4 inch Column Dephlegmator Advice

Hi guys,

After tons of lurking/reading over the last few weeks I've decided I'm probably gonna buy a 4 inch Crystal Dragon because it looks badass and is cheaper than the Dash (especially if I later feel like adding more plated sections!)

My question is, will it be worth upgrading from the 4 inch V2 to the Super Dephlegmator which is twice as long with two inputs and two outputs? It's only an extra 10 Euros (which is almost nothing when you are spending 1500)

I expect it would save me money on my water bills which is good for my wallet AND the environment :-) but would it's larger capacity for holding water make it annoyingly slow to heat back up and react when I want to change the reflux ratio?

Comments

  • where you are, probably not... if you were in the Mediterranean and not the UK, yes..

  • @CothermanDistilling said: where you are, probably not... if you were in the Mediterranean and not the UK, yes..

    Hi Corherman! Yeah I'm in the uk. For the two or three days of summer we typically get in the uk the mains water might hit 20 degrees C so I probably don't NEED the extra efficiency of the larger dephlegmator, but for 10 euros maybe I should just do it anyway? The extra height it adds along with the 2 inch to 4 inch reducer will probably mean I can run 3 bubble sections without the keg boiler getting in the way of the parrot (so no need for extra bends and pipe sections) My only worry is if I want to speed up take off my 4 inch column might take a long ass time to get the dephlegmator water hot enough to see the take off rate change?

  • I would only buy it if you had 25c water for more than a month of the year...

  • I would.
    A recirc loop will make changes lightning quick.

  • edited May 2016

    Decided I'm probably not gonna go with the bigger dephlegmator. It's a bargain price for something twice the size but my water is pretty cold most of the time and I have limited ceiling height. That extra 15cm could be something else... (Another bubble plate one day?!)

    I have another question for those currently with hands on experience with these rigs... When I buy this thing I wanna get it right first time, so where do you find you get the most useful information from Thermowells?

    On a low plate to see changes in how the run is progressing at the boiler end?

    On the top plate so you can see the temp rise as heads become hearts?

    In the vapour path after the dephlegmator but before the product condenser to see what you are collecting in real time before the parrot tells you?

    All of the above?

  • edited May 2016

    Hi just a little mesh or a twister in the RC if it will not hold equilibrium, I use twisters because you can choose how much extra you need. I use temp at the bottom and the top. My bottom probe is in the headspace of the boiler, this is the most important reading. It does not monitor the temp of the liquid. The other probe is above the RC. It is only confirmation when compressing the tails. I would put it in the bottom plate or below.

    BTW heads will start at 88-91 tails 96-98 depending on what you are making and the ABV of the charge.

  • @rossco said: Hi just a little mesh or a twister in the RC if it will not hold equilibrium, I use twisters because you can choose how much extra you need. I use temp at the bottom and the top. My bottom probe is in the headspace of the boiler, this is the most important reading. It does not monitor the temp of the liquid. The other probe is above the RC. It is only confirmation when compressing the tails. I would put it in the bottom plate or below.

    Cool, I need a reducer between boiler and column anyway so will bang a probe in at that point, then put another in the bend between RC and PC.

    what are "twisters"?

  • edited May 2016

    Twist up a cigar shape for the scrubber material is what he is saying.....I think.

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  • Guessing it's thin strips of copper sheet twisted slightly to just fit in the tubes and direct the vapour to the walls while adding cooling surface.

    Or these Twisters maybe

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  • Ah,,,,maybe the latter lol.....

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  • edited May 2016

    Or maybe.....

    image.jpg
    192 x 128 - 3K

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  • edited May 2016

    This?

    image.jpg
    192 x 122 - 3K

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  • I'll have what he's having.

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  • On the advice of forum moderators Il start with the chicken twisters. Thanks guys :D

  • If you start with the last twister you'll enjoy the chicken one more.

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  • Lol. Sorry....It's the Don Julio talking lol.

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  • @Smaug said: Lol. Sorry....It's the Don Julio talking lol.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46Cfrl7hMoQ

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  • edited May 2016

    @punkin said: thin strips of copper sheet twisted slightly to just fit in the tubes and direct the vapour to the walls while adding cooling surface.

    Sorry I meant that one but feel free to make up what ever you like. Think I'll go withe the KFC as well.
    With the probe in the reducer, switch to small jars at about 96deg it will be useable a little higher.

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