richard1

Just had a heat wave this side .... Almost 40 deg C.

Also ...... ensure that you have decent earthing especially if you are running any instrunmentation

Thanks @Southernhighlander and @starcat and @silk-city-distillers. All instrumentation that I am doing is low voltage (24VDC)

Brilliant that's really well done and thanks for responding. But you may or may not want to answer the following. Of your total electrical / instrumentation supply the only item that has an actual Ex rating ..... is your agitator. The rest have Nema ratings and or have good practice supply selection etc. or how ever you may wish to put it. I in my build am trying to do as much right as possible without going absolutely overboard in equipment selection. For example, level switch .... I am using the Endress & Hauser FTL31. Pressure transmitter and temperature transmitter ..... All are closed, have good sealing with M12 connections or proper sealing glands and further, none are EX rated. This is my dilemma. Am I asking for trouble.

My primary panel is intended as a minimum +6m (~20 feet) away from the still and potentially more. In this case I will still need a small intermediate panel on the still for connection of all connecting instrumentation. In addition, I will have another small enclosure for the HMI. The distance is more important for the cable to the heating elements from the 3 phase, 4-20mA SSR within the primary panel. Here I am concerned about its heat within the panel as the SSR is quite a brute in size and am not able to install external heat sinks. So some cooling potentially needs to be considered.

I agree. But the big issue is what are the various suppliers supplying and here there is silence. Maybe because it's a can of worms that they don't want opened. I am all for doing the right thing but if they are not doing it, well then what to use or what is acceptable. For example, a NEMA rated panel does not mean Ex rated. Ex involves extra sealing, closure mechanism etc. The same goes for other instrumentation on the still e.g. level switches, pressure transmitters and temperature transmitters. Agitators is / are the apparent exception where the standard has the required rating for the motor. The control panel I would prefer to mount on the still but my gut feel safety, is saying +6m away. Just my thoughts on the issue.

I am off in a tail spin with regards to CORRECT requrements and what people are doing with respect to Ex requirements. The area around parrot and manhole is is Cl 1 / Div 1 and other areas immediate to still are Cl 1 Div 2. So here comes the question...... What are people doing about the following instrumentation requirements on the still or immediate to it, because to do EVERYTHING in Cl 1 / Div 1 or 2 is unbeleiveably expensive Enclosure (panel) Switches, plugs etc. Lights on panel Level switches Temperature transmitters Pressure transmitters I understand the comment ... well what's the value or cost of life BUT nothing that I see supplied by all suppliers is either Cl 1 Div 1 or 2

This poses a question. Delicate botanicals / flowers can not be macerated and distilled in the kettle. Juniper, coriander etc. can. Delicates are far better suited in the hot vapour path and here's the question; How far above the kettle fill level do they need to be. ...... Is it okay for them to be just above (base of column) or, is it essential for them to be as high as possible ??

No, you get a variety of available gasket materials be it for DIN unions, tri-clover etc. Generally Silicone, Buna, EPDM are all available from process piping suppliers.

Interesting version of a gin basket (the insert). I just wonder how easy it is to effectively load the botanicals especially the required amounts considering the layers and side gap. But on a completely side note of safety and general discussion regarding Atex requirements, over eager inspectors and all the talk regarding it, ...... is one not playing with proverbial fire considering the proximity of the controller to the kettle, the assembled instruments not being Atex rated etc. I would have had it installed at least +6m away.

Silicone is also great. Just make sure that it is at 80 shore hardness.

I would like to see an end to this discussion and find it apalling. Further I think it ought be removed from the site. I say this because its nothing short of competitor bashing when the guy (Corson) is down and out and further trying to say how much better yourselves are. Has Corson cocked up and has he got a case to answer to. Hell Yes, 6 love so. No I don't know him and neither do I want to know him. I believe that the ADI community is now sufficiently aware of why you don't buy from them. Enough of my rant and cheers to everyone on that side of the pond.

Some basic undrstanding from the web and had to look these items up. http://mezcalphd.com/2013/10/mezcal-tequila-sotol-bacanora-raicilla-pulque-and-more/

But you know what they say about the wheels turning slowly .......!!!!

In fairness, yes it was a crappy weld ..... not everyone is a welder and he obviously does not know better. But the other weld of the male butt to the pipe is also not perfect. Great colour but too much undercut.

You can also simply add the flavoured concentrate into the bottle strength product. Full flavour, but a heathen approach.

thanks

Interesting recipe. If you for fermentation were to instead use fresh cane juice, would you use the same amount of yeast. I know by previous posts that you really like to use bakers yeast, but is there any other better or recommended yeast for an improved taste profile. Lastly would you during fermentation advocate agitation after the remaining yeast is sprinkled on surface top. Cheers, Richard

The majority of these are on the weld line. Rather get some pickling paste from some SS welders.

I can see a sale coming up.

Consistency. I love the idea of barrels and it all sounds right BUT is it not the better way (for consistency) to rather use new charred staves with a 53G drum or similar. In this way you know that you are putting in new and same quantities with every batch.

Really nice comments coming out. Here in South Africa, the farmers first burn the cane fields and then harvest within 24hrs for immediate delivery to the mills. The rum guy I visited, indicated that it takes 3,000kg cane to produce 750L juice. The cane he hammer mills and then uses an almighty piston press for the juice.

So it begs the questions ..... 1 If you used the boiled down sugar cane juice into mollasses and proceded from there, would you still get the same "funk" rum flavour as you would from a sugar cane juice fermentation. 2. Which gives the better final product flavour .... juice or mollasses version as above I ask these questions because I have been recently looking at rum from sugar cane juice and have been pondering about logistics as I am a days drive away from sugar cane juice areas.

Can I ask a silly question here .... do you require an atex motor with the Mori filler ??

I think I am "period" out and @Silk City Distillers I am as potentially as with others, not in complete agreement with you. So be it. But seriously, @indyspirits, I think you are at a cross road and will have to seriously consider production ideology whether you wish to go the continous route or stick with traditional kettle route because they are obviously fundamentally different with both having degrees of pro's and con's not to mention high capital costs.