Even the simplest moonshine still has several parts? alembic, dry pot, refrigerator. Connecting elements are required to assemble them into a system. 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 the 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 from other materials, 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 still, 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 PVC, using a simple test. Try to set fire to the end of the hose with a match, 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 that produce 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, for cleaning, it is enough to rinse them with running water. Is it forbidden to use dish detergents? 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 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.

A coil is an indispensable part of a moonshine still designed to condense alcohol vapors by removing heat from water or air through the walls. Despite the complex definition, anyone can make a coil at home. A homemade version will work no worse than store counterparts. We will look at the theory and practice of manufacturing.

Coil parameters:

1. Material. The most important factor affecting the safety and taste of moonshine. The coil material must not react with alcohol or be toxic, but still have sufficient thermal conductivity to condense the alcohol vapor.

Given the requirements, you can make a coil of copper, aluminum or stainless steel. Glass is also a suitable material, although it is easier to buy a ready-made glass coil at a chemical store than to make something like this yourself.

Copper has the best thermal conductivity, but many moonshiners consider it a toxic material, in fact it is not. For example, for several centuries, the French have distilled all strong alcohol in alambiks - special copper distillers, and so far no one has been poisoned. Aluminum is in second place in terms of thermal conductivity (1.6 times worse than copper), but it is relatively cheap, affordable and easy to process. Coils made of stainless steel are 3-4 times inferior to copper ones, moreover, the exact brand of stainless steel is not always known, and only food coils are suitable for home brewing, which can withstand high temperatures and do not react with alcohol.

2. Dimensions. The longer the tube, the greater the contact area of ​​the vapors with water (better cooling), but at the same time the hydraulic resistance increases (the driving speed decreases). The correct length of the coil in the moonshine still (the tube itself before curling) is 1.5-2 meters.
The larger the section (inner diameter) of the tube, the larger the contact area and the lower the resistance. I recommend using a tube with an inner diameter of 8-12 mm.

The small wall thickness of the coil increases thermal conductivity, improving condensation, but tubes that are too thin are difficult to handle and operate because they are very fragile. In addition, when two media come into contact, in our case condensed alcohol and steam, the thermal conductivity drops sharply regardless of the size and material of the wall. The optimum coil tube thickness is 0.9-1.1 mm.

3. Orientation in space. The coil can be positioned vertically, horizontally or obliquely. In home brewing, it is advisable to use a vertical connection scheme, in which the condensed distillate flows down by gravity and does not create additional obstacles to the movement of steam.

Vertical coils are ascending (steam goes from bottom to top) and descending (top to bottom). Steam must be supplied from above for minimum resistance.

4. Cooling system. The coils are cooled with water, ice and air. The last two options are less effective and require complex structures, so we will not consider them further. Water cooling systems are open - they operate on running water, and closed - the reservoir is immediately filled with the required amount of water. The design of closed systems is simpler, but they cool worse, often at the exit the moonshine turns out to be warm, and after a couple of hours of distillation, even hot.

In open systems, the circulation of water cools the coil much better, the moonshine turns out to be cold. In addition, in flow-through designs, a smaller reservoir of a water tank is used, as a result of which the apparatus is more compact.

Correctly supply water from the bottom, and drain from the top. For normal cooling, the water must move towards the moonshine, otherwise the lower part of the coil will not cool well. This pattern is referred to as the "backflow mode".

Coil manufacturing technology

You will need a copper, aluminum, brass or stainless steel tube with a length of 1.5-2 meters, a section of 8-12 mm and a wall thickness of 0.9-1.1 mm. I advise you in advance to find a housing (reservoir) for installing the coil. The diameter of the winding of the pipe depends on the size of the body. For example, a plastic sewer pipe with a diameter of 75-80 mm is suitable. For effective cooling, the coil must occupy at least 15-20% of the tank volume.

The coil installed in the body is called the refrigerator of the moonshine still, the drawing is shown in the photo.



Sequence:

1. Fill the tubing tightly with dry bulk material such as river sand or baking soda to prevent the metal from flattening when curling. As a last resort, you can fill the tube with water and freeze it.

2. Fill the ends of the tube with wooden chops (pegs). An alternative is to solder or clamp tightly. It is advisable to weld a nut to one end.

3. Wind the tube onto any smooth object with a smooth circular cross-section of the required diameter (in the example 35 mm) with a pitch of 12 mm between turns.

4. Release the ends of the coil, pour out sand, rinse with running water.

5. Install on the cooler body nozzles for water supply and drainage.

6. Place the coil in the body, install plugs at the top and bottom, seal all connections with superglue or in another way.

In the design of the moonshine, hoses are needed to supply water to the refrigerator and reflux condenser, as well as to drain the finished moonshine into a 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 suggest that you 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.

On 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 about 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 summer cottages and houses ... 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

The main characteristics and distinctive features of various materials:

• Silicone transparent, whitish, soft. Stretches well. It does not burn and does not smoke with blackness, 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 a 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 tell the difference between food grade silicone tubing and 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 form. Second, if you are in a store or market, ask the seller to cut off a small piece of the 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 fix 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 with a nut from the inside. 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 onto the squeegee more reliably if they are additionally secured with small metal clamps. The fact is that when heated, the tube slightly expands, and this can contribute to the 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.

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

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Buy PVC hoses at affordable prices!

The Moonshine company presents assortment of PVC hoses, designed to fulfill a number of tasks that face everyone who is engaged in home cooking of exquisite alcoholic beverages. In our catalog you will find only high-quality products of this category. At the same time, contacting us to buy a transparent PVC hose, you will definitely receive a number of favorable conditions that allow you to get the most out of your purchase. We present to you a description of the products offered on this page of the catalog, a list of its advantages, as well as those favorable conditions that the sale of PVC hoses from the Moonshine company opens up to each of our clients

PVC hoses for moonshine still: description and application

The PVC hoses that our company offers to buy are made of high quality polyvinyl chloride. Today, along with similar silicone products, food-grade transparent PVC hose is the optimal product for performing several important functions at once, which can significantly simplify the design, and, consequently, reduce the total cost of equipment used to make homemade alcoholic beverages. We list those areas in which PVC hoses for a moonshine still find their application:

• Cold water supply and discharge. This function is the main one for which PVC hoses are used. It should be emphasized here that in order to ensure increased flexibility of the product, manufacturers use internal reinforcement of its walls. This additional protection ensures that the PVC hose does not break when bent strongly. Therefore, you can safely use it in a confined space, without fear of cracks.
• Discharge of ready-made moonshine or alcohol. For this purpose, as a rule, a food grade PVC hose of medium or small diameter is used, which contributes to a uniform flow of liquid to the final destination.
• The connection of the distillation column and the distillation unit. In this case, a similar silicone article is more preferable. However, if your financial resources are limited, then PVC hoses, which can be purchased much cheaper, will also be acceptable.

For all these purposes, our specialists will certainly select the optimal length, diameter and wall thickness, according to which the PVC hoses for the moonshine presented in the Moonshine's catalog are classified.

PVC hose for home brewing: product advantages

Here are the main parameters, thanks to which the PVC hoses presented in our online store will allow you to optimize the process of making homemade alcoholic beverages as much as possible, as well as significantly improve their quality:

• Complete cleanliness of the product in terms of the content of harmful substances that can adversely affect the quality of the final product.
• High strength, durability and elasticity of the material. Using a PVC hose, especially when it comes to reinforced products, you guarantee the reliability of the process of making homemade alcohol.
• Maximum resistance to sunlight, high humidity and bacteria. These parameters contribute to the performance of two important functions at once. Firstly, it does not matter at all where exactly you will install your equipment for making moonshine. Secondly, by taking advantage of the opportunity to buy a transparent PVC hose, you will ensure that you receive a completely clean and healthy product.
• Inertness to internal and external combustion. Thanks to this property, PVC hoses, which our company offers to buy, ensure the safety of all equipment of the device, excluding the possibility of ignition during overloads or incorrect operation.
• Anti-adhesive property. PVC hoses do not attract even the smallest solid particles to their inner walls. This means that the product can be used for a long time, without the need for cleaning or blowing out.
• Resistant to temperature extremes. PVC hoses, which we offer in Tomsk at prices from the manufacturer, are capable of fully retaining their best properties over a wide temperature range. This means that the operation of the product is possible for the implementation of various purposes, at various stages of the process of making moonshine.