She's boilin off the methanol

Very impressive, I see what I think is a condenser, collection tank, and vacuum pump under it all? I am guessing you don't have earth quakes where you are.

Thanks, no but we could use some rain. I've got the water out going onto the yard to water the grass and there where about 20 birds and 5 squirrels out there getting a drink.

got just under 4 gal from around 22 gal of glycerin. first time run. did have to increase heat towards the end. I could probably improve the efficiency by running discharge side of the pump into hot water inlet on top of water heater instead of cold water.

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I could probably improve the efficiency by running discharge side of the pump into hot water inlet on top of water heater instead of cold water.

Why? It looks like your already discharging in the top.

I was under the impression the hot water standpipe doesn't go as far down as the cold water and rather than the discharge being under the liquid level it would be above it thus giving better mixing and spraying. maybe?

Is the translucent cylinder with flat endplates (mounted at ~45 degree angle) your condensor?

If so, what is the internal contruction of the condensor like?

My concern is that if you are using some sort of coil, the condensed liquid may have trouble draining by gravity since part of the coil would run "uphill" when mounted at a 45 degree angle.

Nice fab job by the way.

troy

Thanks, yes it's 8 inch pvc, the coil is 3/8ths copper and I had that same concern but every picture I've ever seen of a moonshine still has the coils at a 45. I also checked with some distillation experts at work and they even recommended it. The theroy being that if a liquid would keep vapors from going back into the reactor. Also the vacuum is being pulled from the collection tank (red) so that the liquid will be pushed by the vapor pressure from the boiling methanol in the glycerin and pulled by the differental pressure in the collection tank. Seems to work, I got almost 4 gallons of methanol from around 22 gallons of glycerin. Thanks again.

Why not just remove the dip tubes like you would do when building a processor ?

I left the hot water dip tube in because I was afraid that with the vapor recovery tube (in the center) and discharge being a the same level and next to each other there might be a possibility of some of the material being inadvertantly entering the vapor recovery line. This way it's above the discharge and less likely to inhale glycerin discharge. If my logic is flawed I am certainly open to suggestions.