Short Path Distillation

[lordperezident]

The assumption was that it is the vapor head sitting there for too long creating a foul smell rather than being pulled out quickly via the pump. I haven't started SPD yet either but will most likely attend a class at Summit Research as soon as possible.

You know how much a class costs at summit research?

 

[oneshot]

hey guys new video on short path thc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQoaS0O4zF0

I'm still an extreme novice but from what I have learned, everything in that video is wrong.

 

[thegreenman91]

Specifically what is wrong and why is it wrong.

 

[oneshot]

Specifically what is wrong and why is it wrong.

They are running it way way way too hot. While technically this is 'right' and will make a product, it's not any good. It probably smells like fish and rubber.

They are bragging about how high they are bumping the fractions up the distillation head. You don't want that at all.

You can see a lot of vapor going over into the receiving flasks as well.

 

[doroteo arango]

well this forum is to try to share knowledge I appreciate the feedback one shot I am also a novice.

 

[oneshot]

well this forum is to try to share knowledge I appreciate the feedback one shot I am also a novice.

Yeah this video is basically giving you everything you need to start but don't take their temperatures and such seriously.

 

[Pastelero]

They are running it way way way too hot. While technically this is 'right' and will make a product, it's not any good. It probably smells like fish and rubber.

So what temperatures do you suggest?

 

[thegreenman91]

They are running it way way way too hot. While technically this is 'right' and will make a product, it's not any good. It probably smells like fish and rubber.

They are bragging about how high they are bumping the fractions up the distillation head. You don't want that at all.

You can see a lot of vapor going over into the receiving flasks as well.

Thanks for your response. While that method DOES work it is not the best. The vapor is from not having deep enough vac (I've had this problem as well). They could also do with a shorter path. And the heat, also not deep enough vac. And as previously mentioned that fishy rubber smell possible comes from too much vapor retention in the headspace. I'm not sure if a vigreux distillation adapter is the best idea for this type of distillation although I have not tried one personally.

I just like to analyse WHAT is wrong with things.

 

[thegreenman91]

So what temperatures do you suggest?

If your vac is deep enough you should get distillate at around 160-180c as far as I know. I run at 180-190.

 

[Co2lover]

Define deep enough? Also youd probably want to heat up the condenser to clean it in order to get a nice fraction.

 

[thegreenman91]

10 micron.

 

[oneshot]

So what temperatures do you suggest?

My mantle (same one they have) never goes above 200C. If you look at the boiling points of the cannabinoids we are processing, they are all well under 200C. We are also under vacuum as well.

 

[Co2lover]

How do you know when it's a good time to switch fractions?

 

[oneshot]

Got the cannabinoid results back for my 2nd batch of distillate.

Hit 95% total cannabinoids. Pretty fucking psyched. Now to get that THC % higher as part of the total.

How do you know when it's a good time to switch fractions?

Consistency changes along with the temp in the head starts increasing it means a new fraction is coming over.

 

[Digital Man]

Any time i winterize i fully decarb so theres no thc-a so thats not it. They do the weight adjustment to give "true cannabinoid %" But the test results i get dont make sense sometimes. I dont trust most labs. I use analytical 360 because its the most convenient but the results ive gotten are strange.

Ive tried this a handful of times now, for instance, today i took some BHO that tested at 85% total cannibinoids(after the weight calculation, which they do) and winterized 20g. I weighed the stuff removed and its 2.25g, which is about right from what i'd think. I would expect my winterized extract to come back at ~95% but it never does. Its always lower then the original potency, usually around ~7% lower. Ive in detail explained to the lab tech what im doing and they just tell me that i made a mistake somewhere and missed it. I would think this was true if it didn't happen EVERY time. Go on analytical360.com and look at test results for concentrates sorted by potency. You'll never see any winterized samples near the top. The only things near the top are distillates that usually are around 90% and a few good BHO runs that usually are in the high 80's.

I would be skeptical of the testing info on that treasure chest page if it didnt actually make sense to why my potency results come back wrong. Also no lab wants to be the lab that tell someone there BHO is actually only ~73% and not the 86% that the other lab says. I do have a feeling that we are being screwed over sometimes by these testing labs but i dont have enough analytical knowledge to get to the bottom of it.

For what it's worth .... and I know this was brought up 6 months ago ........... every time I decarb, the lab results for potency are 10-12% lower than pre-decarb'ing. It fails to bother me since I am in the camp that believes nobody could tell the difference between 60% and 72% THC anyways... and for my purposes, the plus' of decarb'ing outweighs the minus'.

 

[powerbong2000]

How do you know when it's a good time to switch fractions?

Here ya go.

 

[thegreenman91]

For what it's worth .... and I know this was brought up 6 months ago ........... every time I decarb, the lab results for potency are 10-12% lower than pre-decarb'ing. It fails to bother me since I am in the camp that believes nobody could tell the difference between 60% and 72% THC anyways... and for my purposes, the plus' of decarb'ing outweighs the minus'.

I'm in the camp that labs cant tell the difference either.

 

[Digital Man]

I'm in the camp that labs cant tell the difference either.

That raises a question ...... if true then what will it take to actually have reputable lab testing in this industry?

If regulation such as what is occurring in Colorado and Washington isn't solving it ....... then what will ?

 

[TheArchitect]

I've always wondered how flowers can test 25% thc when that is my maximum raw resin yield on grade a flowers.

even if the raw resin was 60% thc thats a 15% max thc level. 15% thc doesn't sound as good, but in my mind, is in fact, an incredible concentration of my target component.

 

[thegreenman91]

That raises a question ...... if true then what will it take to actually have reputable lab testing in this industry?

If regulation such as what is occurring in Colorado and Washington isn't solving it ....... then what will ?

Good question.. Being a resident of california I was specifcially talking about the california lab testing industry however I have read about people in other unregulated states facing the same issues.

Do these issues exist in the regulated markets of colorado and washignton and to what degree.