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Biodiesel => Biodiesel equipment => Topic started by: Rossey on June 10, 2013, 10:07:51 AM

Title: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Rossey on June 10, 2013, 10:07:51 AM
I'm going make myself a pd condenser,

I'm going to use a water butt and a pump.

But what type of pump?

I have seen a pump on eBay, item 151034773368.

It says 500gph that's a us gallon but still can't be that powerful?
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: gerard b on June 10, 2013, 10:13:59 AM
I think most of us use just an ordinary old central heating pump Rossey, mine is more than adequate anyway.

Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: julianf on June 10, 2013, 10:18:25 AM
Pump looks ok, but is 12v, which may be an issue. 

Central heating pumps are often free, and will do the job fine, esp if, at any point, your coolant stops being as cool as you might like (ie if the tank overheats, it wont hurt a CH pump)
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Rossey on June 10, 2013, 10:39:43 AM
Didnt think a ch pump would be powerful enough.

Well that makes it cheaper.

Also when crimping the pipe how much gap do you leave?
I read on one site 1/16th of an inch which I work ou to be 1.6mm is that right, with a spacing of 1" between crimps?
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Julian on June 10, 2013, 11:00:14 AM
Didnt think a ch pump would be powerful enough.

Well that makes it cheaper.

Also when crimping the pipe how much gap do you leave?
I read on one site 1/16th of an inch which I work ou to be 1.6mm is that right, with a spacing of 1" between crimps?

Will you be at Chugs BBB on the Saturday?  If so I can bring the press pictured on the wiki ... you'll need to provide the 15mm copper obviously.
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Julian on June 10, 2013, 11:06:09 AM
If you crimp it yourself, forget measuring stuff, just crimp the tube to a point where it's a loose fit inside the 22mm copper tube.
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Rossey on June 10, 2013, 11:20:45 AM
Didnt think a ch pump would be powerful enough.

Well that makes it cheaper.

Also when crimping the pipe how much gap do you leave?
I read on one site 1/16th of an inch which I work ou to be 1.6mm is that right, with a spacing of 1" between crimps?

Will you be at Chugs BBB on the Saturday?  If so I can bring the press pictured on the wiki ... you'll need to provide the 15mm copper obviously.

Erm unsure at the mo as the wife's expecting any day now.

I have a press same as yours at work anyhow.
Cheers for the offer tho
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: therecklessengineer on June 10, 2013, 12:51:42 PM
A C.H. pump is easily powerful enough. I used a washing machine drain pump on my first plant - that worked fine as well.
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Rossey on June 10, 2013, 01:24:44 PM
I've just had a play around with a scrap bit of pipe, two bolt and a rubber mallet

(http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv169/ROSSEY_123/AC7A1C85-BAE0-4E5A-8732-43DEE925FCEC-6972-00000AF13E14A330_zps5085d1da.jpg)

Not bad if I do say myself lol

You crimp it much to fit in a 22mm pipe.

Would it be better in a 28mm pipe and reduce it to 22mm each end?
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: oakwoodtv on June 10, 2013, 01:25:27 PM
I use a C/H pump its a three speed pump and run it on the slowest speed if the
pipe at the bottom of the PD is getting warm up the speed a notch   
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Tony on June 10, 2013, 02:11:26 PM
I use a little fish tank pump, they're not powerful by any stretch of the imagination but they work a treat and are low energy.
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: julianf on June 10, 2013, 02:31:00 PM
Didnt think a ch pump would be powerful enough.

Well that makes it cheaper.

Also when crimping the pipe how much gap do you leave?
I read on one site 1/16th of an inch which I work ou to be 1.6mm is that right, with a spacing of 1" between crimps?

Will you be at Chugs BBB on the Saturday?  If so I can bring the press pictured on the wiki ... you'll need to provide the 15mm copper obviously.


If i make it this year, id very much like a go on your forming jig - for a long time now ive been meaning to make a multicore unit (where the postions of the crimps are more important, due to the need to tessilate) but not gotten arround to it, for the time it would take to make up a jig etc!
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Julian on June 10, 2013, 03:32:14 PM
Didnt think a ch pump would be powerful enough.

Well that makes it cheaper.

Also when crimping the pipe how much gap do you leave?
I read on one site 1/16th of an inch which I work ou to be 1.6mm is that right, with a spacing of 1" between crimps?

Will you be at Chugs BBB on the Saturday?  If so I can bring the press pictured on the wiki ... you'll need to provide the 15mm copper obviously.


If i make it this year, id very much like a go on your forming jig - for a long time now ive been meaning to make a multicore unit (where the postions of the crimps are more important, due to the need to tessilate) but not gotten arround to it, for the time it would take to make up a jig etc!


Ok, no problem, bring however many tubes you need.  Just remind me nearer the time just in case I forget!

Pumpwise for my condenser, I have free use a truly massive pump owned by the water company!
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Jamesrl on June 10, 2013, 07:08:51 PM
I use a 60ltr butt and  Ch pump with Bong cooler thrown in, works for me.
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Julian on June 10, 2013, 07:31:11 PM
I use a 60ltr butt and  Ch pump with Bong cooler thrown in, works for me.

I've seen it in a dress, I'd say your butt was some what bigger!
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: photoman290 on June 10, 2013, 08:53:31 PM
when i made my quad PD i just used a pair of mole grips with a short bit of 22mm copper on each of the jaws. worked fine. i had a bit of 22mm i could slide over the crimps so if they were to big i could correct them there and then. if you get it just right you should be able to get them to close just at the right point. for a pump i use a clarkes submersible pump. about £35. CH pump is about the same if have to buy one. the nice thing about a submersible pump is you can use plastic hoses straight to the PD.  and of course you could always use it to put fires out if it all goes tits up.
Title: Re: How are cooling your p.d. Condenser?
Post by: Head Womble on June 10, 2013, 09:55:12 PM
Didnt think a ch pump would be powerful enough.

Well that makes it cheaper.

Also when crimping the pipe how much gap do you leave?
I read on one site 1/16th of an inch which I work ou to be 1.6mm is that right, with a spacing of 1" between crimps?

Will you be at Chugs BBB on the Saturday?  If so I can bring the press pictured on the wiki ... you'll need to provide the 15mm copper obviously.


If i make it this year, id very much like a go on your forming jig - for a long time now ive been meaning to make a multicore unit (where the postions of the crimps are more important, due to the need to tessilate) but not gotten arround to it, for the time it would take to make up a jig etc!

I did mine using molegrips and a tape measure, the four pipes nestled together very nicely.