Thanks so much for this advice, I look forward to testing it out! Although the biomass we were using for this past run tested well (20%), it’s age and color (more brown than green) were suspect and I’m figuring that this could also have had an impact on the final composition if the distillate.
Still very new to the distilling game so definitely going to make mistakes and try and learn from them and all of you
This is fantastic information and super appreciated. Really helps to flatten the learning curve! 
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Push heads forward, then back off in temp. Then when doing tails do similar. It’s all about the cut off points.
I was having a difficult time a while back finding a solution like this. I ended up called @spdking at summit and he gave me a free sop to solve two issues I was having. Most people don’t know, but if you have a issue you can call them and they will hold your hand and walk you through it. I only talk to Elliot when I have issues, he really cares about others success. He can redo your sop in real time and solve your issues at no charge. When I say quick results I mean quick results.
Also keep your condenser above 100c or else you will not bounce out impurities and they will booger up and collect in the distillate.
One of the tricks of the trade is to run your condenser arm hot.
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With or without “winterization”?
Which is distinct from mere “filtration”, and some leave till after first pass distillation.
Do you winterize? How and when make a difference.
Filtering the miscella to better than 20um before it is allowed to get above extraction temp can be helpful for preventing continued extraction (except if you’re already extracting at rm temp…)
I believe @Neutral was specifically referencing It washes the cannabis and then it washes the cannabis some more is this how you’re washing?
They are also on point re: proofing. Even 180 changes the extraction profile…
@Lightbulb once again sounds like Elliot 
, and is referencing “hot condenser”, and the fact that you are performing a fractional distillation here.
Which brings me back to
…I’m assuming (as is @Lightbulb) that you’re using what folks in this industry refer to as an SPD, but nothing you said so far excludes a wiper. The differences are enough that telling us what you’re running is gonna get you further (than just filtering to hell and back 
)
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The majority of distillers like hot condensing effect and benefits. The only people who don’t practice it are the ones with the inability to perform it. E.g. like lesser functional chiller units.
The problem with most preprocessing is the issue with cutting corners to make the day easier. This should be intolerable to distillers as it creates a lacking product. I cannot stand any idea of cutting corners. The most valuable advice you will ever get is to create a streamline process that is a know process with steps to pre process properly.
Winterization. It’s extremely important to use 200 proof and no watered down solvents as the winterization process and next step rely on the solvent purity.
Carbon scrub and do it fast and quick. This will prevent any unwanted compounds from really being present that are most commonly held between fractions.
Rotovap hot. The hotter the better.
Distill and push each fraction further, if you are unsure push even further.
First pass should never ever be done as a refinement pass. Only if you have removed the misc compounds. The first pass should always be done as fast as possible, but managed temps. This is the most important part of being able to push a second pass out with higher potency, and clearer colors. If you have a cat 3 or remediated product you can run a refined first pass. The goal is to shave off all misc compounds in the first pass and prevent isomerization. Removing it as fast as possible prevents degradation and excessive recirc of the compounds. The second pass can shave hairlike fractions this way as the bulk of compounds that would have been evaporating are now gone.
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Put down the pipe. You just misread what I was adding as advice. I can be partial.
That is one way of looking at the problem
I’ve seen this done more than once. Has some genius in it.
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heat tape and a pid controller works magic if that is what you are going for… use after the condenser with it at 50c.
Not for terpenes.
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Yep…documented here
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That doesn’t sound like Elliot…
We’re using a two stage wiper
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So you’ve never run SPD?
Not a requirement, but there is a learning of fractions you’ve probably missed.
Can you explain how many fractions you’re getting off that wiper, and try translating @Lightbulb’s SPD ramble into “relevant to my WFE”?
Are you seeing chunks in your feed flask after decarb? In your wiper body? (Maybe I should filter more?!?)
Even if you’re not, can you now tell us what’s going on, and how to solve it?
(See up thread)
If you dig into WFE parameters around here, you’ll probably find more than enough to bump that potency up.
Eg: Condenser is truth. Wfe settings
Including the concept that input cannabinoid profile matters.
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Unfortunately, no, never have run a short path but my partner has and has helped to put things into context along with my own research. Still no substitute for real world experience but nonetheless, this is where I’ve landed…
I’m seeing 3 distinct fractions across the dual wiper system. Heads/terps coming off after passing through the first wiper and then the tails and mains separating after passing through the second.
The temps we’re running on the 1st wiper are in the range of 190C for the evap body and 30-35C for the condenser (at about 150-250mtorr), while the second wiper body runs around 160C with the condenser temp about 70C (approx. 2-4mtorr).
So far, no chunks in the decarb reactor after pouring off and wiper bodies look clean, aside from an apparent sugar issue we had with some less than fresh (I.e. brown) biomass that wreaked havoc on the evap body process lines of the wiper system - since been cleaned and lesson learned.
In the end it generally seems to point towards fine tuning the pre processing to give the best shot at ending up with a crude that contains as few undesirables as possible before starting the distillation and then dialing those parameters in. Easier said than done but I’m up for the challenge 
. Thanks again to everyone.
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Don’t recall a response from you on this @NitroCat
Nor is it obvious that folks have visited the link to winterization.
Presumably because they think they understand that part.
So can you tell us how one can filter out the
…because that which you thought you might could do, you can do…and I was trying to point you at said information.
Along with sage advice such as
From a guy that taught himself how to refine his own meds to water clear in his home…and tried to make that information available to any who wanted it…
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We winterize by extracting at sub-zero, trying to maintain a minimum temp of -25C but ideally closer to -35/-40. Our chiller has a maximum (minimum) threshold of -40, so it’s hard based on our current setup to continuously keep the temp that low and maintain the desired throughput.
Nope.
You skip winterizing, by extracting at those temps.
You avoid some of the pickup. Not all of it.
Especially if you can’t actually maintain those temps or take too long to get the job done
I recommend you try winterizing some of your input. AND some of your output….and show us (or just your boss) what you manage to drop out.
As noted, some folks find winterizing between first and second pass is most efficient.
Which should tell you that at least some of those fats/waxes can co-distill…(and lower your potency)
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This is chlorophyl membrane bound proteins that were oil soluble and turn water soluble after denaturing. Decarbing before winterization will help get rid of this stuff, but the chlorophyl takes a long time to denature so it can still happen during distillation.
Run water through the machine and this stuff will come off quickly.
The wipers and walls were coated in that black crusty sticky stuff, and machine cleaned itself so fast I didn’t get a chance to catch it on video. This was about a minute. The top line of crust came off after a few minutes from the splashing.
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I was always amazed at the amount of crap that came out of our WFE after running some water + micro90 through, and almost always right away like you describe