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Introducing The StillDragon Electric Parrot

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  • I am a bit confused. Well that's quite common nowdays.

    I was last night looking at the vapour temperature thinking that this is how the electric parrot determines its %ABV value reading.

    Quite clearly its not when you compare it to the liquid vapour curves. Any further comments here as to how it's determining its values.

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  • I believe the algorithm compensates for atmospheric presure and ambient temperature. Not just straight vapor temp.

  • I am sure it does. Does anyone have the algorithim.

  • @punkin said: Very good question. We do intend to research a Pro Model for this, but it is a fair way down the track ATM. We will be opening it up for ideas and suggestions at a later date and we already have talked about some ideas in that regard of our own.

    First thing is to get the production model into the stores and that should be happening in a limited way very soon.

    When you get around to adding it to the IoT, please make it wireless and a REST interface.

  • I now see some light in the tunnel. The black temp display above the parrot had an +- 8 deg C read error which buggered me up.

    So some examples of my EXCEL algorithm are

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  78
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.968607363
            0.968607363
        Vapour                %ABV  96.86%
    

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  80
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.855785682
            0.855785682
        Vapour                %ABV  85.58%
    

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  82
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.810461257
            0.810461257
        Vapour                %ABV  81.05%
    

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  84
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.772609614
            0.772609614
        Vapour                %ABV  77.26%
    

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  86
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.733480469
            0.733480469
        Vapour                %ABV  73.35%
    

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  88
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.689313954
            0.689313954
        Vapour                %ABV  68.93%
    

    14 %ABV DETERMINATION FROM VAPOUR TEMPERATURE

        Temperature     °C  90
        Altitude                m   1
        Fudge factor    0
            0.636953962
            0.636953962
        Vapour                %ABV  63.70%
    
  • AFAIK, the electronic units use look up tables (arrays) for the normal pressure at sea level and boiling point at sea level.

    Look for the BP table produced by Herminio M. Brau and published in Technical Paper No. 19 titled “Compilation of equilibrium data for the system ethanol-water at atmospheric pressure” dated April 1957.

    The programmers then use the Clausius-Clapeyron equation to adjust the measured boiling point for the current atmospheric pressure.

  • How is it calibrated?

  • beyond my payscale. sorry.

    i guess you could do a test and reference the test result with the calculated result, but what then?

  • Whole lot better than the $5 floaties we sell, i guarantee.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • I sold my ss parrot and only use the electric parrot. Swear by it great bit of gear.

  • A nice addition would be an alarm that could be set for when the ABV drops to a certain point. I've found with a TPW spirit run that if the ABV drops below 85% there are tails in the product that make it undrinkable. Even at 84%. In the last week my housemate was looking after the runs and both times he finished around 81%, so I'll be looking after the 3rd run this weekend myself.

  • Interesting where people stop the run. This last weekend I met a person whom stops at 90% for when they do vodka runs.

  • @richard said: Interesting where people stop the run. This last weekend I met a person whom stops at 90% for when they do vodka runs.

    I've done that. Once the purity starts to drop out of azeotrope it's a quick slide thru concentrated and stinky tails.

    Normally I'll collect the next 2-3 liters tho and run it thru another feints run for cleaner or chemical use.

  • I've found on my VM column that the small amount of usable ethanol that can be extracted from the tails cut is not worth stinking up my equipment for. As soon as the thermometer wavers off of azeotrope temp I shut it down. YMMV.

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • @Kapea said: I've found on my VM column that the small amount of usable ethanol that can be extracted from the tails cut is not worth stinking up my equipment for. As soon as the thermometer wavers off of azeotrope temp I shut it down. YMMV.

    Same here. Its cheap enough to make to start with.

  • And keep in mind I can sell stuff above 70% as chemical grade cleanser for $7-15usd per liter.

  • edited May 2017

    @punkin said: The easiest is probably a ½” threaded male fitting with a built in compression nut.

    How do you assemble the compression parts? Are A and B below aligned up exactly as they need to be inserted into the fitting?

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  • Exactly as you have it So probe goes in nut - B - A - base

  • @GD50 Thank you, and smaller diameter end of A and smaller diameter of B fit as shown?

  • I replace both A and B with a nylon/teflon ferrule and never damage the tube, and in most cases do not even need a wrench to seal.

  • Very true. Generally once tightened it is permanent. I will hunt around for the plastic ones. It's not so much damage the tube more the ferrules get rock tight on the tube and can't be removed.

  • @CothermanDistilling a nylon/teflon ferrule sounds nice, do you have the spec for the one you used as the replacement?

  • edited May 2017

    @richard said:

    image

    Just a word of warning with the temps shown on the el'chepo units, they are ok but never calibrated and the probes are in a stainless thermowell, so slower and can have a difference if not using thermal grease etc, but the ep probe is in the actual vapour path if that helps.

    Fadge

  • edited May 2017

    Electric parrot arrived today.
    Decided to test it against the other precision digital thermometer in my house.

    • 78.2°C read as 96% ABV
    • 78.4°C was 94% ABV
    • 78.7°C was 93% ABV

    You can also see my dinner in the photo which was removed from the bath for this experiment. That beef rib went back in the bath at 55°C for another few hours :D

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  • haha - the Anova is a bit big to fit in a thermowell!

    I'm loving my anova BTW. did some awesome steaks over the weekend.

  • The Electric Parrot is a great bit of kit. It's only when you start using it that you realise the drawbacks of a conventional parrot, especially with the cheap alcometers that can vary by a few points from unit to unit.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited June 2017

    I would love to purchase one of these units, would prefer if it was offered in a case mountable kit. Just want to through it in my existing control box, I keep waiting for the promised "Pro" model. Any news on this?!

  • Hmm does the precision thermometer have automatic adjustment for pressure?

  • Is there any chance that these will ever be available again? I just found these and would love to have one!!

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