bho - large scale closed system

[foaf]

there is a sensor in the tank and you can use it as part of an auto shutoff that most recovery pumps have, but that is more often needed for certain higher pressure refrigerants, the butane isn't at as much risk of overpressure at most ambient temperatures and unlike in refrigerant recovery, from the get go you arent gonna overfill the tank, but that is a concern when using the system for its refrigerant recovery purpose. You need a tank that has a large dead space at the top to safely accommodate the fact that, unlike water, butane liquid expands and contracts very much with temperature changes, so you need lots of spare room. Id use the 50 if I built a 2.5 gallon one, my 30 is about half full when cool and the 1 gallon pots use almost all of it for a run. but you don't have to fill the pots up to the top, so there is room to experiment. let me know if you make one, I have some additional tips on running it. good luck, be careful.

 

[Emperor Herer]

Found it! again. Thank you foaf

bump

 

[Surrender]

Is the recovery pump a spark hazard in this setup?

 

[foaf]

Is the recovery pump a spark hazard in this setup?

Good point, there is no doubt about it. I don't expect it to be suitable for an explosive environment. I do it outside with a fan blowing all the time to reduce the chance of any vapor accumulation. Under normal use, I dont leak out any butane to speak of, so the precautions are incase there is some leak.

Im tearing down my multi pound ssh sativa tree right now, its at 12 weeks and will take a week or so to cut and trim, so Ill be doing a bunch of runs in the next month. 3000 watts on one plant with the goal of some good smoke, lots of sativa oil, and a reveg.

Pre Hashoil --

 

[smalldog]

well conceived. what sort of pressure can the (updated) system hold? The sight class can probably withstand a couple hundred psi?

 

[Surrender]

What do you think of these 1 gallon pots shown here? The QS-128S

http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/htdocs/qualspray_pots.htm

80psi rating enough?

 

[foaf]

those are the same as mine, and a bit cheaper than where I got them.

My pressure pots are limited to 80 psi, but that would only be a problem if you heated it quite a lot. Butane gets to 80psi at around 140 degrees. The recovery tank can take more, and with the pump, thats where the pressue side is anyway. The recovery tanks are usually rated around 400 psi.

 

[Dry_paint]

I would have to say reading all of this just made my IQ go up > Nice work

 

[Gray Wolf]

Damn good thread..

I second that and note that it inspired me to follow suite! Good job FOAF!

 

[Slimm]

Foaf, very cool tech you have built. Have you given any thoughts to running CO2 in one of these in place of butane? Would that work well and what kind of mods would be needed?

 

[Kushed_]

Very ingenious!

 

[lvmcgoo]

Hells yeah foaf great system. Thanks for breakin it down.

 

[Neptune]

now we're talking...

 

[eloquentsoution]

yes, quite an inspiration!

 

[foaf]

hard to believe its been 6 years since I posted this here.
I was recently asked by PM to clarify any changes in my technique and this was my reply.
-------------------
I would do two things.

buy a clear fuel filter. they are common at auto parts stores. cut one of your hoses and put it in the middle with hose clamps and use that hose to transfer the resin containing butane from the steep pot to the evaporation pot. You will be able to see when it finishes transferring.

now, I dont do hose transfers like my tutorial shows.

hose from liquid line in storage tank to the steep pot, the port that runs to the bottom.
hose from the top port, vapor port of the steep pot, to the liquid port, runs to bottom, of the evap pot.
hose from vapor port, top only port, of the evap pot to the suction of the transfer pump
hose from the output of the pump to the holding tank.

you can leave it like this for most all of the run.

so you pull a vacuum on the whole system with the holding tank valves shut off and the hose from the output of the pump cracked so that the air can vent.

turn everything off and then open the liquid valve on the tank. watch your level and if you need to, turn on the pump to tranfer enough to fill the steep pot about 80%, when you smell some butane come out of the hose that goes from the pump output to the tank vapor, tighten the hose fitting and open the holding tank vapor valve.

when the steep pot is full. shut off the liquid valve on the holding tank, and also the little valve at the steep pot end of that hose if you have one.

once the steep time is over, I go about 30 seconds on first run and a couple of minutes on a second run and I keep the final products seperate. I sort of swirl the pot as it steeps. when the steep time is over, turn the pump on in its recover mode, as always. turn the steep pot upside down, and now the suctioning vapor port will be at the bottom, no hose changes needed. watch the butane suck through the tube that connects the steep pot to the evap pot, you can now watch it through the clear fuel filter. Ive never had a problem with it leaking or worrying about the pressure. when it completes the transfer, you turn the steep pot back upright, open the valve on the hose that connects the liquid port of the tank to the steep pot, but not the liquid valve onthe tank, this is to get any butane out of this line.

then just let it run until you can pull a good vacuum based on the pressure gauge on the pump. And finalize with the pump set on purge to get the last butane out of the pump condenser.

I put the holding tank in ice now and the evap pot in just outdoor temp water in a big tub. it speeds it up a great deal.

good luck

 

[Gray Wolf]

To put this in perspective, I got my original idea from Foaf's device, and have helped at least five people directly, that are putting together extractions based on the MK I and Mk II Terpenator that I assembled, and more on line, not to mention I saw one advertized for sale that looked like it was a combination of Foafs and my designs.

I have no idea where this whole thing leads, but the brain fart credit goes to Foaf!

Where I dream it could lead, is to an accepted cost effective butane extraction process, that is less dangerous and more enviornmentally friendly than simple evaporation. One that doesn't scare the shit out of the firemarshal and neighbors.

So far it is the cheapest process I've found to operate, though not the cheapest for the capital equipment required.

A major cost of a system, is the pressure pot, and Foaf has another innovation that allows pots made of materials other than stainless to be utilized. Anyone designing their own based on either design, would do well to look at the work he has also done on PTFE bag liners for non stainless pots, that also simplify later removal.

Hee, hee, hee.........................

 

[Gray Wolf]

Bump

 

[foaf]

been doing some runs. some notes for those who might do such a thing this way.

the plastic fuel filter I was using for a long time, it popped, I was glad I had a valve on each side of the hose it was integrated into. Ill replace it with something metal if I cant find a sturdier clear filter, but it is nice to be able to see the butane/oil flowing when the mix moved from the steep pot to the evaporating pot.

I have been putting my evaporating pot in a tub of warm water and it recirculates through a little point of use electric hot water heater, for both the recovery, and then once mostly recovered, I switch to a regular vacuum pump to purge. Dont let the water get too high, my pot floated, tipped over and all the butane oil ran out of the teflon bag and onto the top and sides of the evap pot. a moderate mess. would have been tragic if it went into the hose and into the recovery pump as an oil/liquid butane mix.

after steeping, I now just turn the steep pot upside down to have the oil/butane mix flow into the evap pot, it works great and avoids hose and valve transfers and such. I put a very fine stainless screen to filter the mix in the steep pot to keep the keiflike stuff from clogging things. once most of the butane is transferred, I turn on the liquid valve on the recovery tank and spray in some liquid butane, it goes to what is now the top of the steep vessel, and rinses out any last residue with minimal effort or time.

 

[whodare]

tagged for sure. jem of a thread.... specially for an oil head.

 

[Flying High]

I am in love with the idea of being able to see portions of this process in action; and love how you integrated a way to see...
While I am runnning a slightly modified Terpenator, I have gained so much from this and your other threads as well.

I should have my sight glasses installed for tomorrow's run, and I have my finger's crossed I will be able to see into the tank, as well as above my column in an attempt to visually verify the Butane level with each flood cycle.

thanks for all of the inspiration