Decarboxylation

Hi, can someone tell me that is decarboxylation a must before running short path distillation/wiped film distillation? or it is optional? Thanks.

I dont think it’s a must, I’ve read some people say that thca can be distilled without decarboxylation occurring. I dont understand how but then I wasnt the one who said it.
But as you distill the temperatures are going to cause decarboxylation pretty quick and what happens is the release of co2 fucks with the operation of your short path. It’s best to decarb before.

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optional would be a pretty strong word imo.

feel free to skip it. although that’s probably not a good idea.

use the search bar and read a little. even if you can’t find the why in your first day of reading, the shear volume of folks explaining or asking how-to decarb before the processes should indicate its importance.

you also use Short Path and Wiped Film as if the answer to this question was the same for both. It’s similar, but not identical. Due to the large difference in residence time at elevated temperatures.

your product will decarb in an SPD rig.
it probably won’t on a wiped film.

chances are either way you’ll be disappointed if you feed your distillation rig acid form cannabinoids.

Do you have either device?
Have you decided which device you’re getting.

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In my experiences not decarbing just causes unnecessary problems during your runs. In a short path you might see excessive foaming during the de-vol that could even bump over your condenser if you aren’t careful. It will also create fluctuations in your vac that will persist through the main body.

I just started playing with my wiped film so I’m not really sure how running it with no decarb would go but it seems like your feed flask boiling over would be the biggest issue… that and not enough resident time to get a proper decarb.

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I haven’t got any yet. I am thinking of getting a short path kit. I have friends running WFE, but I can’t afford that at the moment. Any recommendation for a good value short path kit? Thanks.

Decarboxylation is recommend. As said CO2 will be release during the process. If you run crude oil directly into wipe film. Then your vacuum will not be hold on a static level, which will slow you down during the wipe film distillation process. The vacuum is the key for wipe film.
So I will strongly recommend decarboxylation before run into wipe film. I guess the short path will be ok for running non-decarboxylation crude, since the speed is not your concern anyway. I will recommend Hydrion Scientific Instrument for your wipe film supplier. Their sales is also in this site. @Hydrion . They can answer the wipe film question better than I do.

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We are a California based supplier, we have both short path distillation and WFE system. Check out our website Hydrion Scientific Instrument and feel free to call us at 760-390-3917.

A simple china spd set up from ebay will give you a starting platform. Decarbing outside the flask will keep things cleaner in your system when you distill, and greatly mitigate the chance of a bump

Check out my free Decarb SOP for a good explanation

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This is an interesting thread. I’m reviving it. In my experience with wiped film you 100% want to get a full decarb prior to distillation. As others have said here your vacuum will be way off if Co2 gas or residual solvent vaper is released during a run. Your end product will not be as good and your yield will be down too. The lower yield is caused by the THC not vaporizing fully and running out the waste side. You should re-run the crude waste as it will have lot’s of THC still to extract. I run a "6 wiped film from Beaker and Wrench and if I don’t get a full decarb my vacuum will be over 100 mTorr which is not ok for distillation of a good product. When I decarb fully my vacuum stays below 8 mTorr which is where it needs to be. I run a terpene strip first, then 2 distillation passes. If my decarb is not good I will end up with disty coming out with the terps as well as collecting in the cold trap.

These days, many folks just decarb (their thca isolate) and call it good…Liquid diamonds is just distillate, change my mind

That’s great, but it’s not distillation. Your reply comment makes no sense.

5 years into a thread on “do I need to decarb before distillation”, pointing out that many no longer bother with distillation IS valid.

Not to you perhaps, but there are many reading along who might benefit from the realization that you (or your competitors) can make more & better carts, faster, by bypassing distillation.

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It’s interesting I agree.

I wouldnt necessarily agree with it being faster

Ive yet to see a hydrocarbon lab running 5000 pounds in an 8 hour shift but ive seen cbd and thc labs alike doing it to make distillate

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Agreed. Scale does matter here.

Are they taking it all to carts?

My market would saturate well before 5000lb/shift…if that was not the case, I’d get my isolate via another route.

Better, Faster, Cheaper. Pick two