Wasn't sure where this thread should go... feel free to move it.

I figure most people charcoal filter. How are they doing it? What apparatus are they doing it with? What type of carbon? I was hoping this thread could address these questions.

How are they doing it?
Probably like this --- http://www.brewhaus.com/...ed-Carbon-Book-C106.aspx

Apparati? What material is acceptable? PVC, PP, PE HDPE, stainless steel, aluminum, glass? Obviously there are many grades of each to build your tube out of. And what about a stand? That's something that doesn't come up until I have everything ready to filter only to realize I haven't crafted a stand.

Carbon type? What size mm? Did you burn it yourself? If so, from what wood? How many times has it been regenerated?

Here's what I do. Note: I'm absolutely NOT saying I do it the right way. This is just how I do it, hopefully this thread will lead to improvement.

For prepping the filter tube I don't soak the carbon overnight, but I do make sure to fill my filter while it has water in it to prevent channeling. I also regenerate by boiling the carbon in water 4-5 times after filtering a few gallons. I taste to see when the booze starts coming out and chase the last of it with some water and taste to see when the booze stops coming out. I have a jug that I put the 'in between' zones in, that is to say, the zone that is water/booze. I don't proof it down before filtering, not sure what the right way is.

Apparatus. Ha! Mine is ultra-ghetto-ware©. I cut the bottom off a 20oz. mountain dew bottle. Then I drilled a small (1/8" guessing) hole in the cap. Then I put a few layers of paper towel in the cap. At this point I check the flow, too fast add more paper towel. I'd describe the flow dripping as fast as you can without a stream. And the filter is done! Ah, but what about the stand you say. Well, it's also ultra-ghetto-ware©. I took a container of those "Lays Stacks" (like pringles but the container is plastic not cardboard) and just washed it out and took the lid off. The mountain dew bottle is slightly too wide (like my girlfriend, booyah!) to fit in the "Stacks" container. I know the filter isn't very long but it's wide and the flow is fairly restricted. I normally only run one gallon through it at a time and it comes out significantly better than before. This filter also requires CONSTANT topping up seeing as it only has 1" of headroom. Probably takes 30-45 min. to filter a gallon. Don't know if that's fast or slow, I just know that's how long it takes me.

I use .4-.85mm carbon from BH. I've regenerated it twice. I boil it in water and decant the hot water. When the water stops smelling like paint thinners I give it one more wash then it's into the filter wet.

Thanks a ton MD! I'll probably get to work on a cPVC filter before my next run. Hmmmm, maybe 2"x1.5'. Hopefully that'll get the job done. What do you use to filter with MD? and the stand?

Now I'm just playing devil's advocate here but what about this... Using high abv alcohol to clean impurities from your carbon? Instead of boiling in water, boil in booze (WARNING: heating flammable liquids can result in fire!!!). To recover the alcohol a distillation would be a good start. Of course, one could use a toxic alcohol to clean their carbon but then one would have to be 100% sure they washed it all out with several boiling water washes to ensure all toxic materials are removed. I wouldn't do any of this, it is just an early morning muse.

After using the one from BH (not the stainless one) I found that the thing is floppy and a pain. It may better if it were one piece and not put together with the couplings. It IS a good selling point for the stainless one :) I plan to get one of those after I get my cooling water solution completed. I love how I originally wanted to do this to make cheap booze and now it is an expensive hobby

There is a book on the BH page that goes through specifications for size of the carbon tower and why it is made in the diameter and height that it is made. Stop by and check it out and see if that helps you.

Blaztaz

I noticed the size of the couplings as well. I was going to use PVC cement, but the gaps were just too big. My plan was to use the silicon sealant closer to the center of the coupling and then the PVC cement further out. The gaps were just too much. The SS one is going to be a purchase I make pretty soon as well. I did see where someone purchased a tripod from Home Depot that fit the SS one very well. I will look into that as well.

Blaztaz