step by step winterize process + supplies needed

Fadedawg

Well-Known Member
Is it just me, or is that way too much butane for 14g of flowers? I thought one can (10.6oz) per 1 oz of flowers was the norm?
If it were bud, it would require about 20 grams of flowers to produce 4 grams of oil. We would typically use one 300 ml can for a 20 gram tube.
 

vacpurge

New Member
how come my everclear wont bubble anymore, or the bubbling pattern is very weird (it bubbles hard... then stops)... I mean its under full vacuum.. why the hell isnt it constantly boiling!! whats changing to make it stop boiling after 3 or 4 seconds with the pump running???
 

Fadedawg

Well-Known Member
The violent boiling was probably dissolved gasses coming out of the alcohol, as it mostly boils quietly with occasional bumps. It is boiling away, you just don't see it exiting.

I control the vacuum pressure of the system until we get past that stage, so as to not make a mess in the chamber, and only go to full vacuum pressure after things calm down.
 

vacpurge

New Member
this calmed down and then stayed that way for 24 hours. I came back and nothing happened. I eventually just put it on a hot plate and let it evaporate with 0 vacuum. was the everclear supposed to be warm?
 

Fadedawg

Well-Known Member
this calmed down and then stayed that way for 24 hours. I came back and nothing happened. I eventually just put it on a hot plate and let it evaporate with 0 vacuum. was the everclear supposed to be warm?
We heat the Everclear to 115F, but that isn't necessary until most of the alcohol is gone.

How much surface area do you have in your pool, versus depth, and how are you keeping track of vacuum pressure?

Here is a boiling point chart for ethanol at different pressures, and you will note that at 1.3" of mercury, ethanol boils at about 53F.

http://tables4ethanol.webs.com/boilingpoint.htm
 

vacpurge

New Member
it was in a bowl. surface area was maybe 4x4 inches, and 2 inches deep. it boiled great right off the bat for a few minutes. then it all stopped. I even changed pump oil out for fresh stuff. still nothing.

came back the next day... re did it.. and it boiled like crazy!!! so I stopped it instantly and wanted to show my girlfriend. tried everything again to get it to boil like nuts and it wouldnt do it, I looked like an idiot in front of her!!

maybe the everclear somehow got cold because I was purging near a door so the exhaust fumes could vent outside?

I am keeping track of pressure via a gauge in my vac it pro chamber..

I can hit 27.5" of mercury in a 3 gal chamber with a 5 cfm stage 1 pump at 2200'
 

Fadedawg

Well-Known Member
it was in a bowl. surface area was maybe 4x4 inches, and 2 inches deep. it boiled great right off the bat for a few minutes. then it all stopped.
I can hit 27.5" of mercury in a 3 gal chamber with a 5 cfm stage 1 pump at 2200'
2" is a pretty deep pool for a 4" surface area and I would expect it to take awhile. Can you use a larger container, so as to have more surface area and a shallower pool?

27.5" isn't as low as I would expect from a 5 cfm pump, unless you have either a leak or something outgassing (boiling) inside the chamber. Have you checked for leaks.

The last two inches of vacuum make a big difference in how fast things boil.


Are those stress cracks that I see in the lid, behind the gauge, or an optical "dellusion?"
 

vacpurge

New Member
do I even need to use butane? that shits getting expensive at 6$ a can. is there any way I can just skip that step and rinse with everclear right off the bat?

or find some methanol?

yes those are stress cracks in the surface of the lid. another use here has the same chamber with no cracking. dont think there is any leaks, but ya never know.

I dont think I can achieve a full vacuum due to my elevation, 2000 feet.
 

650baquet

Active Member
do I even need to use butane? that shits getting expensive at 6$ a can. is there any way I can just skip that step and rinse with everclear right off the bat?

or find some methanol?

yes those are stress cracks in the surface of the lid. another use here has the same chamber with no cracking. dont think there is any leaks, but ya never know.

I dont think I can achieve a full vacuum due to my elevation, 2000 feet.
I know it's possible to perform extractions with just ethanol. Not sure the best way or how long to soak. Might find good info at skunkpharm site.

Full vac is full vac...whatever elevation you live at.
elevation_altitude_air_pressure.png
 

Fadedawg

Well-Known Member
Here is another graph http://www.nypts.com/Downloads/Altitude.pdf which also shows PSIA and Hg. You are correct, at 2000 feet, your -27.5" Hg, is equivalent to 29.~"Hg.

Have you tried to use a shallower pool yet.

I would replace that lid before it lets go and wrecks your extraction, if not your day. High cyclic fatigue is occuring from constant oil canning, so I would go to at least a 1" piece of Lexan to reduce flexure.
 
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