Hi All

I have an 8 gal reflux still and I can not get it to stabilize

I am using a propane burner and when it gets to 172* almost nothing is comming out and a little more at 174* but it seems to run the best at 176* or 177*

I am using copper packing maybe to loose or to tight ???????

I have checked the temp gage and it it OK

The biggest problem is it will not stay there, it will drop down to 164* and then start going back up and get to 177* and maybe even 178* and then start going right back down to the 160's and then back up again

I have tried ajusting the heat and the water and nothing I do seems to help when I get it right at 172* or 173* almost nothing is coming out and it will not stay there if I bump it up to 175* more comes out but it still will not stay there it just goes up and down 164* low to 178* high. I am using sugar wash

This still is suppose to do two quarts an hour of 92%

I need help please...I have put a link of the site where I bought this still so you can look at it. Maybe I bought a piece of just but it sure is a pretty one to look at and it seems to work good in the video
Thanks
This is the still I bought
shorturl

I'm just thinkng with my fingers here but is your water supply a consitant flow.

"Thank you all for your replies

I would love to do that, but like I said the temp will not stay there
If I put it at 172* say for the head run, it will drop down and back up again and when it drops nothing comes out and when it goes back up it starts to flow again so it is hard to do just a head run at a steady low temp when I bump it up say to 175* or 176* it starts a good flow....But goes down to 168* and stops and then back up to 178* or so and flows good, but by going up and down it ends up taking forever because it keeps stopping and when the temp goes up then you get some of the bad stuff coming threw

Does anyone think a hot plate would be a better heat source than propane

Also I am having to use a lot of water to the column

A question for ( popapina ) is your still the same one as mine???

All I have read says that the temp should be about 172.5* to 173.5* for the main run?? but almost nothing is coming out of mine until it gets to 175* or 176* but that seems to high....?????

Thanks again...Please send me some help...When I watch some of the video's the stills seem to say very steady thru the run"

"The run I was running was a stripped run and then I added water to bring it from 89% back down to 35%

So the run I was running was 35%

But it does not seem to matter what the wash is the temp goes up and down"

Good point tikisteve.

Also, if your getting that heat strobing with propane,,,,,,make sure youv'e got no leaks.

"Thank you...mtnwalker2

I know some times it is hard to say things bad about someone's stuff, but I would rather be told now than to fight it forever. This still is such high quality and so beautiful to look at that one would think the design would be just as good.

I did have the column insulated and I have always done that??? Although it takes away from its good looks. ha ha

SO DO YOU THINK...this column could be modified some how to make it work better????????

AND DO YOU THINK....by using a broplane burner that slight breezes out side is making the temp go up and down???? So using a hot plate would be better or I could even do it inside out of the weather??

ALSO I WAS...thinking after what you have said that maybe a tight fitting stainless steel washer concaved downward with some holes to drain the liquid back down on the packing would help???...I was thinking of one half way up and one just below the condenser

What do you think??? Also on his web page his old style columns have cross tubes and I could buy one of those or maybe a differant column from somone else.

Any help on these thoughts
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP"

Thanks..just me..I will give it a try

"

Just replied."