+1 davidsonralph - get some control over your power. There are only two things you can control: power and cooling water flow -- everything else will follow. If you're pot stilling, then it's only power. So you're limiting your process if you can't control power.

But to answer your question: yes, dilute your low wines and run them again. The only purpose of stripping is to reduce volume. When stripping you can still discard the early nasties ... and shutdown early. Just have fun and let your experience be your guide.

--JB

Again, I agree davidsonralph: you definitely want to get control of your power. It can make a big difference in your finished product.

But ...

Unless you're running 220v (or higher) into that 5 kW element of yours, you may find it challenging to build a controller that can handle the current you're dealing with. I'm sure the 5 kW gets you up to temp quickly. However, once you're at a boil you can probably get by with a LOT less power.

If you install a second element, you can run at 5 kW during warm up then switch to a controlled, lower power element during the run (more than a few folks claim to do this). And it'll be easier to build/buy a controller when the current requirements are lower. If you're using 220v (or higher) with the 5 kW element a 30 A controller might be hardy enough to do the trick. Don't skimp on the heat sink ... and leave room for a fan (cooling for your controller is underrated).

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Red was set up with two elements? Not sure if he's still actively monitoring the forum ... you can try PM ... he may have some helpful experience to share.