countertop distiller to reclaim ethanol

pseudostelariae · Mar 30, 2014

does anyone have experience using a simple countertop still to reclaim alcohol from full spectrum extractions?
http://www.amazon.com/Megahome-Countertop-Distiller-Stainless-Bottle/dp/B000ANW7HQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396209140&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=megahome+stainless+steel

the idea is to pick one of these up, do a 30 minute soak in hot ethanol with flowers and trim, winterize the solution, filter it and then distill the ethanol away for furthur use to leave a nice, clean, full spectrum extract without excessive chlorophyll or waxes.

pseudostelariae · Mar 30, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIaA6N9dELY

it works :dance013:

hoping the extra winterization makes it even cleaner :tiphat:

jump /injack · Mar 31, 2014

That was a very informative post. Gray Wolf has a DIY reclamation still that you might want to look at also. I didn't know that a reclamation still like that existed for that little of money, done like Jump 117 does [very carefully] it you'd have very fine product. I hope someone has been using one of these and chime's in and lets us know how it worked.

I went to Amazon and read some of the comments, most were pleased with the unit for distilling water, looks like a way to go. One of the comments was about a bad weld and the water leaked into the electrical, I sure wouldn't want 190 to ever do that, don't think I'd sleep much if this was in the kitchen cooking off alcohol. Of course that YouTube tutorial said a few times that this was for the outside of the house or apartment and not to be used inside.

Here is the URL for Gray Wolf's reclamation still, lots of good information there: http://skunkpharmresearch.com/alcohol-reclaim-still/

EsterEssence · Mar 31, 2014

Use Gray Wolf's diy set up. I would not recommend leaving something like that full of alc cooking in the house all night!!!

pseudostelariae · Mar 31, 2014

EsterEssence said:
Use Gray Wolf's diy set up. I would not recommend leaving something like that full of alc cooking in the house all night!!!

looks like a great DIY but unfortunately i'm short on tools and workspace. plus i already ordered it. oh well, i'm no stranger to 8 hour days just watching the pressure cooker do it's thing. with a spare in-line sitting next to the distiller sending any vapor outside, it should be a pretty boring cakewalk but relatively safe.

EsterEssence · Mar 31, 2014

Well from what you say you do not leave it unattended, I would never leave a pot of alc cooking. You will be able to use the alc one more time before it grabs too much water.

pseudostelariae · Mar 31, 2014

is there any way to dry the alcohol? re-distill possibly? in other experiments i've used epsom salt to soak up excess moisture from non-polar solvents but admittedly, i'm no chemist.

EsterEssence · Mar 31, 2014

Re distill in a reflux still is the only way I know of.

pseudostelariae · Mar 31, 2014

for now a water cooled graham condenser is the best i can do. should help a little bit. thanks for the input!

Gray Wolf · Mar 31, 2014

pseudostelariae said:
is there any way to dry the alcohol? re-distill possibly? in other experiments i've used epsom salt to soak up excess moisture from non-polar solvents but admittedly, i'm no chemist.

As noted, a compound refluxing still will run it back up to the azeotropic 95.6%, or under vacuum closer to 99%.

Joe tells me that Dri rite can be used to dry ethanol.

jump /injack · Mar 31, 2014

DRIERITE

DRIERITE

Gray Wolf said:
As noted, a compound refluxing still will run it back up to the azeotropic 95.6%, or under vacuum closer to 99%.

Joe tells me that Dri rite can be used to dry ethanol.

"The quantity of DRIERITE necessary to dry a particular batch of liquid must be sufficient to absorb all of the water available as determined by a sample analysis. DRIERITE has a theoretical chemical capacity for water of 6.6%; however, in liquid phase drying, we recommend that 5% be used as a design capacity for the entire column. In other words, 100 pounds of DRIERITE should be used for each 5 pounds of water to be absorbed.  In addition to the above consideration, the size of the drying column or desiccant bed may have to be determined by the flow rate of the liquid to be dried if this flow cannot be adjusted." More at:
https://secure.drierite.com/catalog3/page18.cfm

This DRIERITE seems like the way to go and its re-useable. Not talking about a lot of water in 190, an easy computation.

RegisPhilburn1 · Apr 1, 2014

3a molecular sieve beads are very efficient at drying ethanol. You can get them food grade too. Also reusable.

pseudostelariae · Apr 22, 2014

this works quite well. i've been reclaiming about 75% of the everclear used and depending on how long i soak/stir and whether or not i do a quick wash with frozen material/alcohol or just simmer material and winterize before distillation i've been yielding about 10% clear golden oil on QWET and over 20% of dark, almost black oil from the runs i simmered/winterized. i'll post more exact numbers and lab reports once everything has been tested.

smokegold · Feb 21, 2015

Is it legal to operate a counter top still for this purpose in the US?

ghostmade · Feb 21, 2015

^^^good question

Gray Wolf · Feb 22, 2015

smokegold said:
Is it legal to operate a counter top still for this purpose in the US?

Joe likes his Megahome still.

There is wiggle room for a still under a gallon capacity and for use in a lab or essential oil production, but the laws were written to insure that Uncle gets his drinking liquor taxes.

If you were to start selling alcohol, you could count on them being on your doorstep. They would have to be pretty bored, want you badly, or be looking for charges to add on, to be concerned about you recovering tax paid alcohol without paying the taxes one more time.

The laws governing who can get a distillers license, don't allow residences, because of fire safety ordinances.

G.O. Joe · Feb 22, 2015

Public safety might have been what the federal government said they had in mind when enacting 27 CFR 19.51, but the thought of fire probably never occurred to the author.

There is a lot of alcohol law to run afoul of just in 27 CFR, so even if you think you qualify as an industrial user not requiring licensure, the authorities will probably think otherwise.

Gray Wolf · Feb 23, 2015

G.O. Joe said:
Public safety might have been what the federal government said they had in mind when enacting 27 CFR 19.51, but the thought of fire probably never occurred to the author.

There is a lot of alcohol law to run afoul of just in 27 CFR, so even if you think you qualify as an industrial user not requiring licensure, the authorities will probably think otherwise.

Here are a couple of good links on both subjects!

http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/27/19.51

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/5171

Medfinder · Mar 27, 2018

Off brand 63 dollar counter top water distiller.

Used 1.75 of cheap vodka.

The trickle started within 15 minutes.

when the trickle stops to a drip that's distilled water. 1.75 cheap vodka at end had yellow impuritys that cleaned out with rag.

95 percent ehtyl amount approx .82 liter recovered.

:biggrin:

dybert · Mar 27, 2018

These things are awesome...

These things are awesome...

I've literally distilled hundreds, if not thousands of gallons of ethanol through them.

countertop distiller to reclaim ethanol

Active member

Active member

Member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Active member

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.

Member

Member

Active member

New member

Active member

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.

Well-known member

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.

Chemon 91

Active member