Power 5x? 7x?

[señorsloth]

so i have been doing some research...i want to buy a case or two of butane online for BHO extraction. If you have looked online you have probably noticed as well as i have that brands like vector and newport are very expensive, i use newport butane right now and it costs me 6 bucks a bottle, not much cheaper in bulk online either, vector is also pretty expensive...

some people say as long as it has a low amount of wax's and no added rotton egg smells they are all the same... others say only buy the expensive stuff, or they tell you to get stuff that says zero impurities or is refined at least X amount of times...

i've found a few lists, though none are really all that comprehensive...from what i have read though it seems like the amount of times refined has little to do with the overall quality, that it's often just a marketing gimmick...

on amazon and ebay, "power" brand seems to be very cheep and popular, i can get it 33 bucks a case with shipping included...all the reviews say it works well for BHO, some people even refer it as "one of the top 3" along with vector and colibri...i found one slightly obscure reference to it having "perfume" added...you can never be sure these days who is talking out of their asses and who is legit...

i'm pretty sure "Power" brand is decent for bho, it is certainly the most available online...although if you have any experience with the brand i would love to hear about it!

my main question is; assuming i'm buying power brand butane...what is the benefit with buying the 7x over the 5x? 7x costs a lot more, and it seems a LOT of people think the 5x and 7x is just marketing, and doesn't really mean it's any more pure...so are these two essentially the same? they just label it differently and sell for 2 different prices? or is the refining process legit, and 7x is 2x better than 5x? if it is legit, is the difference noticeable in your bho or is that probably mostly placebo?

i must say im leaning toward the 5x because it has just as many good reviews and is half the price...but if there is a noticeable difference im not gonna skimp 20 bucks on what could theoretically be thousands of dollars worth of oil...(assuming 12 bottles runs 12 ounces of buds, around here 60 a gram for bho is an insanely good deal, though almost impossible to get)

 

[señorsloth]

ok...so...nobody knows...i can accept that, or maybe just the right people haven't seen this thread yet...it is a bit of a slow moving forum...

how about this...has anybody used either of them? power 5 seems to be the cheapest butane out there that is still pure enough for bho...i just spent 12 more dollars on 2 bottles of newport for my week supply of oil, and i don't want to do it again...but i don't really wanna buy all that butane without a review from people i trust like the good folks at icmag...i mean there are lots of reviews from bho users on amazon but thats just not the same...

 

[Puffers]

I am blasting Power 5 and it's working great. I know people around here that buy Power 5 by the master case to make oil for dispensaries

 

[señorsloth]

thank you puffers! i am literally going to amazon right now and buying a 12 pack...should last me a month or two at least!

 

[Onepunchko]

5 times is fine! Google info on butane refinement and you will see that the advertised number of times refined is just a marketing scam. I use power 3x and its cheap, and my wax looks, tastes and smells off the hook with ZERO sizzle at all.

 

[hammalamma]

About the same time power 7x started showing up and power 3x was no where to be found, power 5x started smelling a lot like power 3x.
I don't even like to put power 5x in my torches anymore because of that gross smell. I'm pretty sure that power 7x is the old power 5x, the koreans slangin it probably think that with a bigger number on the can they can charge more. If you can get power 7x for $40 or less than go for it, but stay away from power 5x. And shit, if the oil is for yourself get some newport, lucienne, or vector, $20 a case more isn't that much considering how much oil those 12 cans will make.

 

[midwestHIGHS]

Vector, power 5 yuk. All the korean brands have an easily noticeable mercaptan smell. The power 5x isn't even refined 5x for paraffin waxes, it says power super refined and then says 5x on another part of the can, no where does it say 5x refined. I feel the brands manufactured in the UK like Lucienne, Colibri, London, Newport that come with the near zero impurities stamp have very little to no smell and are the cleanest lighter fluids to use IME.

Don't be a cheapskate, man. Get the best and shop around online for different prices. I get lucienne for $50 a case in a local smokeshop.

 

[señorsloth]

ok...well great...so what...did i buy a case of junk? ug this is really annoying...some people say it's awesome and it's the only kind they use, and some say it isn't even fit for lighters? this is really starting to annoy me, since nobody had anything bad to say till after i pulled the trigger and bought a whole case...

Vector, power 5 yuk. All the korean brands have an easily noticeable mercaptan smell. The power 5x isn't even refined 5x for paraffin waxes, it says power super refined and then says 5x on another part of the can, no where does it say 5x refined. I feel the brands manufactured in the UK like Lucienne, Colibri, London, Newport that come with the near zero impurities stamp have very little to no smell and are the cleanest lighter fluids to use IME.

ok so for starters, i know the 5x thing is a marketing thing, but as far as refining goes...i thought the way it works it the butane is refined, but after that they intentionally add the myrcaptins to warn of leaks, and also the wax, to keep the inner nozzles of lighters and torches lubricated and working well...and the refining didn't have anything to do with the amount of wax lubricants the specific brand decided to add or wether or not the brand decided to add myrcaptins or not...for instance, i use tattoo brand in my torch, because i wont be tempted to make oil with it, i always have it around to refuel my torch...it has almost no mark at all on the mirror, it's totally clear, but they added the mercaptin so it ruins oil...i don't think the myrcaptin is in the butane to begin with, and i don't think that the "refining process" is about removing those chemicals, so i don't think you are going to get a "faint hint of myrcaptins", either your brand adds them, or it doesnt...obviously i can't spell myrcaptin...but does anybody know if thats correct?

 

[midwestHIGHS]

You have to understand man alot of people suggest what they have used and think works the best. Not everyone is going to agree on what works best, so your going to get alot of different opinions. It's just the way it is. You can use the power 5x lots of people do, would I though no, never. At the end of the day they're all lighter fluid refills and not made for extracting, but some are obviously cleaner and less smelly than others. You want the best cleanest butane everyone can agree on, well thats going to be research grade n-butane at 99.99% pure from gas supply company.

 

[midwestHIGHS]

The removal of oleoginous waxes, called paraffin, is what happens during the refining process. These waxes do not lubricate the small wholes in a torch lighters, but clogs them. Brands like power use it as marketing scam by just saying 3x, 5x or 7x. No where does it say it was refined that number of times it just says power super refined and 5x is placed on another part of the can. I never said the refining process removes any chemicals such as mercaptans, only paraffin waxes. I think we all know butane doesn't contain mercaptans to begin with and that it's added to the gas for an easily noticeable smell.

 

[thirst4knwledge]

You have to understand man alot of people suggest what they have used and think works the best. Not everyone is going to agree on what works best, so your going to get alot of different opinions. It's just the way it is. You can use the power 5x lots of people do, would I though no, never. At the end of the day they're all lighter fluid refills and not made for extracting, but some are obvisouly cleaner and less smelly than others. You want the best cleanest butane everyone can agree on, well thats going to be research grade n-butane at 99.99% pure from gas supply company.

Sloth,

I'd have to agree with midwest on this, a lot of people have differing opinions on what to use (himself included). Just because he said he wouldn't use it doesn't mean you bought a case of shit. If you've heard at a decent amount of people say that it works for them then chances are that you can't go too wrong with it. I made a batch with power 5x and a batch with vector with no noticeable difference in quality. Can't say that it smelled much different while making either. I decided to buy a 12 pack of power 5x due to the price difference and I'm happy with my purchase. Keep in mind that Vector refills carry 10.8 oz of butane while power 5x and many others carry 5.8 ounces, so there's .8 oz less than twice as much butane in a vector can than power 5x, which makes the price difference more bearable if you would like to try something that is of a higher quality according to some. I know both cans say 300 ml or vector might say 320 but the actual contents are different, and you can tell quite easily when holding one in each hand. Make sure to check any content differences when comparing price, there is a can size and a content measurement for every can. If it helps, I've also heard many good things about lucienne and the price is similar to power 5x, so I'm considering that for my next purchase.

-t4k

 

[señorsloth]

You have to understand man alot of people suggest what they have used and think works the best. Not everyone is going to agree on what works best, so your going to get alot of different opinions. It's just the way it is. You can use the power 5x lots of people do, would I though no, never. At the end of the day they're all lighter fluid refills and not made for extracting, but some are obvisouly cleaner and less smelly than others. You want the best cleanest butane everyone can agree on, well thats going to be research grade n-butane at 99.99% pure from gas supply company.

ok good, you know your stuff, i ended my last comment with a question because i do not know anything for a fact, it's just a hodgepodge that ive found online...so the waxes are part of the butane, and the refining is what gets that out...but the amount refined isn't really referenced by the numbers on these different brands those are just marketing...my mistake was assuming the waxes were added...

but we both agree the mercaptans are added after right? so either the brand adds them or it doesn't right? i mean if the smell doesn't come from the wax and there are no mercaptans added, what is there that makes it smell different than newport butane?

i'm not disputing you at all, i'm just trying to understand how this works...im confused how brands that don't add mercaptans would smell bad...

 

[Waxmasta Flex]

1-power 7 is for sure power 5 on damned good authority
2-vector is also one of those korean manufactured butane refills
3-companys like lucienne and colibri etc arent made in the uk, theyre MARKETED through the uk 99% of the time..im not 100% sure, but id bet money theres not many butane manufacturing plants in the uk, manufacturing as in mining butane from natural gasses..i mean i dunno maybe there are..i just havent really heard of that..ive seen that keen marketing markets butane like colibri and others...
4-butane filtration is called something like hydrofiltration or something...and im pretty sure no butane can says anything about that on it...
5-vector is currently the highest percentage of nbutane and least propane and iso based on what the available msds sheets say..
6-my wax tastes great. i use p5.
7-it doesnt smell different than newport really.and if it does it just means theres more or less propane mixed in im sure..im not sure why everyone is on the nut of newport..stuff has been around a while..many people have used it. its more popular overseas..i speculate it is prob similar to colibri, or even the same marketed by someone else with a different label who pays extra for the nifty caps when they place their orders...
i just thought it was funny my driver is all "hey man this newport shit new the bomb better than vector etc etc blah blah blah crazy shit" and im like..huh?
8-near zero impurities is a logo someone designed for marketing, not a government stamp of approval...lol

 

[Waxmasta Flex]

@ hammalama
its all made in one factory-theres no good butane part of the manufacturing plant and the bad side where its crappy butane coming out of the nozzle...
its ALL THE SAME
IF its marketed by a company using the same factory..
maybe whoever is selling power switched factories, but to say theyre reverting from stronger to not as strong or pure or whatever...mmmmmm dont think so...
more like they were cruisin along ladee da and they got theyre nice power 3...then they see a spike in the industry sales whatever n a new need for refined butane arises, bam they switch it up n call it 5 x...
now maybe MAYBE they switched factories n upgraded, ok that would explain the change in scent from 3 to 5, but theres no way they jumped to a whole different factory and got yet another different maufacurers mix and called it 7x, only to have it be th same as 5x..just doesnt really make sense...

trust me ive spoken directly to a little man wayyyyy over in korea and he assured me there was no way to modify the mix or purify or effectively change a mix from what would be considered 5 times refined to what would be considered 7 times refined...it just doesnt exist..its marketing
period
the only real difference is what the manufacturers mix of butane is, because this varies totally from factory to factory..so have certain additives, some dont..some use more propellant, some less...
anyways, ciao
butane lesson for the month

 

[señorsloth]

sooooo im using the power 5 then...seems like it's 4 to 2 here...approving to disapproving...and whats more on another forum(TC) with a HUGE hash section I just discovered a thread over a hundred pages long discussing top brands, starting with a poll, power 5 is number 3 in the pole over a LOT of other brands, and it seems to be quite popular throughout the very very lengthy discussion...from my reading, which has only just begun, as i didn't find this awesome new hash forum till last night, it seems that power 5 does not have any mercaptans and smells the same as newport, which smells fine to me compared to my tattoo, which DOES have mercaptans added...

i will do a mirror test to be sure but i have a few ounces of material to run come next tuesday when my butane arrives, i'll post a report to how well the power 5 does compared to my normal brand of newport...

i want to thank everybody for your input! it really helped me make my decision!

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

Did some side by side runs of identical material with vector and power5x, got nearly identical yield from both, slightly more dry crumbly end product with the power5x, but smell and taste pretty much identical - both made super delicious insanely awesome oil.

 

[señorsloth]

thank you mr. jangles! the more i read the more i think placebo has a lot to do with butane reviews...most people seem prejudice towards certain brands...and seem to prefer others, before a test is even done, and often they are compared from different runs of different weeds, of differing water contents, and never done side by side blind sampling...

its been proven that people can be given 2 samples of the SAME EXACT wine, but poured from 2 bottles, an expensive bottle, and a cheep bottle, they almost ALWAYS say the expensive one tasted better than the cheep one, despite them being the same wine from the same bottle...the percentage of people affected by this effect is staggeringly high. i would be EXTREMELY surprised if this effect didn't exist in most products, including butane...if you expect it to be better your brain will subconsciously tell you it's better, whether it actually is or not...that's why people do blind side by side tests...

 

[chubbynugs]

My buddy has his own line of butane without mercaptans. He explained to me how the filtering numbers really work in the factories in Korea. Most 3x 5x have only been filtered once and the 7x have been filtered two more times on top of that. I will try to get more info from him. Should of wrote most of this stuff down when i talked to him about it. As long as you shy away from brands that have mercaptans in it you are safe. Not a fan of Power myself but have more than a few friends that use it for its affordability and decent quality. Buy it by the master case and save. Power is usually around $200 for 96 cans in my area for the 5x.

 

[señorsloth]

i just wanted to report back that my case of power 5 arrived this morning, i did a mirror test, and it did almost exactly the same as newport, which is my benchmark for a quality product, it had no mercaptins, and the oil i made is soooo delicious...my best yet, and thats more about technique than it is about the brand but it just goes to show you, the stuff is fine, hell, the stuff is better than fine, it's a quality product that works great...

i also bought a nice vector stand up torch and ordered an hmk ti curve, so i'm good to go now! i gave away all of my weed pipes over the last week, and trust me, i had a LOT of them, but i am an oil head now, it's all i smoke, and all i ever want to smoke again...i saved my one favorite pipe, a very expensive, very fancy sherlock, but the day after i got rid of my last pipe, a friend knocked it off a shelf and broke it...i figured it's eywa's way of saying i don't need it, and i don't need to be smoking icky flowers anymore...leave those for the mainstream...im a connoisseur...lol

 

[Avinash.miles]

go 7 if u can, no point aiming low, right? or vector, never heard of lucienne, but anything better quality will help end product, right?