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Dephleg hotter than column


jenschmunk@gmail.com

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Pete,

 

Jen is very new to this.  That coupled with the fact that Hawke Probate, who sold her the still, did not have a clue how this still should be operated and could not help her in any way makes it is easy to understand why she was having so many issues.  Considering all of that, it is easy to understand why she thought that an adjustment to heat or coolant flow would cause an immediate reaction, within a few seconds.  Of course with this still, it takes minutes for changes in heat and coolant flow to take full effect.  My guess is that she had the heat up high and the coolant flow very low, almost off, and the coolant got very hot from the vapor and then she turned the heat back so far that vapor was not being pushed into that column and the coolant was still very hot.  That would cause the dehplegmator to be hotter than the lower part of the column at that point.  With heat and coolant adjustments occurring very quickly and reaction times being the way they are, lots of different affects from adjustments could happen, which would explain all of the above.   

The issues here were caused by the company who sold Jen this still.  Not only did they not have the knowledge or ability to instruct her on how to operate the still, they also refused to help her when the still's electrical system would not pass the electrical or safety inspections.  Basically they told Jen, that is your problem.  Jen had to pay over $8,000.00 for electricians to bring the electrical system up to code.  If I had sold her the still, my electrical system would have passed the safety and electrical inspections and if it had not, (which is extremely unlikely) then I would have paid the $8,000.00 so that it would. 

I have a message for Hawke Probate Distillation.  Your reputation is on the line here.  You should do the right thing and reimburse Jen for the over $8,000.00 for the electrical system.  It is your responsibility to do so.  When you sell people stills that do not function as they should or if work has to be done to the still by someone else because it is deemed unsafe then you are responsible for making it right.  You put Jen and her team in danger, because your equipment was unsafe and you put her in danger because you lacked the ability to teach her how to run the still correctly.  You created a nightmare situation for her.  You need to do 3 things.  Reimburse her the $8,000.00.  Stop selling stills that you do not understand how to operate, before you get someone killed.   Stop selling stills with electrical systems that are built in China that are unsafe and will not pass Canadian and or US safety or electrical inspections. 

Some advice for those purchasing stills.  There are 3 distillery equipment venders out there, besides Hawke, that are doing this sort of thing.  They import directly from China and they know little or nothing about how to design or operate a more complex still.  If you purchase from them, you are making a very big mistake.  Do your due diligence.  If they cannot give you good references for a still just like the one that they want to sell you, do not purchase from them.  If they cannot guarantee that their still will pass safety and electrical inspections, do not purchase from them.  Non UL CE listed electrical systems from Europe and especially China will not pass most US and Canadian electrical inspections.  Only buy stills with electrical systems made from all UL for the US and or (CUL listed parts if you are in Canada).  Furthermore make sure that the electrical systems meet the requirements of either the NEC 409 standard or the UL 508 standard for the US or similar standards in Canada.  If you need help, email me paul@distillery-equipment.com or call 417-778-6100 and ask for Paul.

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On 11/13/2018 at 2:47 PM, Southernhighlander said:

Jen,

Mike said that he helped you to get your still functioning correctly.  Is everything still working okay?   If you need anymore help just let us know.

Hi Paul, 

Sorry I missed this message! Yes he did. He was such a great help and yes, we got it going! It still floods badly into the second bubble plate on the second column, BUT we are running! Thank you again!! 

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12 hours ago, jenschmunk@gmail.com said:

Hi Paul, 

Sorry I missed this message! Yes he did. He was such a great help and yes, we got it going! It still floods badly into the second bubble plate on the second column, BUT we are running! Thank you again!! 

That's your first bottom plate that's flooding.  The sight glass below that (first sight glass at the bottom of the column) does not have a plate behind it.   Next time you do a run call us again and Mike will see if he can help balance the columns better so that the bottom plate in the 2nd column does not flood.  However, as long as the flooding does not go higher it's not an issue that will keep you from running or maintaining the proof that you want.

 

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