 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/17/2009(UTC)
Posts: 27
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Looking for a reflux still, Im a beginner and need alot of help in the 250.00 300.00 range.
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: j744  Looking for a reflux still, Im a beginner and need alot of help in the 250.00 300.00 range. Unless you want to access a lot of copper fittings and such, you won't find a better unit than at brewhaus. if you can afford it, i would strongly reccomend the HC unit, but the ps II is decent though slow. Real slow."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/17/2009(UTC)
Posts: 27
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What is the HC and is it from Brewhaus.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/8/2009(UTC)
Posts: 159
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It is the Essential extractor Pro series II High capacity and you will need the 1500 watt hot plate with it. http://www.brewhaus.com/Distillers-and-Parts-C96.aspx Scroll down on the page of the link I posted above here to see all the stills offered. I bought the HC unit and pull 95% spirits with it and it works just awesome. Like Mtnwalker said above, the next model down (EE PS II) is very good also just has a 2" column instead of the 3" column that the HC (EE PS II HC) unit has which will make things a lot slower but still produce this great product. The EE PS II will be fine with the 1100 watt hot plate but still work better with the 1500w unit, the HC unit NEEDS the 1500w unit. If you are secluded enough at your house to use a propane burner then do that instead as propane is much faster but also a little more dangerous as these sprits are HIGHLY flammable. I love my HC!
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"Hi j.
As Wade posted, we all love our High Capacity unit. I have been here after purchasing mine for almost 4 years now. I have never heard of anyone dissatisfied with thiers, except for an issue with the water supply control setup. I actually have both the 3"" HC and the 2"" pro II. I never use the latter and don't like it. I'm spoiled."
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/8/2009(UTC)
Posts: 159
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Bythe way, they have changed the water control valve set up as it was missing a hose or expected you to alter a hose without telling you. they have now included this new hose so dont worry about that! Thanks Rick!
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/17/2009(UTC)
Posts: 27
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Why is it so important to run cool water or any water through the column, I hear alot about attempting to keep the water cool and all the possibilities, why?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/8/2009(UTC)
Posts: 159
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Cool water is what cools down the head and makes the stuff that you dont want in your finished product fall bck down like water. All your product is boiling at the bottom so all of it rises up the column. As it all gets up the the top the cool water cools off all this stuff which makes the unwanted stuff like water fall below its boiling point and fall back down (reflux). If the column is too cold at the top everything including your desired product falls back down. The stuff you want boils at 73* C and that is about what temp you want yoiur column at to extarct the good stuff, you will have to adjust for inaccuracies with your thermometer and also elevation where you live. Due to both of these 76-77* C is about perfect for me drawing about 3 tbls a minute and getting 95%. if I run it hotter then my % goes down, if I run it colder nothing comes out! Cold water at you condenser cools the product when it comes out but mainly helps it condense better instaed of just getting steam out of your condenser!
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"Well said. Tlhe foreshots and heads all boil at a lower temp. then the hearts which is what we want. The initial reflux will send the hearts ethanol lower down the column than the higher alchs which will congregate at the top. Taken off slowly, we can capture and segregate these higher alchs like methanol and others, and take them off seperately.
Then the ethanol will come off (hearts) until we reach a higher temp. when fusil oils and other higher boiling point stuff starts to come off. The Tails. Both heads and tails still contain mostly ethanol, but will have miniscule parts that will give off taste and smell. They should be saved for later distillations.
Until you can learn to judge by temp. at the top of the column, taste, smell and feel, I suggest you collect in 12 oz. beer bottles, half to 2/3 full each, and numbered. Let them rest overnight covered with a coffee filter.
You will soon learn the difference. Then combine all the sweet good tasteing smelling middle cuts and you have something to be proud of. Be tight on your cuts, as all the rest can be redistilled when enough is collected to get the good out of them, so they aren't wasted."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/17/2009(UTC)
Posts: 27
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"Thanks to Wade and Mtnwalker2 for talking like a beginner. It's really hard to understand some of the terminology. It really helps when you break it down.
I promise your time and efforts will not go to waste."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/17/2009(UTC)
Posts: 27
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"Can anyone explain why you have to dilute your final run with water and how do you know how much to dilute it with and do the temperature still remain the same as the do when you are stripping.
I understand that you dont need to reflux when you are stripping your wash and you can run it a bit faster. what is the temp at the column when you are stripping if your able to run it a bit faster?
Thx for any and all assistance"
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/8/2009(UTC)
Posts: 159
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The reasons you dilute your final run is 1) beacuase there is a potential explosion risk of heating up a product of around 140 proof, 20 because it makes it easier fro the product to be seperated so that it leaves the nasty stuff behind, and 3) because it will make it easier for you to determine when to make cuts when its done.
The temp can go as high as around 95*C as right around there you start to get lots of water.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
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" Originally Posted by: Wade The reasons you dilute your final run is 1) beacuase there is a potential explosion risk of heating up a product of around 140 proof, 20 because it makes it easier fro the product to be seperated so that it leaves the nasty stuff behind, and 3) because it will make it easier for you to determine when to make cuts when its done.
The temp can go as high as around 95*C as right around there you start to get lots of water. I agree. By 95* your flow will have about stopped, after that is water distillation. It's easy to tell when the strip is finished due to it going from a flow to a few drips (at least with the HC)"
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