How do ya'll think an intercooler would work as a condenser for a methanol still?
See this one http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIte...r4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT

I have just put togather a still using a 50 gallon HWH and a old car radiator as a condenser. It works but it's slow.
Using the lower element 4500 watt 220 on 110 volts.

I am also wondering would adding a 2 or 3 inch outlet to the condenser help? It's currently going out the top thru 3/4 black iron then 3/4 Braided vinyl hose.

Thought a pic might be better.

DIINTERCOOLER-32-12-3.jpg (340 Kb, 95 downloads) Intercooler

I don't know about the intercooler idea. I thought intercoolers were intended to cool the air charge going into the turbocharger. Unless it's like the big rig units that are air over water. Of if you intend to adapt the ports to feed the methanol vapors through. I've been told a radiator style condenser isn't going to be as good as single tube type condenser. But I've not yet tried a radiator so I don't know first hand.

Also, if you leave the element wired for 120 volts it'll take forever to get up to temp. My barrel isn't as well insulated as a hot water heater but it took about 5 hours for the first drops of methanol started to come out.

So what I do now is run it on 240 volts untill the first drops of methanol start to come out and then switch it over to 120 volts to run on till it's finished.

The first drops start to come in as little as 35 minutes. I keep trying to leave it on 240 for the duration but it eventually starts building up too much pressue in the pot. Switching it back to 120 seems to be the trick so I'll be setting it up as part of the regular process now.

I'll have to scratch my head and figure out how to have it wired to both 240 and 120 so that it can be switched to one voltage or the other. The only issue I can see with this at the moment is if both breaker were inadvertantly turn on at the same time. That would no doubt fry the element pretty well instantly. Could also be a fire risk.

Can anyone think of a safe way to be able to switch it back and forth safely and simply?

So far I've been rewiring it to a different breaker when the pressure builds. It sure would be nice to be able to do it with a flip of a switch.

Thanks,

Wayne

dont know about the intercooler idea, but you can run the white wire to one circut breaker and the black to a seprate breaker. both circuts on 240 volts only one and you have 120 volts.

wayne,
its possible but finding a switch that will carry the current isn't easy.
you need a spdt switch.
US power has 4 wires
2 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground. NEVER run power on the ground wire.
to wire the switch
1 hot to the element. the other to one side of the switch( not the common pin). wire the neutral wire to the other side of the switch.
the common of the switch goes to the free side of the element or thermostat. this does require a 10/3 with ground wire.

-dkenny

Too fast, I don't think that's correct. With each wire to a seperate breaker, it'll only work when both breaker are on. Flip one off, you won't get 120 volts for long befor the other on trips.

This is because on a correctly wired 120 volt circuit the white wire goes to the common strip. Your way it's not.

Dkenny, thanks, I'll keep my eyes open for one of those.

Wayne

An intercooler is basically the same thing as a radiator - it all comes down to heat transfer area. You can use a fan to improve the performance of the radiator that you are using now.

For more performance, I would suggest making a water cooled jobbie out of some 4 inch pvac, 1/2" flexible copper hose, and some miscellaneous fittings.

I think Legal Eagle has plans for it - although i may be mistaken (concerning the "originator's" identity) - if i am, i most humbly apologize.

quote:

Originally posted by Taz:


I am also wondering would adding a 2 or 3 inch outlet to the condenser help? It's currently going out the top thru 3/4 black iron then 3/4 Braided vinyl hose.

Still wondering about this any ideas?

the only place ive seen 4 wire 240 circuts are in mobile homes. you are correct the white wire is common. also ive never tried running a heating element on 1 leg of a 240 circut so i don't know if it would work or not but its worth a try.
btw,
white = common
red = power
black = power
copper or green = earth ground
thanks for correcting me on that.

also, depending on where you are:

green/yellow = earth ground

JoeM runs his heat spear on both 120 and 240 using the same plug, diffrent boxes. You will have to get him to tell how it is wired.