this is about recirculation

I usually have the kettle and tube on the same surface, end of tube w/ rag inside hanging over end of surface w/ a small bucket below to catch the condensate. So to fill up I just lift the tube and pour in some water(I actually usually just carry the whole works to the laundry sink and put the tap in the tube end).

I'm not an experienced woodworker and maybe my wood is dirty, but the thing I noticed right away was the discoloration of the condensate. Quite frankly if its not my dirty boards, for cleanliness (will it eventually stain new wood??), safety(will there be a long term combustible buildup in the kettle bottom??, and longevity of the kettle I cannot imagine that redraining a stained condensate back into the kettle is an acceptable technique.

-mick