Advice for new small batch closed loop hydrocarbon extractor

[BranchEchols]

Calling all extraction Jedi!!!

This is my first post, so forgive my ignorance. My experience has been primarily in cultivation and the only extracting I’ve done is through glass tubes and purged in a vacuum oven.

I am building my first small batch closed loop hydrocarbon extraction system and I am much in need of advice, guidance, and/or mentorship. My intent is to produce derivative/concentrate/extract that is as close to the mythical full spectrum extract (HCFSE & HTFSE) as possible. Extractioneering has and is setting the bar, INMHO.

I am considering using either a butane/propane blend or butane/iso/propane tri-blend as the solvent and experimenting with different ways to saturate the flower with CO2 prior to extraction in order to improve the terpene, cannabinoid, and anything else that contributes to the entourage effect, extraction.

I’ve got a cart full at Best Value Vacs ready to check out and my build currently looks something like this:

That doesn’t include anything to saturate the flower with CO2 prior to extraction. I’m hoping for some insight and direction from the forum’s extraction Jedi. My plan is to install ball valves on both sides of the 1.5" dewaxing column and a 1/4 ball valve on the outside for CO2 saturation. I am curious on the Jedi thoughts on whether I should saturate under low pressure, high pressure, or maybe try something using liquid.

My current plan, and forgive my ignorance if something doesn’t make any sense, is the following in order from top to bottom:

6" splatter, 6" spool, 6" end cap, 1.5" short sight glass, 1st bottom weld tri-clamp filter plate with 1 micron SS sintered screen, 2nd filter plate with 5 micron SS sintered screen, ball clamp, dewaxer column, ball clamp, end cap w/ 1.4" FNPT, 1/4" ball valve to SS hose to 6" tri-clamp welded bottom base. I’m going to use two of the 1.5" openings on the end cap for sight glass.

Prior to extraction, I plan to pull from a 20lb canister and distill it into the 6" solvent base. I don’t currently have an inline desicant setup for drying, how concerning is that? Again, I’m a novice, so please bear with me.

All thoughts, comments, and ideas are welcome. My need for as close to full spectrum as possible is medical, specifically in regards to individuals that experience deleterious side effects from the combustion of flower, but also experience quality of life-changing relief from the entourage effect.

Any extraction Jedi that are interested in mentoring me, please, please send me a message and pay it forward. I will do the same in the future as well…There is a ton of information on the web these days, much of it junk I know, so help a currently ignorant brother out

Thanks in advance.

[Dred_pirate]

Quick spoon to help you with time and money.

Hit up @Killa12345 and check out his pre-made, pressure tested, extremely affordable setups. With a few inexpensive mods you can rack mount it and have a much easier day.

Here’s a link to his site

1lb - 6

It will take all of the stress and guess out of setting up your first setup.

I’ll gladly give you a hand with whatever I can for you to get going and running safely and comfortably

[BranchEchols]

Thanks man, I really appreciate it!

I’m waiting for my vendor account with them to get setup to see how their pricing really shakes out.

If they are close I’ll still build it for the experience and pay it forward.

Either way i’ll be in touch as questions arise, as they surely will.

Thanks again brother!

[Franklin]

Doh!

[Killa12345]

@BranchEchols

I’m waiting for my vendor account with them to get setup to see how their pricing really shakes out.

I got no problem selling an extractor in parts for $150 off the price. So you can buy the extractor in parts above for $1150 but you have to build and pressure test yourself.

Personally if someone offered to build and pressure test my first extractor for $150. I would have done it in a heartbeat. It certainly can get frustrating sometimes

[Franklin]

idk, far as I can hear youd do better to just build ur rig piece by piece from china. Wind chime n all…

I'm belligerent guy who types to much in my titles and I'm very jealous of @killa12345. Wishing I had a business like him....o and no one listens to me

12-15 pound home built closed loop . Sleeved material column, crc , valves under material column and another valve under the crc for soaking , non sleeved collection and sanitary solvent tanks ( currently using a perfect sized trash can as a sleeve ) . Collection and solvent tanks are only 25 pounders , built to run the material 2-3 times . Was going to make them bigger but I actually now prefer it like this , makes it so your first run is extra high quality, but obviously it doubles your run ti…

[Capttripppp]

material column has to be 6"x48", and collection only good for 10 pounds of butane.

[Killa12345]

Im not sure the new member knows that italics is meant as sarcasm

chinese windchimetek is were the real extractors spend their money!

Edit. Used wrong their

[Franklin]

If you want to cut costs on ur rig, home depot sells chains what for hanging the bombs.

Or you could hit up summit, they carry the high throughput chains.

[Franklin]

Also jokes aside, OP. You’ll learn much more and save a lot of money by just buying and familiarizing yourself with a proper prebuilt system.

Building your own is cool, I did it and let me tell you… just buy a built system… if I were you, since you’re open to building a system you should buy a system from killa that’s not been pressure tested.

Also @Killa12345 I saw I’m an old thread that you prezsure test these rigs in your bathtub?
Just full the rig up with 90% volume water and then pressure test… That way if you do happen to have a failure you don’t blow the walls of your bathroom off…

[Franklin]

You can pressure test at the same psi you usually do, but you reduce the volume of the head space for safety.

[Killa12345]

The bathtub is just an initial leak observation step. It’s horrible to pressure test an extractor to not see any bubbles when spraying with soap water to find out 24 hours later it lost .5 psi over 24 hours.

Small leaks like that are hard to chase down…. I like to watch each extractor under water because even minuscule leaks show themselves at 120psi.

There is multiple steps in my pressure testing process to insure when my clients get their equipment; it’s good to go.

We actually leave every extractor pressurized till we pack them. It’s real easy to see if an extractor is losing air if it’s been pressurized for a month and hasn’t lost a psi of air.

[Franklin]

All I’m sayin is, should anything happen to fail on you the percussive payload will be proportional to the internal volume of the container under pressure. Reduce whenever possible for your safety. 120 psi doesn’t sound like much, but depending on the volume of the container exploding there could be some seriously deadly force.

If it’s half full with water you can flip it upside down and bubble test with the heads pace. Just my 2c. Look up a video of an air compressor tank failing. Shit can send some1 thru a wall.

[Franklin]

Air compressor explosion safety video footage of actual explosion

Here’s the video I was thinking of

[tdrommond]

In daily production, what pressure loss over what period of time is acceptable. I understand zero loss over infinite time is the goal. I also understand the limitations of equipment and the time/cycles of wear and tear. It’s only new and perfect once. After that, it’s used and on the way to the scrap pile. How far can you push it until it’s time to retire equipment? I’ve searched and not found an answer to this. I know it’s in the back of a lot of people’s minds.

[Killa12345]

I will say…… the one extractor I’ve kept over all the years is my original prototype extractor. It’s looks the same as the day I bought it.

I don’t think any air loss is acceptable. I think nuts should be replaced almost biweekly given the cost. Gaskets monthly maybe every 2 months. Valves rebuilt or replaced quartly or immediately if leaking. Steel should be good for life as long as it’s not misused and abused. Dented columns need addressing.

Most of the valves and gaskets we use we take to the extreme limits and a lot of time over their manufacturering specs. It terms of temperatures. Most of these valves aren’t meant for -80c. Most of the gaskets neither.

These need replacing or rebuilding based on the use.

[Capttripppp]

I went through the process of pricing everything through Alibaba etc. At the end of the day, by the time shit lands I promise you you’ll pay as much or more than from @Killa12345. I spent allot of time learning before I had the money to actually purchase a loop. After shipping and MOQs you’ll end up paying more for your steel than he is selling/getting it for.
Plus you get the added benefit of his to notch customer service, and willingness to help any of his clients to any extent he can. A small machine is better from him, when you want to go bigger you plan with him and order your parts through him because he’s done quality control with his suppliers already.

Just my 2 pence…

[44northorganicfarms]

I’d say judging by those parts your extractor looks better than anything you’d buy prebuilt . But if your looking for a prebuilt system check out amazon ( edit wrong link )

[44northorganicfarms]

https://www.amazon.com/500Gram-Extractor-Closed-System-sleeve/dp/B08JCTR8ZB/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=closed+loop+extractor&pd_rd_r=62da3685-ae79-4c1f-8d36-1a1fce3ef962&pd_rd_w=qB3O2&pd_rd_wg=sEkn5&pf_rd_p=ce028c81-ed8c-425a-8404-93bf425aa8ce&pf_rd_r=6QER3HZKGV2M4A5K9C5D&qid=1628948854&sr=8-9

Here’s one just like killas … except it’s a lot cheaper

[Capttripppp]

Christ… Here we go…
Saturday morning cartoons