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I was wondering if any one can give a recommendation on the activated stone carbon on the web site. There is the Distillery Grade
$9.69 and the Premium Grade
$5.99 that I am considering and am looking for any advice or feedback on which is the one to get or any other opinion's will be appreciated...
Thanks Captinjack
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 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
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I've only used he Premium Grade and it did the job fine. I only used it for vodka. Hope this helps.
I filtered mine three times and each time it got a cleaner taste.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
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" Originally Posted by: okie  I've only used he Premium Grade and it did the job fine. I only used it for vodka. Hope this helps.
I filtered mine three times and each time it got a cleaner taste. What did you do to the carbon in between filterings :)"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
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I took it out and boiled it in some distilled water for maybe 5 or so minutes. The water smelled like bad alcohol on the first time, much better the second and the last not much smell. You can bake it dry if you want. It jumps the pan a lot when it's boiling. Scared the cats.  I've read you can reuse it about 5 times. I think maybe more but that's a guess.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
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" Originally Posted by: okie I took it out and boiled it in some distilled water for maybe 5 or so minutes. The water smelled like bad alcohol on the first time, much better the second and the last not much smell. You can bake it dry if you want. It jumps the pan a lot when it's boiling. Scared the cats. I've read you can reuse it about 5 times. I think maybe more but that's a guess. I agree. I just didnt want anyone to think that you can run the same alcohol through a second time without treating the carbon as you did."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
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I used to sell water treatment and they use charcoal. I learned then that charcoal releases the trapped stuff when it's boiled and that reactivates it.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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Well I think I'm going to get a bag of the 0.4-0.8 and a bag of the 0.4-1.4mm and that should work for me for a while, maybe I'll try mixing some together and see how that works out...
Captinjack
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
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Originally Posted by: okie I used to sell water treatment and they use charcoal. I learned then that charcoal releases the trapped stuff when it's boiled and that reactivates it. Gert has a lot of info on re using carbon. I read somewhere that boiling it the way you did gets it back to over 85% efficiency-- I cant remember the exact amount but the article also said the commercial outfits use it many times over.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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I just found and read the e- book for activated stone carbon by Gert Strand (thanks for the tip Soctty) and after reading it I am just going to stay with the 0.4-0.8 size so I think I'm going to get a bag of the Distillery Grade and one of the Premium Grade any see if one is better than the other. That book explains a lot on filtering I learned a lot...
Captinjack
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
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What is the name of the e-book by Gert Strand?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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Go to the B.H. web site and in the left hand column it is there, in the bottom section (Quick links)...
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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When I get through with a filtering I boil the carbon for about 10 minutes, boiling means boiling and not just the bubbles that come up from being trapped under the layer of carbon. If you have any doubt put a cooking thermometer in it until it gets to the boiling point , 212 F . The way the trapped air bubbles come up can confuse you into thinking it's boiling. After a good boiling I pour it off and put it into a glass cake pan and cook it in the oven for 2 hours at 350 degrees. When I get ready to filter again I boil it for a short time before I load the column of the filter. I've been doing this with the same carbon for years. Works for me.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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Originally Posted by: div4gold When I get through with a filtering I boil the carbon for about 10 minutes, boiling means boiling and not just the bubbles that come up from being trapped under the layer of carbon. If you have any doubt put a cooking thermometer in it until it gets to the boiling point , 212 F . The way the trapped air bubbles come up can confuse you into thinking it's boiling. After a good boiling I pour it off and put it into a glass cake pan and cook it in the oven for 2 hours at 350 degrees. When I get ready to filter again I boil it for a short time before I load the column of the filter. I've been doing this with the same carbon for years. Works for me. When you cook it in the oven are you using a gas or electric oven?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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We have a electric oven. I did try one of the counter top miniature ovens, it worked but it would take some getting used to . I use the regular kitchen oven know without any problems. You may have to go to a garage sale and get a glass cake pan that you can dedicate just to the carbon use. The glass on the cake pan builds up a hard residue that resists getting it clean enough for the wife baking. ie, it ruined it for that:)
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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Thanks for the tip on the glass cake pan,I'll have to keep an eye out at the garage sale's or thrift stores. All I have is a gas oven so I guess I should keep an look out for some type of small elect one of those also...
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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Gas will work fine, the only thing different would be to let the boiled carbon dry before putting it in the oven. Some people think you may get enough alcohol vapors to ignite with an open flame. I don't know if that has happened or not or if it's just a precaution. I would think if you left the oven door open for the first half hour or so you wouldn't have any worries. I can't really see how you would have much in the way of alcohol left in the carbon after it has been boiled.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
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Alcohol absorbs water fast. When you boil the carbon alcohol is being released into the water and with the higher boiling point, it's vaporizing as fast as it can. I don't think there will be anything to worry about. Think about it.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
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Aren't we supposed to boil and drain the carbon 2 or 3 times before putting it in the oven??? :)
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
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Originally Posted by: scotty Aren't we supposed to boil and drain the carbon 2 or 3 times before putting it in the oven??? :) Exactly my point!! Thanks, Scotty
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
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"I was just going by the Gert Strand book and it specifies an elect. oven... Quote: Begin by pouring the carbon into a sieve and rinsing it with hot water from the tap.
If the carbon grains are 0.4-0.85 mm, they will go right through an ordinary kitchen
sieve when rinsed, so you must get a sieve with a finer mesh or omit this step
entirely.
2. Then,
boil
the carbon in water for 10-15 minutes, to dissolve some of the higher
alcohols (already it has a 15-20% regeneration). Boil as long as it smells. Repeat
if needed.
3. The carbon is then dried in a deep baking dish or roasting tray. When the carbon
has dried, it is placed in an
electric
oven.
Note: keep the kitchen fan on and
the window partly open, as the vapor can be flammable
.
4. Turn the oven on to 140°C or 150°C and heat up the carbon for 2-3 hours.
5. Turn the oven off and
let the carbon cool down
- now it is ready to be used
again. "
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