I would think it’s from splashing cryo fluid on it. Glass doesn’t like extreme temp changes. I had my plastic caster wheel lock on my rack snap right off when I had an accidental acetone boil over from my sleeved column. Didn’t bump them or anything, just the extremely cold acetone did it. Stay safe✌️
plastic lens that the thinned edge directly contacts the metal HPS clamps it’s a failure waiting to happen
https://www.bestvaluevacs.com/polycarbonate-sight-glass.html
My first upgrade was their borosilicate ones which have a metal piece that has a gasket inside and fits the oring for the tri clamp with rubber contacting both sides of the glass…
Not meta glass which bvv charges like 230 each for
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I would say mine are a 3/4 inch piece of glass. @Cryo13. That looks absolutely nothing like what I have in mine. Mine looks like a huge chunk of glass.
I’ll take some pictures later but that looks janky as fuck
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https://www.bestvaluevacs.com/borosilicate-tri-clamp-sight-glasses.html
I replaced with these and they are about a 1/2" thick piece of borosilicate that I described above, and after researching these vs meta glass the difference is psi rating I think meta is like 3000psi asme certifiable, and borosilicate is 800psi, I’m not positive on that but 800 seemed like it would be enough…
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Id say use that acetone very well ventilated on coils and be done eith it… Similar situation the one and only time I put it in my sleeved column. Cracks to compound gauges and I saw it cracked my site glass
but upon further inspection it was moisture frozen on top of the borosilicate.
Wasnt worth the LITERALL headache… no matter the ventilstion i had kicking…
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This is how thick the glass is in my sight glasses. It’s maybe not 3/4” but it’s thick. Certainly ain’t not plastic.
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That’s about how thick my replacements are, my dewax still has that crap plastic one which I should probably replace while I’m thinking about it
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And I will say. Like i did earlier in the thread. The difference between the cheapest option and the most expensive option is negligible for a concentrate maker like us. If I said the cheap thin plastic one was $6 and the thick glass was $12. Everyone here would choose the $12 cause WTF is $6. Especially on an expensive extractor. This question is a bit more blurry for a business man.
Personally this should be a no brainer for both views but constantly I’m reminded of this cheap shit. Lol. Really happy to be among people that actually can see the difference in the shit.
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I think the business perspective like bvv goes by with the “intentions for legal use making lavender”
They should consider the possibility of injuring a consumer but I could see a business perspective being different if they knew it wouldn’t hold up in court due to the use being federally illegal… stupid but that’s business…
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They know exactly how they are used and operated. What I don’t understand is who over there thinks something like that is a good idea??
I just can’t see a bunch of smart people sitting around a table discussing cost. Looking At that and things like gaskets. And say “let’s charge $7000 for this extractor. Put all swagelok valves and fittings. But spend $3 on sightglass and cents on gaskets.” Really🤦🏼♂️
Think of that scenario.
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We paid like 1200 extra for swageloks, but I totally get what your saying they definitely trick people who are new to the cls industry, I’ve heard that someone bought through a shop up here got their psi certified extractor paid like 14k and it didnt come with the right gaskets it was supposed to, I guess the tubing for the jackets was extra little things like that that eventually add up, I’d be interested in looking at it in person to see how upgraded it is being certified… it really doesn’t make any sense
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On the topic of gaskets - could one of you direct me to where I could find some high quality gaskets to replace these cheap BVV ones?
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You’re absolutely right, of course, but that’s assuming the providers are honest merchants and not exploiting their consumer, which many of our merchants are. I don’t want to know what I paid for the polycarbonate sight glasses and gaskets as a part of the overall package, because it sure as hell is orders of magnitude higher than $6 or even $12.
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I couldent find any, so i remade them out of ptfe sheet. Even getting the replacement glass is tough, your better off finding someone with a flowjet
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i think after chinese new year ill start carrying replacement borosilicate and meta glass sight glass for everyone. I never knew this was going on. I thought everyone just put the safest option in their extractors…Guess not! Thanks for the idea.
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Safety should be a priority at all cost. I only realized what the materials were made of because of this failure, which could have been potentially lethal. I got lucky, but that’s not to say someone else may not in the future.
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I’d suggest using denatured alcohol or isopropanol in your sleeves, chillers, and jackets.
Or, if reaching for those extra few degrees acetone gives you, understand what you’re using and the safety implications. Polycarbonate isn’t really all that impressed with ethanol either…(gets a B)
https://www.calpaclab.com/polycarbonate-chemical-compatibility-chart/
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I don’t have a link currently, but look into tuff steel gaskets.
I love how you have access to making everything
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Thanks man, making things has always been my passion!
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