"CHORECHUNK WROTE

You do realize it is the alcohol content of your wash or low wines that dictates the column head temperature right? The heat input (wattage) only controls the takeoff rate from a drip to stream. You must always have enough heat to vaporize the liquid and if not kept steady will make the system wishy washy and not give the best output.

I have many PID controllers but see no purpose in using them, though I might just for water control. The tricky part is how to control the output, if it is an analog 4-20mA or 1-10 vdc you need a power conversion module to translate that into high amperage. I was an automation electrician in the food industry for 30 years and have about $15,000 in parts on eBay right now.

If you have any questions on how to set one up let me know but beside a dog and pony show it would be a waste of money as it would be too hard to control. I am all for bells and whistles and kept enough of my controllers for some pretty neat things to do with the still but none include messing with the boiler heat beyond simple wattage control.

I hope this doesn't make me a poopy head like heeler.


POOPY HEAD LOL LOL


I cant tell you how much i appreciate both your reply and your offer.
As far as setting one up, i will definitely have questions because i am reading everything i can find and understanding only a part of it.


I still have to get the element installed in the boiler.


Basically my confusion is this.
If the liquid in the boiler is kept at a temperature of 205 F. with a diferential of one degree, How does the wash know if the heat is on or off?? Shouldnt the desired elements boil off under that condition



Please dont think i havent heard all the input about keeping the heat applied but at a lower wattage. I would not have aquired a variac if i didnt belied those wit the experience."

"i will play with the variac for sure--then ill keep one of my digital meat probes in the head to monitor that.

perhaps the pid could be used to shut the operation down when the head temp reaches a particular indicated temperature

((((((((((heat of fusion or vaporization???)))"

"

[SIZE=""6""] I C[/SIZE] --------------------------------------------------"

"thanks for all the input--- i guess i better not waste my $$ on the book by is it IKU on automatic stills.

"

"I have a CM apperatus at the head of my rig. I can dial in ABV based on how much coolant I allow to pass through my dephlagmater.

Easier to regulate temps within the column.

With my rig (on my to do list), a thermo placed at various places on the apperatus will offer fair warning as to the remaining alcohol within the wash.

If you have a thermo at the boiler and a thermo at take off,,,you will get fair warning when the last bit of usable ( based on 212 being butt naked water) alcohol is on it's way up the pipe."