Distiller silicone tube diameter. Purpose and use of a silicone hose in a moonshine still

Almost any moonshine still is a network of nodes connected in sequence. It ensures the flow of the process.

In this case, the important point becomes the question of how exactly these nodes can be connected and what effect this will have on the final product.

And in order to fully understand what hoses are for moonshine still, what is their device and what materials can be used for their manufacture, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the topic in all details.

Hoses for moonshine are an indispensable element of any unit for distilling moonshine along with and. Although they are called hoses, the same category includes tubes made of different metals.

The main purpose of this element is to transport alcohol-containing steam from one unit to another, for example from alembic in, and out of it - into the refrigerator.

In addition, hoses are required to supply and drain water to the cooling circuit in the refrigerator and, if it is jacketed. The only model that does not use hoses to supply water to the refrigerator is this.

Device and principle of operation

The structure of steam and water pipes in a moonshine still is very simple. The product consists of a piece of tubing of the required length and diameter and fasteners at the ends.

There are two main types: threaded with a union nut and clamp.

The first is more convenient to use, more reliable, it cannot be ripped off by pressure, but its arrangement is more costly. If for the first it is necessary to weld pipes with threaded threads to the units of the unit, then for the second it is enough to equip the steam outlets with fittings, and this is much easier. It is not so convenient to use such a connector, and the clamped ends of the tube will gradually wear out from tightening the clamp.

The principle of operation of steam and water pipelines in a moonshine still is very simple, steam and liquid pass through them, but the conditions are somewhat different, which is why the requirements for their parameters are different.

In the water supply system supplying water for cooling the refrigerator and the jacket of the reflux condenser, the pressure is low, and the liquid does not have an aggressive chemical effect on the material of the walls.

In this regard, tubes from almost any material are suitable for its arrangement. It can be both rubber and PVC, silicone or other polymeric materials.

Several aggressive factors act in the steam line at once: high temperature, pressure drops and aggressive chemical effects of alcohol compounds.

As a consequence, the material used must be both strong and heat-resistant, but more importantly, chemically inert.

Therefore, for moonshine stills are used those polymer hoses that are labeled "food", of metals, food grade stainless steel and copper are safe, but it must be cleaned regularly.

What are the types

Before listing the materials from which it is best to make steam and water pipes for a moonshine still, it is worth saying which materials do not need to be used.

For the manufacture of steam lines it is strongly not recommended to use polymer materials without special marking "food"... This category includes almost all types of rubber, with the exception of gas hoses, PVC from simple silicone.

The fact is that upon contact with various alcohol compounds- ethanol, butyl, propyl, amyl and other alcohols - such materials form toxic substances with different intensities harmful effects on the body.

Also, for the manufacture of steam pipelines, aluminum cannot be used, which, although it has excellent operational properties, actively forms harmful oxides from contact with alcohols.

Such pipes have been used quite often in the past to connect a distillation still and a refrigerator, which can lead to the stereotype that this is normal. Now you can list suitable materials, their strengths and weaknesses.

Silicone hoses for moonshine still

Food varieties that are labeled differently, such as BgW or BGA, have a number of excellent properties, such as:

• Ease of processing.
• High temperature resistance - more than 100 ° C.
• Good flexibility, elasticity and material memory so that hoses do not deteriorate from bending, stretching and thermal expansion and contraction cycles.
• Light weight.
• High chemical inertness, preventing the formation of any toxic compounds.
• Transparency, which makes it possible to observe the process inside and find problem areas.
• Affordable price and widespread availability of the product on store shelves and online sites.

Food-grade silicone also has its weaknesses.

• When heated by steam, the silicone loses its elasticity, which is why the steam lines will need additional support from supports or hangers.
• Easily damaged by cutting or stabbing.
• Not the best look.

It is often used to create rigid and strong connections of several nodes.

Otherwise, this metal has a number of strong qualities, including the following:

• High strength.
• Enormous wear resistance and durability.
• Colossal heat resistance.
• Almost complete chemical inertness.

Also, food grade stainless steel has its own weaknesses, which are mainly not related to the operation in the process of distilling alcohol:

• Difficult to handle.
• Relatively expensive.
• The larger the non-separable structure, the more difficult it is to wash it.
• Great weight.
• A whole piece of the unit is not so convenient to store as a collapsible piece on silicone tubes.

For the arrangement of water pipes, you can use almost any type of polymer or metal pipes, since the harmful substances formed there are isolated from alcohol and will not affect the final result.

How to choose the right

Since both silicone and stainless steel have many subspecies, it is not enough just to know the name of the material. In addition, the hoses must correspond to the parameters of the moonshine still. Therefore, when choosing a product, it is worth adhering to a number of criteria of primary importance:

• Marking. You can only use food varieties, but they are also divided into several categories, so it is worth checking with the seller if the selected species is resistant to ethanol and elevated temperatures.
• Inner diameter. Although pipes and hoses are sold in terms of outer diameter, it is the inner one that must match the capacity of the system. Too narrow will lead to increased pressure, as a result, the distillate will deteriorate, if too low, the unit will also work poorly, in a "half-idle" mode.
• Wall thickness. The service life of the hoses depends on it, it is not worth taking too thin - they will become unusable faster, but there is no need to overpay for thick ones, the range from 1.5 to 2 mm is the most popular.
• Total length. It is better to take with a small margin, especially if you plan to mount threaded connections with a union nut at the ends.

Important! Since PVC hoses, which cannot be used for the steam lines of a moonshine still, are very similar to silicone hoses, in order not to get into a mess, ask the seller if you can set the edge on fire. When PVC burns, it emits much more smoke and "plastic" odor, silicone burns with a white-grayish smoke and leaves behind white ash.

Modern polymer materials are distinguished by a huge assortment and make it possible to qualitatively equip a moonshine still with both steam and water pipes for reasonable money.

But do not lose your vigilance, only "food" varieties can be used in contact with alcohol-containing substances.

Almost all of the suitable materials are modifications of silicone, but if you want more reliability and durability, you can always fork out and equip the unit with food grade stainless steel pipes.

In large stores, supermarkets, you are unlikely to be deceived. Moreover, they have product certificates. However, unscrupulous sellers in the markets often pass off PVC tubes as silicone ones, since it is impossible to distinguish them by eye. Therefore, it is important to be able to choose the right hose.

Peculiarities. There is a little secret that will help you accurately determine what material the hose is made of.

Ask the seller to cut off a small piece of the hose you want and use a lighter to light it. PVC hose burns with black smoke, leaving black char and ash. Silicone burns without soot, ash and charring are clean white.

And in this way you will be able to determine what kind of material is in front of you, only at home, having already made a purchase. Put the hose (gasket) in the freezer overnight / day and then look. Silicone, even at temperatures below 20-28 ° C, will remain elastic, PVC will harden.

How to choose a silicone tube?

The techniques for determining the material are clear, but the question of how to determine the quality of a silicone tube remains open. Therefore, do not take your word for it, ask for a certificate confirming the quality.

And this is often possible only in supermarkets... The online store is also obliged to send you along with the hose a document confirming its food approval. But this point should be stipulated when ordering.

Installation on the device

Installing a hose on a moonshine still in the presence of nozzles is a simple matter. When ordering / purchasing, keep in mind that you may not find an exact match to the size of the fitting, but tolerances are always indicated, for example: 8/12 mm, etc. That is, such a hose will stretch over the fitting with an outer section of both 8 and 12 mm. Although, of course, it is better to take as close as possible to the size of the branch pipe.

For better attachment, you can additionally secure the silicone tube to the fitting.

Advice. When using nylon tie straps, it is difficult to disconnect the tubing because cutting the clamp can damage the tubing.

But this problem is solvable. To loosen the tie, you need to press (for example, with a screwdriver) the burrs on the tie at the point of the connecting attachment, while loosening the tightening.

Make sure that the silicone is not in the immediate vicinity of the fire, it can ignite, and together with the flammability of alcohol, it is not far from the fire!

Do not be surprised if some difficulties arise when removing the tube, silicone has the property of " stick on»To the branch pipes. But after "loosening" it will be removed.

Was the information useful to you, are you ready to use silicone hoses? Tell us in the comments, put your likes.

Even the simplest moonshine still has several parts? distillation cube, a steam room, a refrigerator. To assemble them into a system, connecting elements are required. Novice moonshiners do not pay too much attention to such details. However, the quality of the distillate depends on many factors, including the type, material of manufacture, and the reliability of adapters in the mash distillation device. Therefore, people who are versed in home brewing prefer to put silicone hoses in the moonshine, rather than similar rubber or PVC adapter pipes.

Advantages

Silicone? ideal material for obtaining high-quality moonshine at home. Thanks to the use in the production of environmentally friendly polymers, silicone products are odorless and do not contain toxic components.

Important characteristics of silicone products:

• Increased strength.
• Environmental Safety.
• Hypoallergenic.
• The ability to retain its original properties in the temperature range from -60 ° C to + 300 ° C.
• Resistance to organic and artificial chemical compounds, due to which silicone tubes (hoses) do not affect the taste, color, odor of distillation products.
• Long service life, significantly exceeding the performance indicators of products from other materials.

Silicone hoses for a moonshine still, unlike adapters made of other materials, they can be reused during distillation. Plus, they provide a reliable connection of the functional units of the distiller, since they fit snugly around the fittings and do not fall off them when the temperature inside the system rises.

With a detailed analysis, the following advantageous characteristics of silicone hoses can be distinguished:

The advantages of using silicone hoses in moonshine still include the fact that they produce such products in a wide range. Depending on the specific requirements, design features of the distiller, you can purchase hoses of the required size and color, with different internal sections, different thicknesses, etc. The cost of silicone products is relatively high, but given their many advantages, it is fully justified.

Selection Criteria for Silicone Distiller Tubes

The diameter of silicone tubes used in the food industry, medicine, varies from 2 to 50 mm. For inclusion in the scheme of a moonshine still, hoses with a section of 5, 6, 8 mm with a wall thickness of 1.5-2 mm are considered the best option. These parameters can be changed up or down, depending on the design features of the distiller.

When buying a hose for a moonshine, you need to make sure that it is made of silicone, and not polyvinyl chloride. What are the main differences between food grade silicone and PVC? flexibility, softness, elasticity, high temperature resistance.

When choosing, it is worth looking at the price. Silicone hoses are usually 2 times more expensive than similar PVC products.

You can finally make sure that the product in front of you is made of silicone, and not made of PVC, using simple test... Try to set fire to the end of the hose with a match or a lighter. If combustion is practically not observed, there is no unpleasant smell, and after firing a dense white ash forms on the tube, this is really food grade silicone.

Ideally, it is better to purchase components for the distiller, including connecting elements, in specialized stores of medical equipment and laboratory equipment. As for the quality of the product,
it all depends on the manufacturer, although the overwhelming majority of companies producing such products try to strictly comply with technical norms and standards.

How to clean silicone hoses?

As mentioned above, silicone practically does not absorb odors, during operation, plaque does not form inside the tubes, the material does not enter into chemical reactions with compounds that make up liquids, alcohol-containing vapors. Nevertheless, the silicone hoses should be cleaned regularly to prevent the formation of foreign odors inside the system and the accumulation of distillation residues.

There are no significant contaminants inside the tubes, therefore, to clean it, it is enough to rinse them with running water. Use detergents for dishes is not prohibited? upon contact with chemical compounds, the structure of the silicone will not change. For reliability, you can clean the tubes with special brushes.

The only problem is that silicone hoses are difficult to detach from metal pipes and fittings. During operation, the soft material literally sticks to the metal, so it can be difficult to remove the adapter tube.

Despite the rather long period of action, silicone products lose their properties over time. Signs of wear are discoloration, cloudiness, loss of elasticity. There is no point in using further, cleaning, washing such tubes. It is easier to use them for other purposes, and install new ones in the moonshine still.

In the design of the moonshine still, hoses are needed to supply water to the refrigerator and reflux condenser, as well as to drain ready-made moonshine into the receiving container. It is best to use only silicone, since it is he who has the optimal characteristics for our craft. For 95% of moonshine stills, you will need a silicone tube. diameter 8 mm(usually the diameter of the fitting goes to 10, so we put our "eight" made of silicone into an interference fit and everything works great).

We invite you to study a number of features associated with selection, purchase and connection these hoses to the moonshine still. Why are they so much better than PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes and can polyurethane analogs be used?

Believe it or not. Silicone! Ideally, it should be food grade (IRP-1338), but even the usual one after the first distillation is well washed and does not stink. Always flush the tubing well before use, just in case.

In second place is polyurethane... It also has good food grade properties, but it is less convenient. It bends poorly, holds up uncertainly, does not stretch. Therefore, if you are offered a silicone or polyurethane hose, then give preference to the first option.

The third is Pvc... Polyvinyl chloride quickly begins to smell bad, deform and tan. It spoils the taste of moonshine over time and is inconvenient to use. It is better to refuse it.

Silicone.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
Polyurethane.

Where is it better to buy a silicone hose (cheaper and 100% with a guarantee)

A few places where you can actually buy a good silicone tube:

It is on Ali that you can buy a cheap and high-quality hose.

1. Ali Express (AliExpress)... A Chinese online store offers excellent tubes at a price of 60 rubles per meter (diameter 8 mm). There are many sellers, the quality is about the same everywhere, so look for free shipping and place an order.
2. Car shop (especially for foreign cars)... I don’t know in services for Russian cars, but good silicone hoses with a diameter of 8 mm are definitely sold for foreign cars.
3. In specialized moonshine stores... Small sellers can slip a fake, but normal guys will always sell you decent material.
4. Large construction stores (Leroy Merlin)... And also where there is plumbing, goods for the dacha and the house ... In general, there are many places.

If you are not in a hurry, then the easiest way is to make an order from China. Very low prices and decent quality.

What does a silicone hose look like and how to tell it apart

Main characteristics and distinctive features different materials:

• Silicone transparent, whitish, soft. Stretches well. It does not burn and does not smoke black, and when heated, it emits white ash.
• Polyurethane usually red or blue (for hot and cold water). It is harder and bends much worse.
• Everything else is PVC or some other material that doesn't suit us.

In the video below you can see how correctly distinguish silicone from PVC by igniting and burning.

I have never done this myself, but on the video everything is perfectly visible and understandable. Good way!

How to connect a hose to a moonshine still and water

To connect to a moonshine still, we use Union... Two fittings at and two at the refrigerator. The water supply goes to the lower connection, and the water outlet goes to the upper one.

Fastening is usually not required as silicone with a diameter of 8 mm sits normally on a 10 mm fitting... As a last resort, you can use a metal clamp (for reliability).

The hose can be connected to the tap using choke, divertor or sealant covers... Details about all these methods are written in the publication about, so we will not dwell on this point.

The design of the distiller assumes the presence of a number of compounds in it. For tightness, silicone hoses for the moonshine are often used - they are notable for their low cost, which does not compromise reliability. In addition to this solution, copper or stainless steel tubes are also used, but they require the use of welding or soldering, which is sometimes difficult to implement, especially in simple household devices.

1

On sale you can find 2 types of connecting hoses made of polymer material. In addition to high-quality silicone tubes, the range of construction stores offers their analogues made of polyvinyl chloride. They practically do not differ in appearance, but at elevated temperatures they behave very unpredictably: they change shape, begin to stretch, sag and release harmful substances that affect the taste and smell of moonshine.

Silicone tubes for moonshine still

How can you distinguish food grade silicone hoses from technical PVC tubing? There are several simple methods that will help you deal with the question at the time of purchase. Firstly, silicone is a softer material, it is characterized by high elasticity and pliability. It is easily compressed in the hands, and after the cessation of exposure, it returns to its original shape. Second, if you are in a store or market, ask the seller to cut off a small piece of hose and light it with a match or lighter. Silicone practically does not support combustion, and after prolonged heating, a dense white crust forms on it. Polyvinyl chloride burns very well, giving off copious black soot and an unpleasant smell of burnt rubber.

When choosing silicone tubes for a moonshine still, you should not trust the opinion of the sellers 100%, because often they themselves do not know the differences between this material and PVC and can unconsciously mislead you. You need to focus only on the listed signs and the cost of the hose - the price of silicone is about 2 times higher.

2

To avoid unnecessary losses of a valuable product and to ensure the complete tightness of the moonshine still, you need to securely fasten the silicone tubes at the joints. For this, it is very convenient to use a plumbing squeegee, the diameter of which coincides with the inner size of the hose. A small hole is drilled in the lid of the distillation cube, into which a squeegee is installed, after which it is tightened from the inside with a nut. For reliability, it is recommended to use a rubber gasket at the joints or use a silicone sealant.

Fastening silicone tubes at the joints

Distiller hoses will hold on to the squeegee more reliably if they are additionally secured with small metal clamps. The fact is that when heated, the tube expands slightly, and this can contribute to depressurization of the system.

The use of high-quality connecting elements in the distiller is a guarantee of the high quality of the final product, the absence of foreign smell and taste.

Attach silicone hoses for moonshine device very simple, and if necessary, they can be easily replaced with new ones, which cannot be said about steel or copper counterparts. In addition, plastic tubing takes up much less storage or shipping space. Physical properties food-grade silicone ensure its reliability: they do not interact with alcohol and are slightly susceptible to the action of the working temperature of the moonshine still.

And a little about secrets ...

Russian scientists from the Department of Biotechnology have created a drug that can help in the treatment of alcoholism in just 1 month.

The main difference between the drug is ITS 100% NATURAL, which means its effectiveness and safety for life:

• eliminates psychological cravings
• excludes breakdowns and depression
• protects liver cells from damage
• gets you out of heavy drinking in 24 HOURS
• COMPLETE REMOVAL from alcoholism, regardless of the stage
• very affordable price .. only 990 rubles

Course enrollment in just 30 DAYS provides a comprehensive SOLUTION TO ALCOHOL PROBLEMS.
The unique ALKOBARIER complex is by far the most effective in the fight against alcohol addiction.

Follow the link and find out all the benefits of the alcohol barrier