So I’ve been using a similar countertop distiller for recovery, but my oil keeps coming out really dark. Is anyone else have that problem? It’s going in as a pale yellow solution.
I have my temp ranges and collect rate by the hour for the full 7hrs it took to recover just under 1000ml before slowing to a few drops a cycle and reaching a 13°C temp range(much higher than the 3° swing it started at).
a rotovap will cook your resin less, heat and time are responsible for this.
That distiller is perfect for my backwoods shed lab. Thanks for the link and video. Tried to see if the seller you linked was still moving them…if you need a chuckle take a look. They must have some silicone molding connections in china lol. Found the same model you’ve got working for ya though…just in time to recover some winterized hemp bho ive been playing with.
@TwistedStill How dark was your extract after recovery? My countertop distiller turns mine a dark amber every time.
I just ordered it 10 minutes ago. But this will be my trial run…17% hemp flower extracted in a cls with n tane and Wintwrized. Still need to filter one more time prior to recovering the ethanol.
I hope you’ll have better luck than I have.
I had discussed putting another container inside sitting on dowels, filling the distiller with water enough that it can’t overflow into the container and putting the solution in the container to distribute heat more evenly, but didn’t end up trying it. If you do please let me know how it goes? I’d love to find a use for the one I have lol
Theoretically it would help, but as @Soxhlet pointed out time and heat are the enemy here, doing recovery under vacuum requires less of both is my general understanding. After my disappointing results I’m currently in the process of putting a few cold traps I’ll submerge in dry ice and isopropyl in line with a vacuum chamber I’ll heat in a warm water bath.
My plan was a bath with a beaker inside the unit, with the beaker off the floor with a wire stand.
Definitely better than just dumping it in like a fool the way I did lol I mistakenly decided it was heating from the sides and bottom, but have since decided it only heats from the bottom, but with such intensity it rapidly heats the sides.
Really, I’m super interested in if you can get better results just using the method you are going to try, let me know how it goes 
Will do.
If i want to use something for the bath that won’t turn to a vapor at my temps…what would be recommended? I know vegetable oil has basically no vapor point…but im sure there is something more suitable?
When I was discussing it with another forum member water was considered the better option over oil because it can’t get as hot and potentially ruin your compound.
This portion wasn’t discussed, but water vapor may contaminate your recovered alcohol and require a reproofing. I don’t believe it would contaminate your compound though because it is constantly being pulled away by the fan and the ethanol evaporating from the compound at a more rapid rate should help keep the water vapors from entering the interior container(I think, but can’t guarantee that).
Quick question , is over heating and possibly destroying thc determined by the temp of the heating elements current temp or overall temp that is reached and readable of the liquid being distilled. For example do you have to be able to read a hot plates output or just the liquid it is heating.
That was my thought…keep water vapor out of my booze.
Temp and time degrade our target compounds…but I’m no expert. The hotplate temp doesn’t matter as much…your concerned with the temp of your extract…assuming its being mixed and is of even temperature. If my heated stir plate reads 280f i dont care…my extract is only at 230. The heating temp is constant, but it cycles on and off to control temp of your fluid of choice…which is why your focused on the temp of your extract. Here…there isnt a spinny bit in the middle mixing it, so i would be concerned about how its being heated, and its a cheap china piece, so i bet its only heating on the bottom. So ideally a bath would heat a beaker in the unit properly.
Was my answer clear as mud?
Yea that’s what I thought would matter temp of the liquid , just wanted to hear another option. I’m basically discribing a water cooled condenser still for rough reclaim.
Makes sense to me. Agitation is another key for sure. Which is why I’m currently moving towards the cold traps on a vacuum chamber. I did forget to mention as I always do, the water bath for the chamber will be heated by a magnetic stirring hotplate to add the agitation so desperately needed.
Looks like all those units are sold out until the next container arrives from China. You can buy on Ebay…but then you get an email stating they’re out of stock and more are on a container ship coming…
I think I’ll try and cold boil thar ethanol off under vacuum.
Honestly, once my glass gets here, i think i can recover the ethanol using a SPD set up…may not be super efficient, but when your a redneck in the woods…you make due.
I like it, the cold boil or the spd thought. I’ll let you know how the cold trap recovery goes. Expecting to invest under $350 to get my recovery setup.
You guys need to rig a pid controll into your distillers.
I have been playing around with an Arduino PID controller. Mine is based on this.
@SkyHighLer reckons that adding power regulation makes for a better solution than a simple PID
It’s worth a read even if you chose not to implement…
