulfides from the product.Some use two or three I only use one.
For a reflux run most folks including myself use a sugar wash since your going for a neutral flavor and hig percentage in the end product.
In this type of run I fill both sections of the tower with copper rolls and put a few small balls of copper around the cooling tubes at the top of the tower.
As far as the cooling water is concerned I run two pumps, onr for the tower and one for the condencer. I use a 150qt cooler for the water source and have 12 1gal. milk jugs that I fill with water and freeze to use as needed to keep the water cooled down.
Start your burner and turn your tower water onleave the condencer water off at this time. When your mash/wash starts to boil turn your heat down low. keep the tower water on full for at least 1/2 to 1 hour so the tower goes into full reflux and settles.
After that time has passed the tower has layered the product inside with the lightest at the tpo and heaviest at the bottom.
At this time turn on your condencer water and slow down your tower water, and keep your burner on low.
When the first liquid starts coming out of the condencer it's going to be some nasty stuff. I will throw the first 100 to 150ml. Some say you only need to throw out the first 50ml. Better safe than sorry, besides it does'nt smell good, don't know about the taste.
After that I use pint mason jars and only fill them 1/2 full,(250ml), to make my cuts with. Takes anywhere from 12 to 18 jars for a 5 gallon run. I number them with a marker so I can tell first from last.
The run is over when whats coming out of the condencer starts to stink again, The beginning has an odor also. The Heads have an off odor, the Hearts if anything smells like alcohol, then the Tails start getting a strong odor again.
When you've run as far into the tails as you want to,they contain less alcohol also. Then turn your burner off and pull the plug at the top of your tower and turn your pump off.
I arrange my collection jars in order of prduction put a coffee filter over the top and use the lid ring to secure it all. Let them air out for at least 2 or 3 days, better a week, then go back and do a sniff test, starting in the middle. If you have 11 jars star with jar #6 then 5 then 7 etc. You'll be able to tell the difference unless you have a serious nose problem.
I prefer the hearts for drinking after dilution. But I will take some of the hearts mix a little of the heads and tails dilute to about 120proof add oak chips,medium toast, for about 3 weeks. Then add 1/4 tsp vanilla extract,real, not imitation, or a 1/4 vanilla bean and a splash of real maple syrup. Take out the chips and dilute to 80 or 90 proof and serve it up.
Ok nuff said. Anything else will wait
Have Fun"

I just bought a PSII today from a local fella and he has no manual with it what are the tube holes for on the top of the column? I'm unsure how the clear hoses hook up could someone advice me or send me photos? Also what is the Stainless Steel chain for in the kettle?
Thanks for the info.

For the tower tubes, I went fancy and got brass compression fittings and braided stainless hosed that connect all three and left two ends open for the entry and exit. The 12" from Lowe's work and look nice. Went with just the large braided clear high temp hoses for the supply and exit. You only need the chain to breakup the dirty stuff inside the kettle. Personally, I let it soak to save money.

I agree......with this hobby you can't price experience!!!!!!!! leaarnt alot myself and don't own one of these con trap sions..........

Yep you right!!!!!!! Bunch of good ole boys here for sure.......

Up and running about 7 gallons of corn wash. Got about 5 pints and temp is only 194. How much should I be getting? It's measuring about 100 proof.

Jar 15 is filling now. Going to combine heads and tails until I collect enough to rerun. God I already love this hobby

Well that sugar wash should could make a lot of hooch. What evil befell the current batch to cause it to bottom out at 5%? Thought I was the only one who had those kind of issues.

Join the club. I am hot on the trail for some clues on mine..lol. Thought it got too hot for a while..then I thought it was trying to build a ferment on top of old yeast..then I decided to quit reusing the sludge and keep it cooler. Good news is I have two six gallon batches which appears to be looking good..cept that was the ones which have the flaked rye and one of them has smallish white cornflake looking things floating around on top. It smells good and has already dropped to 1.006 on the wash stabber which is considerably better than the problem ferment. Aint sure what that is. Hope it didnt get a yeast infection or something. I may swear off rye too.