 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/23/2010(UTC)
Posts: 17
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"Greetings,
I just bought the HC unit but I bought it piece meal. Didn't get the keg kit. Also bought the water control unit. Great looking product BTW. But it came with no info at all.
My question is how to properly connect up the cross flow condenser. I can guess but I'd rather do it the right way. There are 4 cross condensor tubes. So how do you connect hoses? I didn't buy the hose kit either because I have hose. Is there a diagram avaiable or can someone walk me thru the hose connection? I assume you use short pieces to connect each of the 4 sections, top being input, bottom being output and interconnected in between but don't mind having someone walk me thru this?
Thanks,
Duane"
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 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
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I started at the bottom & worked my way up, just like on the condenser. It seems to work just fine.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/23/2010(UTC)
Posts: 17
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"Thanks Ratfinger. So are you feeding your water sources to the bottom of the column and the condenser so it flows uphill or do you feed at the top so the water goes downhill?
Sorry for the dumb question. Just want to be clear.
Thanks, Duane"
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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" Originally Posted by: dsmith  Thanks Ratfinger. So are you feeding your water sources to the bottom of the column and the condenser so it flows uphill or do you feed at the top so the water goes downhill?
Sorry for the dumb question. Just want to be clear.
Thanks, Duane Thats the way the instructions show you how to hook up the hoses."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/23/2010(UTC)
Posts: 17
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"Div4gold,
Thanks for the confirmation. I didn't have any instructions so I connected my hoses top to bottom. I wonder if it's makes any difference?
I've found that my brewhaus water pump doesn't have enough guts to pump water from the floor to the top of the HC mounted on a keg sitting on top of a propane unit. It's like 6 feet or so. I'm sure running the hose to the top or bottom of the condenser wouldn't matter, the pumps not strong enough. Tried the water tank 5 feet up to get it to work but thats not very convenient so I'm off looking for a bigger pump to run water from the floor.
So back to my question, would it make a difference to the operation of the HC unit if feeding the column condenser with water to the top rather than the bottom?
Just curious.
Thanks, Duane"
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/16/2010(UTC)
Posts: 453
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" Originally Posted by: dsmith Div4gold,
Thanks for the confirmation. I didn't have any instructions so I connected my hoses top to bottom. I wonder if it's makes any difference?
I've found that my brewhaus water pump doesn't have enough guts to pump water from the floor to the top of the HC mounted on a keg sitting on top of a propane unit. It's like 6 feet or so. I'm sure running the hose to the top or bottom of the condenser wouldn't matter, the pumps not strong enough. Tried the water tank 5 feet up to get it to work but thats not very convenient so I'm off looking for a bigger pump to run water from the floor.
So back to my question, would it make a difference to the operation of the HC unit if feeding the column condenser with water to the top rather than the bottom?
Just curious.
Thanks, Duane I don't know if it would make a difference I just followed the instructions :) I can't see any reason to hook it up the other way. I know what you are saying about the pump. I've got my water supply on the floor also and I have to suck on the return line just to get it started. Once it's going then it works ok."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: div4gold I don't know if it would make a difference I just followed the instructions :) I can't see any reason to hook it up the other way.
I know what you are saying about the pump. I've got my water supply on the floor also and I have to suck on the return line just to get it started. Once it's going then it works ok. Correct about the water pump. Once the return line is full, there is no head pressure. The return line creates vacuum equal to the power needed to pump up a hieth. Just have to get it started first. Same idea as a jet pump in a deep well. As for the column, I think the coldest water at the bottom is more efficient for better reflux. Imperative to remember to pack copper balls around all the tubes to better cool and condense the vapors. easily doubles or more the condensation effect. This is the only copper I ever clean with acids like vinegar. Never for the packing. Just hot water rinse. Copper oxide is what you want for scrubbing sulpher out."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/23/2010(UTC)
Posts: 17
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"Thanks for the info. I bought a bigger pump at Harbor Freight for cheap so I'll try it out. Makes sense on the hose connection too so I'll have to rearrange things. Eventually I'll get to use the new column, just gotta work out the kinks first.
Duane"
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2007(UTC)
Posts: 167
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hi mtn,
why do you clean the copper ball with vinegar?
hi dsmith,
i use a different pump for my column and my condensor.
just me
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: just_me hi mtn,
why do you clean the copper ball with vinegar?
hi dsmith,
i use a different pump for my column and my condensor.
just me I could be wrong in my thinking, it just seemed to me that bare copper, without an oxide coating would conduct the cooling from the crossflow tubes better and condense the vapors better.I don't do it very often, just when they start looking oxidized. I just soak them overnight in a cup of distilled vinegar. I have a constant running spring, so I don't worry about conserving water. I use a hose splitter that has 2 valves. This way my cooling water is always icy cold and once set no need to adjust for temp. change."
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2007(UTC)
Posts: 167
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hi mtn,
i will give it a try. currently i use rashig rings in the top of the column.copper scrubbers up to cooling lines.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"Hey just Me. I will almost gaurantee you will achieve better reflux with the copper balls at the top than the rashig rings. The cooling and condensing of vapors is the most important part of a really clean distillation. It all begins right there at the cooling tubes and drips down the column to be revaporized. Reflux.
I orderd and used rashig rings, but didn't like them relative to copper or ss scrubbers. I now use a combination of ss scrubbers and copper in the column, and copper at the top. Works extremely well for me."
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2007(UTC)
Posts: 167
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thanks mtn. i will give it a try. happy easter to all.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
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Hey guys, about that water pump issue..... go to Lowes or HomeDepot and get a fish pond pump for about 20$. It sure works for me and I've had mine for ........... 2 years I think. Thats the first one I bought and it still works, pushes water from the bottom up through the condenser and out the top with no probs. My condenser is 18" long - 1/2" copper inside with 1" copper outside w/ 2 nipples for the hoses and this little pump works just fine. Hope this helps.
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