 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/19/2007(UTC)
Posts: 2
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"I have the Essential Extractor II with the kettle and diffuser plate and I'm really so happy with it. My only disappointment was that the submersible pump could not be pressed into service to power a cascading recirculating liquor fountain (with liquor I made in the still!) at our recent party because it wouldn't run on our cheap power inverter (we're off the grid-- 12v batteries only). But since cascading liquor fountains were not advertised, I really can't complain!
Anyway, I've been running a fermented sugar wash reflux-style in the Essential Extractor II with copper packing on top of one of those propane turkey pot burners, with the diffuser plate, using cool water from our spring to condense. I got a final alcohol content of a little over 80%. I'd like to shoot for higher, especially since a friend of mine said he was getting 85-90 with the same unit over an open wood fire.
As near as I can tell, the two main adjustable variables while you're distilling are the amount of heat below, and the speed of the cooling water. And the two ""gauges"" to keep an eye on are the temperature at the top, and the rate at which the distillate is coming out. Is this correct?
I've been running the burner pretty hot to get it up to boiling, and not turning it down too much until near the end of the run. I've been able to get the temp stable just by adjusting the speed of the cooling water. Unfortunately it seems to want to stabilize at around 80-81c instead of the optimal 78.4, but sometimes I can get it pretty close. The distillate comes out really hot at first, but quickly cools down. I think it might be coming out too fast, at least in the first half of the run.
I guess if I had to distill (haha) my confusion down to one question, it would be: What if your temperature is right on, but the distillate is coming out too fast? Collecting too fast can give you lower purity, but if I turn the water up higher, the temperature drops too low. I could increase the heat to compensate, but I've already got it blazing, and someone on the forums said that you can usually turn the heat way down once you start collecting.
Anybody have any pointers?"
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 Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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This really sounds like too much heat input. Once you have the product in the kettle at a boil, and heat begins to rise in the column, reduce your heat. You will want a strong simmer / slow boil, not a hard boil (you will be able to hear the difference). What is happening is that you are creating more vapor than a column of this diameter can properly control.
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 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/1/2007(UTC)
Posts: 50
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"I kind of have sometimes just the opposite problem. I have the 1100 W hotplate at full on and using regular ambient air temp water (around 75-80F) using the pump brewhaus supplied at its slowest possible speed. Here is prob - once it gets to about 80C and I turn on the pump, the water cools it down to below 78C. Once the water gets hotter, say about 90-95F it starts to get a stable collumn. But that takes 30-45 min and it makes me dump quite a bit of the first part of run. And turning off pump and back on again is a pain and then the temp is bouncing up and down above and below 78C so I never know what to keep and what to toss. And with pump running so little volume, it seems to get a bunch of air in line which I presume would be not so goodand despite numerous ""air bleeding"" - which has its own set of problems such as stopping flow and having temp skyrocket.
I have tried wrapping collumn in insulation and putting a box around the kettle too.
Any suggestions?"
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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It is very odd for the 1100W hotplate to run this low on heat. Is it the Broil King unit, and is it the single-element unit? I have seen other brands that simply do not put out the full rated wattage. Also, are you running the PSII or the PSII High Capacity unit?
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"I gave my sister a os II pro for Christmas, and she got a 2 burner from walmart. It was a disaster.
But a helpful hint for all useing external heat source, I put 1.5 to 2 cups of rashig rings into the pot as boiling chips. I have the 3"" high capacity unit, so I can run with a lot more heat. It breaks a heavy boil down to more like a simmer, with small vapor bubbles, less surging, and less chance of column flooding. You can use more heat and collect cleaner and a bit faster. Worked great on the ps II pro of my sisters when I took my propane heater down to run her wash also. Really helps also, when running foamy grain mashes, to keep down flooding."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/1/2007(UTC)
Posts: 50
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"it is the broil king single element, (got it from you guys about 6 months ago) just running the ps2
should I be using the diffuser plate? (I am)"
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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Assuming that you are using the 1100W hotplate, and not the 1500W, then you should not be using the diffuser plate. The 1100W hotplate is extremely well suited to the regular PSII, so providing it is not cycling when you leave it on 'High', then skip the plate.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"Davey,
Run it without the diffuser plate, Insulate the top 2/3 to 3/4 of the boiler, and all of the column. Put a T and valve on the water supply line, so you can indepently control the volume of cooling water to the head. Theres an immense amount of radiant heat loss unless you are well insulated. This will also help eliminate condensation and channeling reflux on the column walls which then just go back to the pot. Keeps reflux in the packing area where it belongs. And use some boiling chips, broken glass, clean pebbles, broken unglazed pottery, etc.
Even with propane, it takes much longer to run without insulation, and I get much poorer final product. 3.5"" fiberglass batts work well for me. I've even heard of old timers useing mud.
Cheers, and hope this helps."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/1/2007(UTC)
Posts: 50
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appreciate the suggestions and I will give it a try.
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