Terpenator Users with Sight Glass

[SDgrower]

I was curious to see when you guys stop flooding. Do you stick with the 5 floods, do you flood until the butane sitting in the sight glass is clear
https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=51297&pictureid=1198405

Or when it is no longer yellow while passing the sight glass
https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=51297&pictureid=1198404

Thanks for everything!!

 

[rb extractors]

5 floods is way too many. 2 or 3 gets the job done.

I personally use a larger system and do one long blast and then recover, but that is because I have the room to

 

[SDgrower]

5 floods is way too many. 2 or 3 gets the job done.

I personally use a larger system and do one long blast and then recover, but that is because I have the room to

In GW instructions for the IIIa it says to run five floods. Is this not the case anymore?

 

[rb extractors]

he says you can, but the diminished return isn't worth it. the first and second grab most of it and the third not very much.

you can't go by a rigid set of rules as every strain is different. you need to see what the butane looks like and understand the difference between extracting enough versus too much

 

[SDgrower]

So when utilizing the sight glass, what are you looking for to determine that your product is complete.

 

[rb extractors]

you'll see the SG clears up. you don't want to wait for water looking clear as you want to minimize the dwell time of the material being in contact with the butane

 

[HighStateToke]

Rb, how long do you allow your single flood to soak? and how much butane are you using for your typical column size? (I'm not looking for rules to go by, just interested your experiences regarding very few or single floods.)

Thank you!!

 

[SDgrower]

you'll see the SG clears up. you don't want to wait for water looking clear as you want to minimize the dwell time of the material being in contact with the butane

The SG clears up between floods like this?

That is one example I have. Clear when the recovery pot was being vacuumed, but when I opened valves 2 & 4 it looked like this

 

[Gray Wolf]

One word of caution using sight glasses at the head of your column. While it is absolutely the perfect place for one, so as to check clarity, it is also between two closed isolation valves when the column is soaking and is only good for around 100 psi.

I know of an individual whom has exploded two of them by leaving the isolation valves closed too long, with a column full of butane, or turning on column heat before opening the dump valve. Never forget about distractions and try to minimize them, so as to not lose track of time during processing.

No disaster, because it was under a canopy outside, with no ignition sources, but most certainly the potential for one and the owner had to change drawers.

 

[icdog]

Do you mean the top of the column? Why would they leave the valves closed for too long? Like how long would that be?

 

[Gray Wolf]

Do you mean the top of the column? Why would they leave the valves closed for too long? Like how long would that be?

Between the top of the column and the vent valve.

Mostly because someone walked up and started talking to them and they lost track of what they were doing.

Depends on the temperature outside at the time.

 

[HighStateToke]

GW, have you come across any sight glasses which are rated for more than 100 psi?
That story gave me the chills.

 

[Gray Wolf]

Not like the ones being used. There are some used as flow gauges that are rated higher.

Besides searching the marketplace, we are doing a couple of things. One is searching for heavier walled Borosilicate tubing from which to make a more robust sight glass. If the walls were thicker and the length were shorter, it would hold higher pressure.

We've dropped off samples of the end caps at a local CNC house, for bids to make the hardware.

We are also looking at clear polymer coatings that reinforce the glass.