Interesting solution The equipment of the distiller is considered to be a tubular electric heater (TEH). The device is quite quickly distills mash And does not require installation on a stove or oven. True, electricity generates money, and the re-equipment itself will also force you to spend a little money.
Let's figure out what kind of heating element we need and how to properly install it into the distillation cube. Of course, you can purchase a ready-made one, but its price will be noticeably higher. In this case, you can try to do everything on your own.
A heating element with a BUILT-IN thermostat (from 300 to 2000 rubles) is best suited.
Best fit Heating element with stainless steel thermostat. Depending on the power, they cost from 300 rubles and more. Decent ones can be purchased for 2 thousand rubles, which will serve you faithfully for quite a long time.
Each volume of mash requires its own power:
The shape of the heater does not matter. The main thing is that it screws into the tank.
- Up to 10 liters – 1 kW.
- Up to 20 liters – 2 kW.
- Up to 30 liters – 3 kW.
- Up to 40 liters – 4 kW.
Roughly speaking, for every 10 liters of mash you need 1 kW of power. For large cubes, you can install two heaters at once.
Moreover, during heating, both work, and after the temperature of the start of evaporation (63 degrees) we turn on only one.
A detailed video about the types of heating elements and their operation can be viewed on the Youtube channel Hootch Moonshine. Even though the guys advertise their products, they still tell a decent amount of information and share their experience with other moonshiners.
How to properly install a heating element in a moonshine still
With welding
This is the method most often used. It does not require the purchase of additional equipment, although welding skills are required. The method is considered not entirely reliable for the reason that due to welding, the seam near the bottom of the cube is broken, as a result of which it can burst and leak.
Therefore, at your own risk take a welder and weld the clamp two inches into a similar hole, which must be cut in advance (a drill bit costs 250 rubles). Then the heating element will be quietly screwed in there, and after distillation it will be removed back.
This process is clearly shown in the video from the channel Steel Jet, where the author of the video shows the conversion of a Luxstal distillation cube.
No welding
An innovative solution was invented by the guys from the online store moonshine-i-vodka.ru, who identified the negative impact of welding on stills. It was decided to insert the heaters without welding. For this we only need special nut And sealing ring for heating element(native will not work).
The work looks like this:
Screwed-in heating element without welding.
- Using a drill with a crown, a hole is drilled for the heating element. This is usually two inches, but varies depending on the size and power of the heater.
- The original ring is removed from the heater and a special one is put on (Where can I get it? More on that later).
- A heating element is inserted into the hole, and a special nut is screwed onto it from the inside, which firmly attaches the heater to the container.
As a result, the ring follows the contours of the container, and the nut tightens everything. As a result, no welding or unnecessary work.
This set is sold in a specialized store, which I mentioned a little earlier. I didn't find a price for the nut, but the ring costs only 70 rubles. In any case, this matter will not be very expensive, because the nut, although unique, is quite simple. You can see all this in the video below.
Pros and cons of using heating elements
The main advantages are simplicity And speed distillation. There is no need to put the container on the fire, you can choose any room or even distill moonshine on the street. Heating occurs quickly.
However, not everything is so rosy. We are losing money, and the quality of distillation may be impaired if we do not buy a thermostat and a thermometer.
The heating element must always be immersed in water. Otherwise it will burn out.
- Heating element costs money. You won’t be able to do everything yourself for free, and a ready-made cube with a heater will cost even more.
- Electricity. All heating elements consume relatively a lot of energy, so this cost can be immediately included in the cost of one bottle of moonshine.
- Thermostat required. In villages they drink it without it, but sometimes the mash burns and the taste of the drink becomes clearly worse. In order not to take risks and adequately control the process, you will need to overpay for a temperature regulator.
Is the game worth the candle? In our opinion, it's very worth it.
For all the re-equipment, we don’t pay so much money that we have to strain our backs and drag the cube onto the stove.
Preparation of moonshine and alcohol for personal use
absolutely legal!
After the collapse of the USSR, the new government stopped the fight against moonshine. Criminal liability and fines were abolished, and the article banning the production of alcohol-containing products at home was removed from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. To this day, there is not a single law that prohibits you and me from engaging in our favorite hobby - preparing alcohol at home. This is evidenced by the Federal Law of July 8, 1999 No. 143-FZ “On Administrative Responsibility legal entities(organizations) and individual entrepreneurs for offenses in the field of production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products" (Collected Legislation Russian Federation, 1999, N 28, art. 3476).
Excerpt from Federal Law RF:
“The effect of this Federal Law does not apply to the activities of citizens (individuals) producing products containing ethyl alcohol for purposes other than sale.”
Moonshining in other countries:
In Kazakhstan in accordance with the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Administrative Offenses dated January 30, 2001 N 155, the following liability is provided. Thus, according to Article 335 “Manufacture and sale of home-made alcoholic beverages”, illegal production of moonshine, chacha, mulberry vodka, mash and other alcoholic beverages for the purpose of sale, as well as the sale of these alcoholic beverages, entails a fine in the amount of thirty monthly calculation indices with confiscation of alcoholic beverages , apparatus, raw materials and equipment for their manufacture, as well as money and other valuables received from their sale. However, the law does not prohibit the preparation of alcohol for personal use.
In Ukraine and Belarus things are different. Articles No. 176 and No. 177 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses provide for the imposition of fines in the amount of three to ten tax-free minimum wages for the production and storage of moonshine without the purpose of sale, for the storage of devices* for its production without the purpose of sale.
Article 12.43 repeats this information almost word for word. “Production or acquisition of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), storage of apparatus for their production” in the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses. Point No. 1 states: “Manufacturing individuals strong alcoholic drinks (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), as well as storage of devices* used for their production - entail a warning or a fine of up to five basic units with confiscation of these drinks, semi-finished products and devices.”
*You can still purchase moonshine stills for home use, since their second purpose is to distill water and obtain components for natural cosmetics and perfumes.
A tubular electric heater is a metal tube (copper, stainless steel, aluminum) into which a chromium-nickel spiral is inserted. The gap between the inner walls of the tube and the heater is filled with a special dielectric powder that conducts heat well but eliminates electrical contact. The powder used is dry quartz sand of the smallest fractions or periclase (magnesium oxide in crystalline form).
Heating element, contrary to popular belief, is not a new invention. Patent for schematic diagram A similar heater was issued back in 1859 in the USA (the inventor was engineer Simpson). The powder-filled ones were granted a patent by the General Electric Company in 1915. Their novelty lies in the fact that they have only been allowed to be produced outside the United States since 1955.
Every person who has an old-style electric kettle or a household boiler is familiar with the heating element - an indispensable attribute of all Soviet business travelers. TEN are produced in the form of a tube bent in the form of a paper clip or in the form of a one or two-turn spiral on long legs. Some elements are filled not with sand, but with dielectric oil, but such heating elements are relatively rare.
You can install the heating element yourself
If desired, the heating element can be installed on any device with a steam chamber. To do this, just drill two holes for the heater in the tank and secure it there, sealing it securely.
The electrical outputs of the heating elements are isolated from the housing with ceramic inserts, which prevent breakdown. If the heating element's spiral burns out, which can happen during prolonged operation in an airy or dry environment, the spiral simply breaks off and the heating element stops heating. There is an opinion that if the spiral burns out, it may become deformed and touch the body, which is unsafe. Yes, such a danger exists theoretically, and it is possible that out of thousands of heating elements, a breakdown will occur in yours. It’s better to play it safe and throw away the burnt-out heating element. It is almost impossible to repair them, and buying a new one is not too burdensome for the budget.
Moonshine stills with heating element
The design of a distiller with a steam steamer or a rectifier with a heating element differs from a conventional one only in the presence of a heater built into the volume of the evaporator. A moonshine still with a heating element works on the same principle, and there is no need to consider the operation of the remaining parts. We are interested in the evaporator.
A special feature of the device is that the mash is in direct contact with the heater. The heating area is small, which leads to the occurrence of complex thermodynamic processes in the liquid volume. At a time when the liquid in direct contact with the heating element is already heated to boiling point, the neighboring areas are still cold. We have to wait until convection currents level out the temperature and the boiling process begins throughout the entire volume. For cubes with a capacity of 10 - 15 liters this is not a problem, but for forty-liter cubes the preheating time increases significantly.
The heating elements are installed near the very bottom of the vessel, so the mash is heated more or less evenly throughout the entire volume. But there is another problem here - electrical moonshine still prone to burning mash. To eliminate this unpleasant phenomenon, which spoils the taste of the finished drink, the mash should be strained, allowed to stand for several hours and strained again through a fine sieve. Pieces of yeast or flavoring particles contained in the liquid may burn. By straining and settling the mash, it is possible to reduce their quantity to a minimum.
Calculation of heating element power
When choosing a device with a heating element or making it yourself, you should remember that there must be at least two heaters, or one powerful one, but equipped with a power regulator, electronic or mechanical.
It is enough to equip a moonshine still with a heating element with a volume of up to 25 liters with heaters with a power of 1 and 1.5 kW, or one 3-kilowatt with a regulator. With a volume of 25 - 40 liters, heaters of 1.5 and 3 kW or one of 5 kW will be required. This is determined by the operating mode - the electric moonshine still is first turned on at full power for rapid heating, then, especially when working with a steamer or in the rectification mode, the more powerful heating element is turned off and distillation occurs more slowly.
The presence of an electric regulator is much more convenient than two heating elements. In this case, the temperature can be adjusted very smoothly, which is especially important in devices with a distillation column.
Such a regulator can be purchased separately; even if you have a device with two heaters, connecting it is easy. It is convenient to do this on a higher power heating element.
Once you acquire some skills in working with an electric moonshine still with a steamer, you no longer want to go back to a conventional one. Industrially manufactured devices, for example, “Saturn”, “Umelets”, “Vesely bearded man”, “Bavarian” are equipped with a steamer, some with a bubbler, thermostats, thermometers and other accessories that allow you to turn the process of moonshine brewing into pure pleasure.
When purchasing a device with a heating element, pay attention to what material the heater body and the cube itself are made of. If they are made of stainless steel or copper, then there will be no problems. Aluminum products are not only harmful to health, but also short-lived - electrochemical corrosion will quickly render them unusable.
The second thing you should pay attention to is the cost of electricity. Heating elements are quite voracious and can “wind up” a decent amount in one distillation session. When using the device once or twice a month, it is practically unnoticeable, but with more frequent use it becomes noticeable.
Experience shows that electric moonshine stills, especially the latest models, are much more convenient to use than traditional ones. Give it a try.
Heating a container with mash for the production of homemade strong drinks It is carried out not only on a gas, wood or electric stove. The heating element for a moonshine still allows you to operate it anywhere with power supply, without being tied to a specific point. Built-in electric heaters are becoming increasingly popular among home-grown distillers. Let's look at their characteristics and installation methods.
General information
The network presents many modifications of heating elements for moonshine stills, as well as the units themselves. Craftsmen not only adapt suitable equipment and compete in originality, but also create competitive products suitable for the most demanding users.
A still with a built-in heater has pros and cons. Let's try to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the devices in question, and also consider their varieties.
Advantages
Among the advantages, the following points are noted:
- the mobility of the unit, allowing it to be used in a separate place without occupying the kitchen stove for several hours at a time;
- it is possible to install heaters in volumetric cubes, without the need to remove them or install them on the furnace;
- no additional installation of oversized distillation column, which may not fit under the hood;
- the mash reaches operating temperature faster when alcohol vapor accelerates;
- distillation can be fully automated.
Flaws
Like any device, the heating element for a moonshine still has its drawbacks in its design. These include significant costs electrical energy, which affects the increase in utility bills. In addition, mash particles sometimes stick to the heater elements and burn. This leads to a deterioration in the taste of the final product. The price of the devices in question is higher than conventional analogues, which also does not suit some consumers.
Design and principle of operation
For a moonshine still, the design includes the following parts:
- a metal tube of various configurations made of stainless steel or non-ferrous alloys;
- internal insulator in the form of a magnesium mixture and quartz sand with a spiral nichrome thread inside;
- output studs;
- sealing sealing bushings;
- fixing nuts;
- output for the power cable.
After assembly, sealing and electrical insulation work, the unit is ready for operation. An important element The design includes a steam chamber for a moonshine still. After all, this is where most of the waste is collected after the distillation. It is worth noting that heaters are not allowed for operation without liquid. This is fraught with failure of the element and the risk of fire.
The operating principle of heating elements is based on the type of electric boiler. Current passes through the filament, heating it. The spiral transfers temperature to the internal filler, after which the walls of the tube and the working fluid are heated.
Choosing a heating element for a moonshine still
In order not to be disappointed in the unit, when choosing it you need to pay attention to three important factors:
- Power. The standard figure is 1-5 kW. The larger the volume of the cube, the more powerful the heater is needed.
- Method of operation. You should buy a device to work in liquid.
- Design form. It is necessary that the heater completely enters the cube, and the working fluid (mash) covers it completely, without leaving bare areas.
Installation of heating elements in a moonshine still
This task is not difficult to cope with. The work consists of several stages:
- At a distance of 50 millimeters from the bottom of the cube, holes are drilled for mounting fasteners, which are cleaned.
- Sealing bushings are put on the output studs, and the end switches are inserted into the holes.
- Seal bushings are also installed on the outer part.
- A special sealant or “epoxy” is added to the hole between the sealing elements, after which the nuts are carefully tightened with moderate force.
- Connect the thermostat if it is provided in the design.
- Isolate connections.
The second method of installing a stainless steel heating element is welding. It is quite popular because it does not require the purchase of additional accessories if the user has a welding machine and the appropriate skills. This method is not the most reliable, since the bottom seam of the cube is broken and may leak over time.
The essence of the process is to place the working clamp 5 centimeters into a pre-prepared hole. It is cut out using a special drill attachment (“crown”). Seat carefully scald. The result will be a nest into which the heater can be easily screwed in, which can be removed back after distillation.
Temperature control
A moonshine still with a heating element and a thermostat ensures operation without the need to turn the heater on and off mechanically. The temperature controller is available for free sale; a model with an indicator of up to 140 degrees is suitable. As an option, you can use heaters with a rod regulator (with single or double protection).
To distill the mash, a thermostat of 95 degrees is sufficient, since the liquid does not need to be brought to a boil. Some craftsmen, in order to avoid burning the wort, install a combined controller. An electric heating element is placed on one side, and a steam generator on the other. The first option is used for processing sugar (liquid) mash, and with the help of the second modification, thick wort is distilled.
If you have a desire to equip a moonshine heating element apparatus Please note that high-quality home-made alcoholic drinks require certain skills and appropriate components of equipment.
The overall design of the unit should include the following elements:
- Refrigeration compartment with a coil, which is required for proper distillation.
- A steamer for a moonshine still, responsible for screening out fusel and foreign impurities.
- Reinforcing column (tsarga) with filler. This detail helps to obtain raw alcohol increased purification strength 80-85 degrees.
- The thermometer is electronic or bimetallic, installed in a special capsule in the upper part of the cube.
A thermometer in the distillation container is necessary in order to control the process of distillation of alcohol vapor. At a temperature of 78.4-85 °C it begins to evaporate, and the dripping process itself begins at 65 °C. All liquid obtained at the lower marks refers to the “heads”. These are toxic substances saturated with methyl alcohol, acetone and other fusel additives. Such inclusions must be thrown away or added to the mash the next time.
As a rule, the first and last harmful drops make up about 10% of the distillation. An alternative calculation option is 50 milliliters for every 10 liters of mash. After reaching a temperature above 85 °C, fusel oils are also released with alcohol vapor, causing a severe hangover, even poisoning. These parts (“tails”) are dealt with in the same way as the “heads”. Remember, compliance with fire safety measures and technical recommendations is a guarantee not only of a high-quality product, along with the proper performance of the equipment, but also of your safety.
When distilling mash into moonshine, one of the most common methods of heating the distillation cube of a moonshine still is an ordinary household gas stove. In addition, depending on the circumstances, it can also be an induction or electric stove, and sometimes a regular fire.
However, there is another way to heat liquid in a cube - a tubular electric heater or, in short, a heating element. This trend is becoming more widespread due to its many benefits. Recently, not only manufacturers of professional equipment, but also home craftsmen have begun to equip their products with heating elements.
Components of the heating element and the principle of its operation
A tubular electric heater is a device that includes the following elements:
- Heating coil made of nichrome or fechral. The output power of the device directly depends on the thickness of the spiral and its resistance;
- The body is in the form of a metal tube. The shape of the tube can be very different - loop, spiral or double loop. The manufacturing material is most often stainless steel, but there are heating elements that are made from copper or its alloys;
- Filler made of quartz sand or magnesium mixture;
- Studs with which fastening is carried out;
- Sealing sleeves;
- Mounting nuts;
- Current carrying terminals to which power is supplied.
Attention!: Heating elements used in moonshine stills are designed to work in a liquid environment and using them without immersion in liquid is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, device failure is inevitable.
According to the principle of operation of the heating element, the installed moonshine still is no different from a household boiler. An electric current passed through an incandescent coil, due to resistance, heats it up to operating temperature. Heat from the coil is transferred to the filler, and from it to the metal body of the heating element. In turn, the body of the device gives off heat to the surrounding liquid, thereby heating the entire volume.
Choosing a heating element for a moonshine still
When choosing a heating element for a moonshine still, it is worth considering several important points, knowing and taking into account which when purchasing you will not be disappointed in purchasing the device:
- Purpose of the device. As mentioned above, heating elements must be purchased only for operation in a liquid environment.
- Device power. For domestic use, devices from 1 to 4 kilowatts are purchased.
If desired, you can use a special formula to calculate power, but you can also use the statement that for every 10 liters of liquid, 1 kW of power is enough, that is, per cubic meter:
- Up to 10 liters a heater with a power of 1 kilowatt is installed;
- Up to 20 liters – 2 kilowatts;
- Up to 30 liters – 3 kilowatts;
- Up to 40 liters – 4 kilowatts.
Also, a power regulator is needed to control the heating process during the distillation process.
Attention! Always compare the quality of your electrical wiring with the power of the heating element. An incorrectly selected heating element can lead, at best, to the operation of the machine in the panel, at worst, to a fire or death. Before purchasing a heating element, it is recommended to check your electrical wiring for compliance with the following indicators: electrical cable cross-section, rating circuit breaker in the shield, the quality of various connections (twisting). The heating element itself must also be checked for short circuits, resistance and voltage leakage to ground. If you do not know how to check your electrical wiring and heating element, then you should contact a specialist.
Note: The most common heating elements are power ratings from 1.5 to 3 kilowatts. This power is calculated for the volume of the distillation cube most convenient in household use. For this reason, devices of such power are installed on their devices not only by folk craftsmen, but also professional manufacturers. As an example, we can cite an excellent moonshine still LUXSTAHL 5 (Luxstal 5) with a heating element. It complies with GOST standards for electrical safety and has passed factory testing.
Temperature control
There is no need to explain the importance of temperature control during distillation. Even novice distillers know about the serious influence of this parameter on the final result.
Currently, distillers everywhere use industrial thermostats. Moreover, manufacturers offer heating elements for moonshine stills already equipped with a temperature control device. If your moonshine still provides the ability to use a heating element with a clamp mount, then in the assortment of our online store you can find a 3 kW heating element with a power regulator of excellent quality.
Pros and cons of using heating elements in moonshine
Manufacturers offer many different modifications of distillation cubes equipped with heating elements. Competition in this market is quite high and dictates its own rules. Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of such devices, since such equipment has both its fans and opponents.
Advantages of a moonshine still with a heating element
The advantages of a moonshine still equipped with a heating element and a power regulator include:
- High equipment mobility. The cube can be installed almost anywhere where electricity is available. This frees up space on the main plate, which can be used for other needs;
- The height of the drawer or distillation column often interferes with the installation of the apparatus under the hood. Installing a heating element solves this issue;
- Devices with a tubular electric heater reach operating modes more quickly, which makes the process of heating the mash faster and more uniform;
- The distillation process is completely under control. You can set any heating power, unlike the same induction cooker, where there are restrictions on the heating step;
Disadvantages of a moonshine still with heating element
The distillation process using devices with heating elements, unfortunately, also has negative sides. The main ones are:
- At high equipment capacities, significant energy consumption is observed;
- When distilling thick mash, there is a high probability of burning and deterioration in the taste of the final product;
- At self-production and installation of heating elements, there is a high probability of emergency situations associated with a discrepancy between the quality of electrical wiring and the power of the device;
