Update June 14: still spirits customer service is awesome. They sent me replacements of the switches free of charge, in a very timely fashion. Still is going strong, making lots of good stuff ;) got to love companies like that! ------- They have changed the thermostat in the recent models. It is still KSD-301 but it has the GR added (KSD-301GR) and it seems to have a reset switch/gravitational trip (?) in case this thing flips over. Mine stopped working, flipped it upside down, pressed the switch that was coming out of the bottom of the still and it worked again...of course then I had to open the bottom to look inside 8-). Thanks for the pointer George! was ready to spend $200+ on a new boiler...
The GR models are a new design to meet European rule changes. It works just like the current safety feature on most power extension boards where it will cut power if too much current is drawn so as to avoid having a fire before the thermal function kicks in. Only fit if originally fitted as there needs to be a safe mechanical method in place to reset these GR types. If replacing these GR models then ensure the current rating as well as temperature and NC or NO operation are correct before ordering. If this has current tripped then I would be quite suspicious about the heater elements or wiring causing it to trip.
Thank you so much and very glad to see you make a appearance. You've been the most helpful and enjoyable to watch on youtube. Dont ever sell out or stop this wonderful hobby.
where were u before i bought another t-500, told by all dealers they were not repairable and that they burn out quit easlly , liars...... So now I have two and my newest one just popper the little eesistor, time to repair............thanks alot george...u made this texas man happy.
Hi George , I own a T500, its good so far but when it fails I now know what to look for, thanks a lot for the advice you will have saved me a fortune. Love your videos mate , I'm in England uk
These are not resistors. They are called bi metal thermal switches. They have a ratio of 2 metals inside that will move or snap at the designed temperature. This snap contact action either makes (shorts, on) or breaks (open, off) and are described as NO - Normally Open or NC- Normally Closed which means they will change state once the temperature is reached. So a normally closed NC will stay electrically conductive until the temperature is reached and then change to an open or off state. For the boiler they would normally be NC and for a temperature of 125 Celsius the item is a safety feature as the boiler should never get that hot unless allowed to boil dry hence why they are fitted. So the electrical circuit for the heater elements requires this to be closed for normal operation and to turn off once the boiler reaches 125 C for safety. Below someone asked if the 250v versions were safe to use on 110v. The answer is yes as the 250v indicates the highest voltage the switch is rated for. In the video ( @ 1:33 and 1:37) it appeared that there was some grey grease on the metal cap sensor end of the bi metal switch where this presses against the boiler base. IF there is grease then it would likely be thermally conductive paste as used on computer CPU heat sinks. This would be a surprise to me if they had done this as whilst a good engineering decision would add to production costs. On the other hand if there is no grease then (from the mostly out of focus video of it) I would presume the muck to be corrosion. There should be no corrosion so it might be a bad design issue such as condensation forming around the switch which would also explain the safety switch failures occurring. Hope this helps someone
David, thank you so much for this information. I went searching for these switches on eBay only to discover that they come in NC and NO versions. Given enough time I probably should have figured out which one I want, but your comment has helped me to know which to order. Thanks for taking the time to post the info.
That part is called a thermal switch which works the same as a kettle to switch it off and back on . Aliexpress sell those thermal switches in different range. Hope i helped someone out.
Great video George! Thank you. My turbo 500 is getting too hot so I get boil overs. I saw a video online from a beer brewer who uses a fan control unit to control his boiler temperatures. My T 500 runs at 1350 watts when on and what to be able to turn that down so it doesn't boil over and spout through my pot condenser. Any recommendations?
the turbo 500 resistor runs at 125 centrigrade which I think suits the tower condenser. I'm using a copper dome and think the temperature should be lower at say 90 to avoid too much water coming across. I appreciate the run will take longer. Could I change the resistor to 95? Do you think this will work?
Oh my. I think it would be time to get a new pot. The element is attached to the bottom of the pot so I see no way to replace it. Probably just cheaper to get a new one. George
Barley and Hops Brewing Hello! Yes I already buy a new one. I was also able to remove the casting to the boiler with a rotary tool. Once the you have one cut pry with pliers. Now I’m looking for the elements.
Wow. That's great. When you do bet them have you figured out how to reattach the element to the boiler? If you check out still spirits.com they may have replacement elements. George
CAREFUL!!! Most devices I see on Amazon are rated 10A. If you have a 120V T500, you'll need at least a 15A device! Also, it isn't a resistor, it's a thermal cutout... Mine just popped, but its cutout is resettable-just had to push the button on the base...
How's it going George? I am going to order a few resistors for the boiler. Can you tell me if they are normally open or closed. I take it it is normally closed? Cheers pal.
Hi George Can you advise me.. I am looking to get a t500 second hand in mint condition.. And I wana get a spare temp switch You say its a ksd301 125c But do I get a Normally open temp switch Or a Normally closed temp switch Thanks
Have you considered running the turbo 500 with your PID controller or your other variable controller? I would leave that thermal cutoff in place but have the improved temperature control. I'm thinking of getting one of these with the copper dome and condenser to use only as a pot still.
Is this for the 240v model? I see 250v for the spec on this switch. I'd assume that the standard North American version 120v would need a different type.
Hey George. Why would my turbo 500 still shake and vibrate around when distilling... Then all of a sudden have a the Condenser water temp skyrocket and a heap of liquid just pour out?
That's what we call puking. The surface tension of your mash is thick and when the appropriate temperature is reached it releases and sort of pukes a bunch before it settles back down. You can avoid this by adding a distilling conditioner to the mash in the kettle before you turn it on. George
Had this happen 1 time before, it absolutely sucks, especially if you're not watching the boil at the time it happens. I was lucky I was able to carbon filter the "puke" out and save the cycle. Barley's absolutely right, adding a small amount of distilling conditioner will keep the foam down and prevent boil over. That's what I've been doing ever since.
i have a question if i may George, i was wondering how do i remove the smell from my wash after i have run it through the turbo 500 as it leaves a terrible odor in the spirit any suggestions please
I have a Turbo 500 and the KSD301 is broken. Although it can be found all over the internet the housing does not fit on the Turbo 500. Reason is that there are mounting poles on the 500 to mount the KSD. The KSD now has space between the bottom of the boiler and so does not turn off. Does somebody know were to order the right device for this boiler? (230V) Thanks,
my cooling copper tube in the condenser is completely blocked. have tried soaking it in a solution with no luck. i think im up for a new condenser. any idea?
Hey George i was cleaning my t500 condenser and when i put water in it or seemed to be leaking out the other end.at the top.also i noticed that the larger column that holds all the packing it turns a bit it's not held tightly in place.now I've only used this thing once.Yesterday.it ran great w with no problem.is something wrong with the condenser Already or is it normal. I'm kinda new to this.so if you can offer any feedback what so ever i woulda sure appreciate it.
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing Thx for answering.I'm gonna throw somewater inn it when i get home man i hopeit isn't shot.I've only used it once.I'll let you know.
mine sounds like it starts to get heat but trips the reset and turns off please help i pressed the button on the bottom it heats up a little and trips again ????
Update I ordered the part from China it's not the same as the stock part so either I have to solder the connects or use a copper wire tie to hold it update coming
Update June 14: still spirits customer service is awesome. They sent me replacements of the switches free of charge, in a very timely fashion. Still is going strong, making lots of good stuff ;) got to love companies like that!
-------
They have changed the thermostat in the recent models. It is still KSD-301 but it has the GR added (KSD-301GR) and it seems to have a reset switch/gravitational trip (?) in case this thing flips over. Mine stopped working, flipped it upside down, pressed the switch that was coming out of the bottom of the still and it worked again...of course then I had to open the bottom to look inside 8-).
Thanks for the pointer George! was ready to spend $200+ on a new boiler...
The GR models are a new design to meet European rule changes. It works just like the current safety feature on most power extension boards where it will cut power if too much current is drawn so as to avoid having a fire before the thermal function kicks in. Only fit if originally fitted as there needs to be a safe mechanical method in place to reset these GR types.
If replacing these GR models then ensure the current rating as well as temperature and NC or NO operation are correct before ordering.
If this has current tripped then I would be quite suspicious about the heater elements or wiring causing it to trip.
My T500 shut off unexpectedly this morning and won't turn back on. Hoping hitting the switch on the bottom works for mine.
Thank you so much and very glad to see you make a appearance. You've been the most helpful and enjoyable to watch on youtube. Dont ever sell out or stop this wonderful hobby.
I'm here for the duration (how ever long that may be). Thanks
George
where were u before i bought another t-500, told by all dealers they were not repairable and that they burn out quit easlly , liars...... So now I have two and my newest one just popper the little eesistor, time to repair............thanks alot george...u made this texas man happy.
Great. Repair and recover that T 500.
George
Hiya George. Good to see you again. Thanks for the advice.
Hi George , I own a T500, its good so far but when it fails I now know what to look for, thanks a lot for the advice you will have saved me a fortune. Love your videos mate , I'm in England uk
Thanks so much George...as always you are the OG of TH-camr Distillers
Thankyou for a very informative and helpful video, very interesting and clear, thanks again mate!
From Australia!
Welcome back George great to see you doing videos again
Thanks. It is good to be back at it again.
George
best channel ive watched every video.just put in order for T500/Copper cant wait to try it out.many thanks for the great videos.
Welcome back George!
Thank you. It's good be back at it.
These are not resistors. They are called bi metal thermal switches. They have a ratio of 2 metals inside that will move or snap at the designed temperature.
This snap contact action either makes (shorts, on) or breaks (open, off) and are described as NO - Normally Open or NC- Normally Closed which means they will change state once the temperature is reached. So a normally closed NC will stay electrically conductive until the temperature is reached and then change to an open or off state.
For the boiler they would normally be NC and for a temperature of 125 Celsius the item is a safety feature as the boiler should never get that hot unless allowed to boil dry hence why they are fitted. So the electrical circuit for the heater elements requires this to be closed for normal operation and to turn off once the boiler reaches 125 C for safety.
Below someone asked if the 250v versions were safe to use on 110v. The answer is yes as the 250v indicates the highest voltage the switch is rated for.
In the video ( @ 1:33 and 1:37) it appeared that there was some grey grease on the metal cap sensor end of the bi metal switch where this presses against the boiler base. IF there is grease then it would likely be thermally conductive paste as used on computer CPU heat sinks. This would be a surprise to me if they had done this as whilst a good engineering decision would add to production costs. On the other hand if there is no grease then (from the mostly out of focus video of it) I would presume the muck to be corrosion. There should be no corrosion so it might be a bad design issue such as condensation forming around the switch which would also explain the safety switch failures occurring.
Hope this helps someone
Thank you, very good explanation for the rest of us that are electrically clueless...
David, thank you so much for this information. I went searching for these switches on eBay only to discover that they come in NC and NO versions. Given enough time I probably should have figured out which one I want, but your comment has helped me to know which to order. Thanks for taking the time to post the info.
So I need a nc one ? ..
Ps. Informative ..
Thanks you just answered all my questions
Yep that explanation nailed it!
George is back!
Great tip. Thanks. Can I use another rated register to run the T500 at a lower or higher temp ?
Great video George great to see you still at this! definite thumbs up from!!
Great News and advice George.
I miss your videos nice to see you doing one
That part is called a thermal switch which works the same as a kettle to switch it off and back on . Aliexpress sell those thermal switches in different range. Hope i helped someone out.
Definitely I miss this host. 👍👍 happy distilling
Glad to see you back. Keep the videos coming.
Maaate. Good to see you on TH-cam again... helpful video.
Great to have a new video to watch. Keep em coming.
Love ur videos from Australia
Thanks for another great video. Now I can probably fix a old boiler that went out last year haha
Please do a video on this kettle with the alembic dome! 👍
Hi George, thanks for your videos. Could you please let us know if it's a NO or NC circuit in the T500.
Cheers
Did you workout whether it's open or closed I have come across same problem thanks in advance
Fantastic! Really appreciate your info on the boiler fix. Subbed and looking forward to catching your videos. Cheers 🍻
Hey George , can you show us how to fix the heating element?
i tore my pot all to peices before seeing this video. was planing on just heating up the mash on the stove. think this is a bad idea?
Great video George! Thank you. My turbo 500 is getting too hot so I get boil overs. I saw a video online from a beer brewer who uses a fan control unit to control his boiler temperatures. My T 500 runs at 1350 watts when on and what to be able to turn that down so it doesn't boil over and spout through my pot condenser. Any recommendations?
Thanks George for another great video!!
the turbo 500 resistor runs at 125 centrigrade which I think suits the tower condenser. I'm using a copper dome and think the temperature should be lower at say 90 to avoid too much water coming across. I appreciate the run will take longer. Could I change the resistor to 95? Do you think this will work?
Thank for the quick video, What would you do if the elements or fried.
Oh my. I think it would be time to get a new pot. The element is attached to the bottom of the pot so I see no way to replace it. Probably just cheaper to get a new one.
George
Barley and Hops Brewing Hello! Yes I already buy a new one. I was also able to remove the casting to the boiler with a rotary tool. Once the you have one cut pry with pliers. Now I’m looking for the elements.
Wow. That's great. When you do bet them have you figured out how to reattach the element to the boiler?
If you check out still spirits.com they may have replacement elements.
George
thanks! walmart has them in stock
CAREFUL!!! Most devices I see on Amazon are rated 10A. If you have a 120V T500, you'll need at least a 15A device!
Also, it isn't a resistor, it's a thermal cutout...
Mine just popped, but its cutout is resettable-just had to push the button on the base...
This video helped a lot.
George if it was me I would have replaced it with a 95 degrees Celsius thermal switch. You don't want your water / ethanol mixture to boil.
Will the T500 still run ?
I had the same question, as yet unanswered
Man you are great love your videos
How's it going George? I am going to order a few resistors for the boiler. Can you tell me if they are normally open or closed. I take it it is normally closed? Cheers pal.
Hi George
Can you advise me.. I am looking to get a t500 second hand in mint condition.. And I wana get a spare temp switch
You say its a ksd301 125c
But do I get a
Normally open temp switch
Or a
Normally closed temp switch
Thanks
Have you considered running the turbo 500 with your PID controller or your other variable controller? I would leave that thermal cutoff in place but have the improved temperature control. I'm thinking of getting one of these with the copper dome and condenser to use only as a pot still.
The t500 works by controlling the water flow so a PID would be useless on it.
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing I was thinking for a pot still with the alembic dome and condenser arm.
KSD301 - 125°C 10A 250V Thermal Control Switch Normally Closed (NC) or Open (NO)?
Is this for the 240v model? I see 250v for the spec on this switch. I'd assume that the standard North American version 120v would need a different type.
This is for the US model ( 120V standard)
George
Thank you!
many thanks for this video
Hey George. Why would my turbo 500 still shake and vibrate around when distilling... Then all of a sudden have a the Condenser water temp skyrocket and a heap of liquid just pour out?
That's what we call puking. The surface tension of your mash is thick and when the appropriate temperature is reached it releases and sort of pukes a bunch before it settles back down. You can avoid this by adding a distilling conditioner to the mash in the kettle before you turn it on.
George
Had this happen 1 time before, it absolutely sucks, especially if you're not watching the boil at the time it happens. I was lucky I was able to carbon filter the "puke" out and save the cycle. Barley's absolutely right, adding a small amount of distilling conditioner will keep the foam down and prevent boil over. That's what I've been doing ever since.
Do i need a normally open or normally closed one for the turbo 500?
i have a question if i may George, i was wondering how do i remove the smell from my wash after i have run it through the turbo 500 as it leaves a terrible odor in the spirit any suggestions please
Thanks man
I have a Turbo 500 and the KSD301 is broken. Although it can be found all over the internet the housing does not fit on the Turbo 500. Reason is that there are mounting poles on the 500 to mount the KSD. The KSD now has space between the bottom of the boiler and so does not turn off. Does somebody know were to order the right device for this boiler? (230V)
Thanks,
Is it a non open or open 🤔
George, where did you order the part? I cant seem to find the same one with screw inserts for the terminals and manual reset switch.
I ordered it on Amazon
You will need to look through the options to find it. I lost the order and reciept a while ago.
George
my cooling copper tube in the condenser is completely blocked. have tried soaking it in a solution with no luck. i think im up for a new condenser. any idea?
Replace it. It is worth it.
George
Hey George i was cleaning my t500 condenser and when i put water in it or seemed to be leaking out the other end.at the top.also i noticed that the larger column that holds all the packing it turns a bit it's not held tightly in place.now I've only used this thing once.Yesterday.it ran great w with no problem.is something wrong with the condenser Already or is it normal. I'm kinda new to this.so if you can offer any feedback what so ever i woulda sure appreciate it.
My T500 is also a little loose but I haven't had any problems with it. It may be by design.
Send an update when you use it next time.
George
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing Thx for answering.I'm gonna throw somewater inn it when i get home man i hopeit isn't shot.I've only used it once.I'll let you know.
Can we get the website to to order
Question. When i sas looking as t these they say its a 250v. Now i might be wrong but im pretty sure mine isba 110
There is a difference. If yours plugs into the wall socket it is more than likely 120V if you live in the USA.
George
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing thats what i was thinking. Cant find 120 though humm ill keep looking
Try the 250 V it should work.
George
mine sounds like it starts to get heat but trips the reset and turns off please help i pressed the button on the bottom it heats up a little and trips again ????
Update I ordered the part from China it's not the same as the stock part so either I have to solder the connects or use a copper wire tie to hold it update coming
That's not a resistor. It's a thermal switch which will shutdown the power if it gets too hot. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_cutoff
Yeah it sure is but in this case the name of the thermal switch doesn't change the quick fix. Thanks much
George
I've spent hours looking for this replacement part. Ordered one similar and it didn't work. Video is not much help. Frustrated.
George please! these stills are poorly made with cheap parts. this video would not be necessary if they used something better than a penny resistor.