I ran another 5 gallons tonight and made a video of my operation. Sorry about turning the camera in the middle of the video!

Here's a link directly to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdpr5..._order&list=UL

 

Nice setup Dave. Looks like fun to make your own corn juice

 

Thanks warp, it is fun, the most fun for me is just figuring it all out of course. Now that it's all built the actual distilling part is easy, you can pretty much light the fire, set the column temp and just walk off. This last batch I ran I was doing other things and would just go back occasionally to double check the boiler/column temp and maybe make a quick adjustment. At first I was like a dad with a new born kid, constantly checking on it and watching. Now I've found it pretty much runs itself.

In order for it to be cost effective I have to get my wash to a higher percentage of alcohol, distilling it at 12-14% doesn't make doing it very productive or cost effective. The fermentation has kicked my *** from the beginning but I'm starting to get a grasp on it.

Last night I drained the boiler from the last run. The old wash that was coming out smelled sweet to me. I dipped my finger in it and gave it a taste, I could still taste sugar in it. That tells me it wasn't fully fermented (which I knew anyway). I decided to give fermenting it again a shot and took the old wash and put it in a new barrel, added some sugar and left what was probably 15 gallons of fresh wash in the barrel. So I've got a real mixture going on it there! I want to see though it if will take off on its own and if it will end up making some decent wash. If so it saves money not using any new yeast, hopefully will eat up the sugar left in the old wash and I didn't have to run new water.

 

Ever consider wiring in the Zeitronix Ethanol Content Analyzer into your system so you can get a realtime analysis of your ethanol production? Its a 12V system so should be easy to wire into your setup.

 

This reminds me of the E100 setups from a long time ago that cost about $10k. I found a link to a newer artical about them. Seems pretty smart to do, but not at that price range they are talking about. I love your setup and it makes me reconsider doing something like that. Maybe not as "independant" as yours tho. Mad props


http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/4262690

 

Check, out www.milehighdistilling.com they have still, that's where I bought mine. You can also go online and buy plans for a Charles 803, which is the design I have and build one out of copper, soldered together, like mine for maybe $300. Some guys have made them out of PVC and they work too, those can be done for $100.

I didn't think about the Zietronix ethanol content meter but it's a hell of a good idea. I wonder if fuel will flow though it very easily though or if it would have to be pushed. If it has to be pushed it won't work and it has to flow through fast enough to not back the tower up. I'm going to look into that, it's a great idea, thanks.

 

This thread is awesome, good job getting the purification down.

So......... Hows it taste?

 

Ski- I am not sure that would work for what he is doing- from what I understand with this type of sensor is that it will read the water. From what I recall water reads highest, methanol second highest, and ethanol 3rd. Air exposure on a similar Kent Moore tester will always make them read richer on alcohol because of moisture absorption. In our lab at the ethanol plant we use a very different test for water in ethanol- a Karl Fischer test is run.

The Zeitronix is a great unit for measuring dry ethanol % content vs gasoline- just dont think it can see water as anything other than alcohol unless I am wrong here.

Nice thread David !

 

Ah that's true. Not sure how the GM Ethanol sensor will react to the water....

 

You are correct. I guess I'll stick with my hydrometer and thermometer, which is what I've been using.

This weekend I decided, while driving hundreds of miles, to distill my finished runs again. I'm going to fill my 55 gallon barrel I've been working on and then run it all through the boiler/still again. This will be the quickest way to get the purity way up on what I have. Then from there I'll finish drying the water with Zeolite.

 

Dave,
That's some great moonshine! Hope all of it does not go into the car!
You don't have a strange pizza delivery van parked in front of the shop by any chance?

Regarding ECA, Flex Fuel sensor flows well, there is no restriction but reads E% in petrol. Water ethanol mix gives you E100% reading.

 

Thank you Zeitronix, sounded like a good idea but didn't think about the water until it was pointed out. Great product you have!

 

A distiller calls us about once a week. Everything from a hippy running against black suits to big industrial distillers. Apparently everybody is using gravity hydrometers. There is no electronic device at this point to measure alcohol proof.

 

Well then, WHAT IS THE HOLD UP FOR THE NEW PRODUCT RELEASE!!!

 

It would need a very different sensor. Anything can be done with enough beer, time and $$$. If I dedicate all my time to brand new sensor development you will buying Chinese widebands.