Using IPA to fully purge BHO?

[G.O. Joe]

Well it has become pretty obvious to me that the only difference in the procedure I posted and the ones that have been used successfully for a long time by all of you guys who responded is that I am using an inferior solvent for the winterizing step (the IPA as opposed to ETOH).

Unfortunately, I live in WA and the highest percent ethanol that I have access to is 151 proof grain alcohol (not rum). I feel as though 99% IPA is a better choice for winterizing my BHO than the ethanol that I have access to because of the high water content (24%) of the 151 grain alcohol. However, I am not certain about this because I am relatively new to the world of concentrates. Do any of you guys with more experience know whether this is correct? Or is 75% ethanol better to use for winterizing BHO than 99% IPA?

G.O. Joe - I also was under the impression that adding salt to IPA would not help to "dry it" but when I read pip313's post in this thread where he suggested salting out the IPA I looked it up and according to wikipedia:
"Unlike ethanol or methanol, isopropyl alcohol can be separated from aqueous solutions by adding a salt such as sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, or any of several other inorganic salts, since the alcohol is much less soluble in saline solutions than in salt-free water. The process is colloquially called salting out, and causes concentrated isopropyl alcohol to separate into a distinct layer."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol

So salting out IPA does seem to be possible but since I already use 99% it doesn't seem worth it in my case.

See US6730519 for examples of the complicated winterization relationships. (Note- for multiple reasons, it's the most street-interesting THC-related US patent I've read, and I've read them all.) IPA over 90% is not shown there, but it's simple enough to put your IPA extract in the freezer and see if any wax comes out, like others here have. The patent shows that the tested filtrates can be very high in THC, but sometimes at the cost of THC in the precipitate also. Everclear precipitates wax AND little THC(A).

I know the phrase salting out well, it is not unique to IPA, and it is as I said. I doubt that the wiki page says the IPA layer is pure IPA. The IPA layer contains water, and salt. Adding more salt will do nothing, unless the "salt" is dry MgSO4 or Na2SO4.

The dehydrated MgSO4 mentioned earlier shouldn't be used on the 99% IPA, and I'm not sure it will pull much of the last 1% H2O in it, (it goes from light dusty powder to heavy clumpy solid in solvents as it absorbs reasonable amounts of water, check it yourself if you want to know), but it's perfect for 151. A lot would have to be dumped in, but lots won't hurt, with vacuum filtration.

 

[Galorando]

Danktank, your definitely on the right track. Ive been doing it this way for a long while here in WA state as well, 99% IPA is the best I can find as well, unless you want to use everclear but the 99% will make it cleaner.. by far.. Good to see another fellow washingtonian know whatsup about turning a concrete to an absolut, I tell everyone this tek in the state and they act like im crazy

 

[Kushed_]

I am going to buy some IPA and was wondering about using undenatured IPA. Is it necessary? If it is denatured, does the IPA have to be labeled as such?

 

[Gray Wolf]

I am going to buy some IPA and was wondering about using undenatured IPA. Is it necessary? If it is denatured, does the IPA have to be labeled as such?

Isopropyl doesn't need to be denatured, because it is already toxic. It is sometimes used to denature ethanol.