Hi
I have been getting some incomplete reactions lately. The entire process seems to work good, excepty my (27/3) test shows a small amount of FFA. I was wondering if using to much of my recovered methanol (75%) may be causing this? It is the same process that I normally get complete reactions on, except for lately I have been useing my reclaimed methanol.
Thank you

What is the purity of your recovered methanol?

Tony

I would say almost clear. I would recapture about 2 gal.of crystal clear methanol in a 5 gal. container, out of about 10 gal. of glycerin until it started to darken up a little. At that time I quit the process. I did this again to bring it to 4 gal.. Then I reclaimed a gallon of crystal clear meth. out of 5 gal. wash water and combined. I used this 5 gal. and 1.6 gal. more of new for my 30 gallons of 1.7 titrated uvo. Is there a good way to test the purity of this methanol other than color?

thanks
Rick

Water is pretty clear too An alcohol hydrometer would tell you the purity in percent of alcohol, other than that the weight of a litre at a standard temp would also work. I am not sure what that weight is but a search of the forum should find it.

Tony

I will give a hydometer a try next time I reclaim some methanol. I don't think that I would have any water in it but I will give it a try.
I use a thermometer in the vapor area of my(crude)pot still. The methanol starts to flow at around 150F, and then the temp usually stops increasing at around 160F, and about that time is when I have reached my 20% per volume of glycerine. If I continue to try to boil off more methanol I will start getting a darker color coming out of the hose.
Thanks Tony

Rick

quote:

Originally posted by Kohly:
The methanol starts to flow at around 150F, and then the temp usually stops increasing at around 160F

At 160F you are likely pulling off some water also (assuming you are at standard atmospheric pressure)