RBC 51 is produced by Dobrodel and sold through its own online store and dealer network. Production facilities are located in the Chelyabinsk region. The RBC 51 apparatus is a two-inch distillation-mash column, as its manufacturer positions it. In this review, we will see what this device is capable of.
Stills
There are no surprises here. The cubes are based on a standard Chinese pan “Luxstahl” with a capacity of 20, 25,37 and 50 liters to choose from. For those who like to save money, a 20-liter option is offered with a native, but reinforced lid. Others can purchase cubes with the now standard 3mm lid.
All lids can be fitted with 1,5″ or 2″ clamp flanges, electronic thermometer nipple and pressure cooker safety valve. For an additional fee, a flange is cut under the heating element with a 2″ clamp.
Pay attention to the height of the flanges for mounting the column and heating element. Where necessary, the flange is high, so that it is convenient to tighten the clamp screw when installing the column. Where it is required to place the heating element deeper into the tank, the flange is made as short as possible.
Cubes are equipped with a ½-inch drain tap fitting. The kit comes with a U – shaped silicone gasket worn on the tank and an adjustable stainless steel clamp.
Regarding the material from which the cube is made, the manufacturer evasively answers – food grade stainless steel. Doesn’t argue or lie. (Let me remind you that the pan is made of AISI 201, which has recently become the subject of numerous discussions and reproaches).
As for the quality of welding when equipping the cube – judge for yourself, here are photos provided by one of the owners in the public domain.
In my opinion, the level is more than worthy, although sometimes not without sin.
Among the disadvantages of cubes is the use of a pressure cooker safety valve. But this problem is easily solved by acquiring and inserting a normal valve. Fortunately, it costs a penny and is fastened with a nut through the gasket.
I would also like to see reinforcing spot welding on the handles of large cubes, which is already done by companies that have collected enough statistics on complaints. Well, if you dream at all, then a sleeve for a thermometer in the liquid zone.
RBC 51 column
The description of the column is short and businesslike, without annoying 100500 modes of operation and other advertising moves designed to cloud the mind of the buyer and encourage him to make a rash purchase. This alone is worthy of respect.
Features:
- pipe diameter – 51 mm;
- dephlegmator and refrigerator – KTD and KTX (shell-and-tube, 7 tubes, 10 mm);
- 6 quick-release clamps, 51 mm 2″ with silicone gaskets;
- rotates to potstill mode, can be used in distillation column mode;
- a selection unit built into the upper corner;
- in the set the side is 50 cm, the total height with the side is 80 cm, it is also possible to make the side of any size;
- fittings on the dephlegmator and refrigerator – standard plumbing thread G ½;
- tube for communication with the atmosphere;
- Digital Thermometer;
- cranes and on-load tap-changers are not included;
- performance in potstill mode – up to 10 l / h.
So, a few sentences and that’s it. Let’s try to figure out what the manufacturer wanted to say.
Tsarga
The pipe diameter is 51 mm, which means that the inner diameter is 48 mm, the operating power when used as a SPN nozzle is about 1800 W, when used as an on-load tap, it is about 2200-2300 W. Moreover, the manufacturer does not complete the on-load tap-changer, leaving the choice of nozzle to the buyer. This is correct and correct: why do I need an RPN if I’m going to drive alcohol? And vice versa, why SPN, if I will only make distillate for aging in barrels. Such an unobtrusive concern for the buyer’s wallet is another plus for sellers.
The height of the tsarga of 50 cm allows you to get rid of the spray at the first distillation. In the second distillation, it is not necessary to talk about a good level of separation at such a height of the side. And the “heads” cannot be clearly separated, and the “tails” cannot be contained.
With the base tsarga, you can only get moonshine fortified and slightly purified from impurities. To obtain NDRF or alcohol, you must purchase an additional drawer.
Dephlegmator
A dephlegmator with a working height of 20 cm with three partitions is capable of coping with a working power of up to 2200 W with a large margin (maximum utilized power is up to 3 kW) in the operation mode of the column. The steam speed will be about 3,7 m/s when using SPN, and for OLTC it will be 4,7 m/s at all. It is clearly impossible to work with such speeds and selection by pair. The phlegm will be driven up the tubes and spit out into the selection.
Apparently, understanding this, for the selection of “heads” in the mode of maximum separating capacity of the nozzle, the manufacturer proposes to use the selection unit located in the corner outlet. Even without an aftercooler, it is capable of drip extraction, while cooling can be carried out simply in the outlet pipe, but then you will have to buy a needle valve or use the supplied Hoffmann clamp to adjust the extraction rate. Well, a PVC hose is not appropriate here, it would be necessary to use silicone.
If the selection unit is used for the “body”, then the apparatus must also be equipped with an aftercooler for an additional fee.
In general, it is not clear why these two parts are not included in the basic package. They are necessary for the full use of the device.
Refrigerator
Refrigerator 40 cm long, working length – 35 cm with 5 partitions inside, powerful enough to confidently utilize up to 4 kW of useful heating power and produce up to 8 l / h during the distillation of mash.
In connection with the unification of the design of the reflux condenser and the refrigerator, it is possible to install them in series during the distillation of mash, this can seriously increase the utilized power and achieve a productivity of up to 10-12 l / h.
Special attention deserves the spout of the refrigerator. One of the few examples of the correct design among competitors. For some reason, most manufacturers are not able to make this small detail so that it does not interfere with the operation of the device in potstill mode.
And although the communication tube with the atmosphere sometimes for some reason migrates from its rightful place opposite the drain tube somewhere to its side, in general this does not impair the capabilities of the node. The main thing is that these tubes never meet on one side of the glass …
The initial impression of the cheapness of the column quickly disappears. In order to start working, you need to immediately purchase at least a nozzle and a plumbing kit. And in order to obtain a well-purified distillate and select the head fraction with high quality, it is necessary to complete the apparatus with one more drawer with a nozzle, an adjusting needle valve and an aftercooler.
If you keep rectification in mind, it is better to immediately purchase a 100 cm drawer. All this is available in an additional configuration and good quality.
As for the voltage regulator for the heating element, it must be borne in mind that the unit offered by Dobrodel does not stabilize the voltage and is only suitable for distillation. If you set yourself the task of rectification, you need to look for more suitable automation.
Additional accessories
Without this important section on the website, RBC 51 would have remained just a moonshine still. But “Dobrodel” offers to equip the base column with their help so that it most fully meets the needs of the buyer.
Drawers are available in copper, stainless steel and glass. For those who want to use their old tank – kits for connecting the column. Diopters, relatively inexpensive flutes, false cube bottoms, gin baskets, top and bottom taps, etc.
In fact, taking into account the Spartan configuration of the base device, the purchase of components becomes the final point of configuring the device.
conclusions
- “RBC 51” manufactured by the company “Dobrodel” is a column-type moonshine still with reinforcement. In BC mode, it can only work if you purchase additional components and use the corner selection unit.
- The main problem of RBC 51 with steam extraction is an imperfect reflux condenser, which has a large power reserve, but a small section of steam pipes. The manufacturer does not offer a worthy replacement in components.
- The high price of the device is disguised by a poor basic package.
Reviewed by IgorGor.