The moonshine still is equipped with flexible tubes. Hoses connect the distillation cube, steam chamber and refrigeration tank. With their help, water is supplied and discharged. The tubes must be resistant to temperature changes, aggressive chemical compounds, do not come into chemical contact with alcohol, easy to clean. Silicone hose not only meets all these requirements, but also has a number of advantages over other materials.
Previously (and even now), craftsmen used materials that were at hand when making a moonshine still. Tubes made of copper, brass, stainless steel and other materials were used. The moonshine still was a durable structure that could not be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned after use.
As a result, harmful particles settle on the walls of the tubes, which ultimately affects the taste and quality of the moonshine. And also many materials can react with alcohol. For example, aluminum is in contact with it. Recent studies have proven that long-term exposure to aluminum causes aging of the body and irreversible liver degeneration.
Alternatively, you can opt for flexible tubes. PVC hoses are widely used, although this is not the most the best choice for moonshine. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has a number of disadvantages:
- PVC reacts already at a temperature of 65° C.
- At 100 degrees, toxic dioxides begin to be released.
- Plasticizer enters the distiller.
- During the brewing process, the hose may break and disrupt the distillation process.
Therefore, the PVC tube should be replaced with a silicone hose.
What's good about silicone?
Silicone is called the material of the 21st century. Unlike other flexible substances, it is able to withstand high temperatures. It can be used for quite a long time:
- 150 ºС - five to ten years
- 200 ºС - two to four years
- 240 ºС - 3–6 months
- 260–290 ºС - 12–36 days
- 300–350 ºC - 20–28 hours.
- 400 ºC - from 10 minutes to two hours.
In addition, this material has a number of unique characteristics:
- Adhesion resistance. Silicone does not react with alcohols. High temperature does not prevent the material from maintaining its properties and not coming into contact with other substances.
- Non-stick. No particles stick during distillation. Silicone tubes do not develop blockages that can clog them and stop the distillation process.
- Elasticity. A hose made of this material is easy to connect; it fits perfectly into the fitting and does not slip off at the most inopportune moment. Thanks to the stretchability, a smaller hose will easily fit onto a larger diameter tube.
- Low deformation. The hose can be bent, it is resistant to mechanical damage, and does not expand under the influence of temperatures.
- Sterility. Resistant to mold and mildew. Silicone has bactericidal properties.
- Transportability. A moonshine still with silicone tubes is easy to transport.
- Wide temperature Range operation. Silicone can withstand not only high temperatures, but also low ones. You can safely leave the pipes at your dacha in winter without fear that they will freeze. Silicone, unlike polyvinyl chloride, does not crack.
- Protection from rodents. The problem is quite urgent if the device is left at the dacha for a long time. It can easily be damaged by uninvited inhabitants suburban areas: mice and rats. Silicone, unlike rubber, cannot be damaged by these rodents. They don't like this stuff. The owners of the plots noticed that, for example, silicone sealants rodents avoid.
- Affordable price. Compared to copper, silicone hoses are much cheaper in cost.
How to choose a handset?
Often sellers try to sell PVC pipes under the guise of silicone hoses. Sometimes incompetent managers themselves do not realize that they are not offering silicone tubes at all, but a completely different material. How to recognize a fake?
To distinguish a counterfeit, just ask the seller to cut off a small sample and set it on fire. Fake PVC burns with a black flame with unpleasant smell, leaves soot (carbon).
Silicone does not want to catch fire; if the piece is still difficult to set on fire, then after the fire it will remain white ash. The latter proves that this is the required organosilicon compound. True, carbon is added to some types of silicone materials, which can produce black soot. There is no need to use such hoses; carbon materials are usually intended for industrial use.
If the seller does not allow you to test a piece of hose with fire, then you can try bending and stretching it. Silicone does not leave whitish marks on the folds.
If you stretch the sample and look at the light, then no impurities will be visible in the material.
Organosilicon tube, unlike PVC, does not change its properties in the freezer. Polyvinyl chloride will become hard and lose elasticity, silicone will remain elastic. It can be bent and unbent as if it had not been frozen.
Varieties of silicone
The choice of silicone materials is very large. They are used in the space, aviation, and medical industries. Today, doctors even put silicone lenses in the eye.
Exists great amount tubes made of this material. Sometimes they are sold complete with a moonshine still, but more often distillers purchase them themselves.
There are peroxide and platinum silicone. The latter uses platinum as a catalyst. Peroxide will cost less, but during the distillation process it can release harmful substances with an unpleasant odor. After several distillations it will become cloudy rather than transparent. When exposed to ultraviolet rays, the peroxide material will turn black.
The necessary tubes can be purchased at Medtechnika stores, but it is better not to buy such things in chemical departments or construction supermarkets. They sell industrial silicone, the production of which uses unsafe catalysts.
Medical silicone has been used for half a century. It is made from high-quality material, which is accessible for sterilization and has high adhesive properties.
Medical tubes are designed to withstand repeated exposure to aggressive environments (including alcohol vapors); they are perfectly smooth on the inside. A smooth surface at the micro level is an important indicator. The tube is designed to prevent bactericidal particles from sticking to it. In moonshine brewing, the smoothness of the inner wall is also important. Microparticles will not stick to it during distillation.
When purchasing, you should pay attention to the density of the material. It starts from 0.60 cm³, but most manufacturers offer from 1 cm³. A good quality hose will have an even higher density, up to 1.36 cm³.
Experts advise purchasing only platinum silicone. Despite the fact that platinum is used in its production, it is sold at quite affordable prices. He German manufacturers material is offered from 80 to 400 rubles per square meter.
Installation of silicone hoses
Typically, tubes with a diameter of five to eight millimeters are chosen. It is very important to securely secure all product connections. They achieve perfect tightness using a plumbing fitting that fits the pipes in size. For tightness, you can use a rubber gasket or silicone sealant.
The hose can be secured with a clamp. It will protect the tube from falling out during the distillation process.
How to properly clean pipes?
Although hygienic, the tubes are cleaned after each distillation process. Silicone accumulates harmful particles over time. The material can be easily washed under strong water pressure. The hoses are easy to dry. They can be left in the sun as they do not deteriorate when exposed to direct sunlight.
Despite its durability, silicone does not last forever. Over time it wears out. Alcohol vapor increases the aging of the material. Silicone won't last a decade, it's not the right material. Therefore, if the tube shows signs of aging, replace it.
Silicone tubes for moonshine stills are used to distill the product, drain harmful substances. To cool the distillate with water, the material is not so important as to supply running water; PVC hoses are also used.
The advantages of a silicone hose over PVC pipes are undeniable. The cost varies greatly, but it is better to choose a material that is safe for health and easy to use.
In everyday life you often have to use hoses. They are used in aquariums to enrich water with oxygen, for watering garden and summer cottages, V food production, for example, winemaking and moonshine. Such products are divided into two groups: silicone hose and PVC hose. And if in many situations the material from which the tubes are made is not important, then in the production of food products the quality of the hose is of great importance.
Features of PVC hose
PVC pipes are often used for domestic and industrial purposes. Their main advantage is low cost. However, in an effort to save money, consumers often forget about the properties of this material.
Yes, it is resistant to many aggressive environments, for example gasoline, hydrochloric and nitric acids, but only until their temperature rises above 60 degrees. When heated, the PVC hose begins to burn and release substances that are toxic to humans - dioxides.
Therefore, the use of PVC products is allowed only in cases where they are not intended to be heated.
Advantages of silicone hoses
This type of product easily tolerates high temperatures without entering into chemical reaction with products and environments that are inside them. Among the advantages of silicone products, the following features should be noted:
- Non-toxic, completely safe for humans and animals. Food grade silicone is a compound of oxygen and silicon, which does not pose any danger or threat to health.
- Increased strength and wear-resistant characteristics.
- Resistance to any mechanical stress - bending, squeezing, squeezing. Taking the form required by the user, the material retains its qualities.
- Ability to withstand low and high temperatures (from -60 to +250 degrees) without loss of properties.
- Anti-adhesion. The inner walls do not attract decomposition products, so there is no narrowing of the tube diameter.
- Ease of use and storage. These products are easily twisted, taking up minimal space, stretch well, and then take their original shape.
- Long term services.
The only disadvantage of silicone is its higher price. Therefore, when choosing a silicone hose or PVC, the consumer can set priorities for himself, giving preference to economy or product quality.
How to distinguish silicone from PVC
Quite often it happens that a manufacturer deceives consumers by passing off silicone as PVC. Therefore, before you go shopping, you should know how to distinguish a silicone hose from PVC. There are several ways to do this:
These techniques will allow you to easily determine whether the store is offering you a PVC or silicone hose. And what to choose is a personal matter for everyone.
Let's consider what physical and chemical properties Silicone has, and what advantages does it provide:
- temperature stability - temperature range from -60°C to +300°C;
- anti-adhesive properties (non-stick) - particles of decomposition products will not accumulate on the inner walls, which can reduce the diameter of the hole and, over time, completely clog the hose;
- chemical inertness - does not combine with other substances, due to which it does not decompose even under the influence of the most aggressive of them;
- flexibility - takes the required shape without deformation or damage after compression, bending;
- resistance to mechanical stress - it is quite difficult to spoil this material at home.
There are several more properties that directly follow from the above. Silicone hoses are convenient to store and transport when folded: they take up little space (compared to metal ones) and easily restore their original shape even after twisting. Flexibility and elasticity simplifies the installation process. The material stretches well, fits onto the fitting and, taking its original shape, is tightly fixed.
Thanks to the fact that nothing collects inside, maintenance becomes much easier and faster. But this does not cancel cleaning as a whole. After use, the hose must in any case be rinsed under running water, including the inside. And then be sure to dry it. The appearance of fungus is possible even on such wonderful material.
Resistance to damage allows silicone hoses for a moonshine still to be more durable. In terms of service life, they are, of course, inferior metal tubes, but are significantly superior to PVC and rubber. The situation is similar with cost. More expensive than PVC, but more affordable than metal ones.
Selection of silicone hoses
The range of silicone hoses is very wide and allows you to choose them for any equipment, both factory-made and home-made. Vary in size and color scheme. And if the second indicator is not so important, then the size parameters should be given attention.
Depending on the purpose and scope of application, the cross-sectional diameter varies from 2 mm to 50 mm. For moonshine stills, hoses with a diameter of 5 mm to 8 mm are usually used. It is optimal to use hoses with a wall thickness of 1.5-2 mm.
When purchasing a silicone tube for a moonshine still, you may encounter a new difficulty. Polyvinyl chloride is often sold under the guise of silicone. To distinguish them, you need to know some features. Firstly, silicone is softer to the touch and more elastic. But PVC manufacturers are not standing still. Therefore, the surest way to check is a small laboratory experiment. The main thing is that the seller gives you the opportunity to carry it out.
The behavior of these two materials during combustion is strikingly different. If you try to set fire to the edge of a silicone tube, neither ignition nor melting will occur. A faint white smoke will appear, and the burnt edge will be covered with dense white ash. When exposed to open fire, polyvinyl chloride melts, turns black and emits acrid black smoke. In this case, it is difficult to confuse them.
There is another way. True, you can only check the goods that have already been purchased. If you put a PVC hose in the freezer, it will freeze and lose its flexibility and softness. Silicone will retain its natural properties. As stated above, the lower temperature threshold is 60°C below zero.
If it is impossible to carry out a fire test, it is better to buy equipment in a specialized store. For example, a high-quality product that is suitable for your purposes can be purchased at a medical equipment store.
Conclusion
Comparing the characteristics of polyvinyl chloride and silicone clearly tips the scales towards the latter. If the cost factor still plays a big role, you can find a kind of compromise.
Tubes for a moonshine still should be made from silicone, intended for the movement of finished moonshine, fusel oils, heavy metals, and hot steam. Water supply and drainage can be made from PVC hoses. This is not so critical, but more economical.
In order to make high-quality moonshine, you need to have a number of instruments and devices. The list includes the moonshine still itself, equipped with distillation column, steamer and alembic, as well as some additional funds- thermometer, alcohol meter, fermentation vessel. In the device itself, a very important factor is tightness, reliability of joints and connections. Experienced moonshiners recommend using silicone hoses for a moonshine still.
Many beginners do not pay attention to what the connecting tubes are made of, but in vain. Subsequently, this factor turns out to be important, since it affects the quality of moonshine and the durability of the structure, but most importantly, safety. Hoses should not change diameter or shape under the influence of temperature and, of course, melt.
Silicone hoses of different diameters
On sale you can find two types of hoses from polymer material- This is silicone and made of polyvinyl chloride. The latter costs half as much, but has poor operating characteristics. A hose for a moonshine still made of silicone has a number of advantages:
- First of all, it is wear resistance. Silicone is durable. It can be reused many times and the quality does not deteriorate over time. It is recommended to use it provided that the device will be used from time to time, in which case the hoses must withstand maximum impact.
- It is highly resistant to temperature changes. It can be used at temperatures from 60 to 300 degrees Celsius, which is quite enough for distilling moonshine.
- Silicone is highly resistant to chemical compounds, even very aggressive ones. The release of such compounds is accompanied by the distillation of mash, especially at the moment when the “heads” and “tails” are selected from the original product.
- Anti-adhesive characteristics. This parameter is especially important when we're talking about O food products. And it represents the following: the ability for particles to stick to the surface. Silicone hoses are easy to clean, which prevents the accumulation of products and disruption of the flow and supply of liquids.
- Bioinertness. This quality helps to obtain moonshine without any pungent odors or any additional tastes that appear when using rubber pipes or PVC equipment. Silicone does not enter chemical reactions, for which it is also actively used in medical devices.
- Silicone is highly elastic, which makes it possible to connect various elements to each other without compromising the permeability. In addition, thanks to this factor, the products can be used repeatedly without the risk of changing shape.
- During and outside of use, silicone does not have a specific odor, which makes its capabilities much wider.
- The functionality of the hose does not change under mechanical stress.
- It does not support the development of fungus.
- It has convenient way fastenings, standard sections and characteristics, which allows you to purchase the required amount of hose and conveniently attach it.
All these characteristics taken together provide a long period of use, and their low cost (at least not much higher than PVC) makes them the most rational for use in moonshine still.
Often, when buying hoses at the market or in a small store, the seller himself does not know what exactly he is selling. In some cases, they also try to deceive people and sell them polyvinyl chloride instead of silicone, so it is very important to at least approximately understand how these two materials differ from each other.
The distinction methods are usually simple; checking can be done right on the spot. First of all, evaluate the softness of the material - silicone is easy to compress and recovers after mechanical action is completed. If the seller agrees to cut off a small piece of the hose and there is an opportunity to set it on fire, it is worth paying attention to the fact that silicone does not support combustion, unlike PVC, which smokes black and emits characteristic odors.
How to choose a silicone tube?
Currently, the range of diameters of silicone tubes that the industry offers is very large - from 2 to 50 millimeters. Typically, hoses with a diameter of 5, 6, or 8 millimeters and a thickness of 1.5-2 millimeters are chosen for a moonshine still. Depending on the design, sizes may vary, but usually their selection is not difficult.
You can purchase such tubes in a specialized store or online. Moreover, in the latter case, you can also buy other parts of the device along with the hoses. Such tubes are best used in areas between the source cold water, distillation column and others, in particular, between the distillation cube and the distiller.
Of course, no one guarantees that silicone tubing will be of superior quality. But as a rule, stores try to choose reliable suppliers. If you buy a hose in a specialized store, then its quality will most likely comply with GOST.
Installation of silicone hoses
It is very important to securely secure all connections of silicone tubes. In this case, the tightness of the installation should be maximum. It is very convenient to use a plumbing squeegee; its diameter should correspond to the internal diameter of the hose. It is installed inside a small hole that is drilled in the lid of the distillation cube. After installation, the squeegee is tightened with outside using a nut. For reliability, it is recommended to use a rubber gasket or, even better, silicone sealant at the joints.
If you additionally secure the hose with a clamp, it will hold on stronger, as it will protect the system from depressurization when the tube expands, which occurs due to increased temperature.
It is easy to attach silicone hoses, and if necessary, they can easily be replaced with new ones, unlike copper ones. In addition, they take up much less space during storage and transportation.
How to properly clean silicone hoses?
By general principles Silicone tubes, like others, require cleaning after each distillation process. Despite the many benefits of silicone, product residue can accumulate in the tubing and cause off-odors when re-distilled.
Most often, rinsing with running water is sufficient, but sometimes special brushes may be needed. After washing, the hoses must be dried. In addition, hoses that show signs of wear should be replaced altogether.
If you have doubts about what to buy - silicone tubes for a moonshine still or cheaper analogues made of polyvinyl chloride - it is worth analyzing the possible losses. Such savings can lead to damage to the hoses, spoiled taste of the drink, possible leakage of the product and, as a result, fire. Therefore, this choice does not make sense.
In large stores and supermarkets you are unlikely to be deceived. Moreover, they have certificates for their products. However, unscrupulous sellers in markets often give out PVC tubes for silicone ones, since it is impossible to distinguish them by eye. Therefore, it is important to know how to choose the right hose.
Peculiarities. Eat little secret, which will help you accurately determine what material the hose is made of.
Ask the seller to cut it off small piece the hose you need and use a lighter to light it. PVC hose burns with black smoke, leaving black charring and ash. Silicone burns without soot, the ash and charring are pure white.
And in this way you will be able to determine what material is in front of you only at home, after you have already made a purchase. Place the hose (gasket) in freezer overnight/day and then look. Silicone will remain elastic even at temperatures below 20-28°C, while 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 their word for it, ask to see a certificate confirming quality.
And this is often possible only in supermarkets. The online store is also obliged to send you a document along with the hose confirming its food approval. But this point should be specified when ordering.
Installation on the device
Installing a hose on a moonshine still if there are pipes 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 onto a fitting with an external cross-section of both 8 and 12 mm. Although, naturally, it is better to take one as close as possible to the size of the pipe.
For better fastening You can additionally secure the silicone tube to the fitting.
Advice. When using nylon mounting ties, it becomes difficult to disconnect the tubes, because cutting the clamp can damage the tube.
But this problem can be solved. To loosen the tie, you need to press (for example, with a screwdriver) the burrs on the tie at the place of the connecting fastening, while simultaneously loosening the tension.
Make sure that the silicone is not in close proximity to the fire, it can ignite, and coupled with the flammability of alcohol, a fire is not far away!
Don't be surprised if some difficulties arise when removing the tube; silicone has the property stick to» to the pipes. But after “loosening” it will come off.
you were useful information, are you ready to use silicone hoses? Tell us in the comments and like.