Difference Between Active And Passive Closed Loop Systems?

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Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh

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just browsing though some closed loop systems for bho, and i dont quite understand the difference between the active closed loop and passive closed loop, and which is a better system, and what are the differences?


also, with just the regular tubes(not closed loop), what is the mais differences in function of the open blast and pressurized?


im really just looking for feed back and advice and some info on these...just thinking of upgrading from my big glass tube to something better, but would like to be well informed before purchase and yes i will be going cheap with one something from this company...



because i cant afford no couple thousand for one lol
 
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Graywolf

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Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh

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thank you greywolf, dont think i could have gotten a better person to answer my question...so i guess for my budget, and thinking on not in any ruch ....i think a passive closed loop will be my choice....i cant afford the pay for the extra luxury of the active system right now, but its annoying as hell running a lb or 2 through a single 2oz glass tube open blasting....so im just looking for something i can run more product through at once, and recover my butane, because that purtane is expensive, but the best i have tried so far, i just vouched i would never pay that price again unless i was recovering my butane lol
 
Herb Forester

Herb Forester

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I can highly recommend building yourself a Lil' Terp. Also upgraded my method to dry ice and alcohol for the bath, and results have been superb.
 
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Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh

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though it looks like a fun build, seems like a lot of hassle to save a few hundred bucks doesnt it? i mean time consumed waiting for parts and building it i think are worth the extra few hundred if you ask me....1500 is my budget, the mk3 looks decent, might shop around a bit see if i can find the same thing a bit cheaper i guess
 
GrowGod

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You say both trump open blasting, but my olny concern is how is there no leftovers in these closed loop systems? And how often do they need replacement parts?
 
Graywolf

Graywolf

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You say both trump open blasting, but my olny concern is how is there no leftovers in these closed loop systems? And how often do they need replacement parts?

If you are defining left overs as residual solvent, both open and closed loop extraction require a final finish to meet <5000 ppm FDA Pharma standards, though an active system may require less.

If you are defining it as MO, there is less left overs in a closed system, than an open system, if you vacuum distill the butane first, which you can't do in an open system.

If you are referring to the horror stories perpetrated by Mr Extractor as to heavy metals and evil spirits from recovery pumps, it is untrue, but if you believe it and it concerns you, use a Haskel, which is rated and sold for the purpose.

As far as replacement parts. Seals have to be replaced and pumps don't last forever, even if you don't inadvertently trash them. You also don't recover 100% of the butane/propane. It can be in the 99th percentile though, and of course open blasting is consistently zero percentile.

Those costs amortized over pounds of concentrate, tend to me insignificant compared to the improvement in speed and yield they offer. One new manual Mk V beta tester reported less than a one month payback for his $20K investment, but does have a business producing oil for medical dispensaries and medible manufacturers.

Those concentrates also require subsequent vacuum oven processing to meet residual solvent standards, which is also true of open blasting.

If you are extracting ounces, the principle advantage of closed systems, over open systems, is the pre-distillation/removal of the MO. You could overcome that issue by buying predistilled butane in the 99.9999% range, ostensibly already having it removed.
 
Herb Forester

Herb Forester

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though it looks like a fun build, seems like a lot of hassle to save a few hundred bucks doesnt it? i mean time consumed waiting for parts and building it i think are worth the extra few hundred if you ask me....1500 is my budget, the mk3 looks decent, might shop around a bit see if i can find the same thing a bit cheaper i guess
Or buy one pre assembled, but building lets you have it your way. Mine has 1 and .5lb columns, plus a 2oz for small test batches. Guess it's more of a medium Lil'. The passive bestvalue units look ok, but not sure I'd buy from them due to other things they offer (dangerous inline sightglass for one). For $1500 you can assemble a nice passive unit just ordering parts from Glacier, with funds left over for your supply tank and accessories.

Aside from recycling (most of) the gas and not open venting it, to me the need to remove MO is a deal breaker for open blasting. And not being on the evening news is good. @Graywolf where can we buy predistilled?
 
seaslug

seaslug

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I'm a casual reader in this forum so I google MO BHO and . . .

top result, priceline.com, "Find the cheapest flights from Bhopal, -- (BHO) to Columbia, MO"(?)
 
TheJointFarm

TheJointFarm

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Ha! @ Seaslug- I was wondering the same thing..... MO? Makes sense, now that I see the meaning....
Thanks to all for the info in this thread- but it did not necessarily answer the specific question related to the difference between passive and active.
What is it that is passive? What is active?
Is it pressure that makes the difference? Temperature maybe?
Forgive my ignorance- I'm a life long pro grower with THC growing know how to spare: but the concentrates are all relatively new to me. From what I've been able to deduce so far, SuperCritical CO2 extraction is the way to go- if you've got a spare $80K or so. My budget is much more modest, perhaps maxing out at $6k- so I'm trying to track down the best/safest/easiest/most cost effective means of concentrate production. I've been forking over 1/3 of my product to obtain what I can do in house with a bit of an investment.
My goal is to avoid the whole "damn, I should bought that other one" two months after making the purchase..... :)
Thanks!
 
Bearfamfarm

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Passive is the temperature. When you want to transfer your butane back to the recovery on a passive system you place the recovery tank in dry ice and black your collection tube in 90 degree water. The butane moves from the hot to the cold and condenses back to a liquid. With passive you also have to place a vacuum on the recovery tank before recovery. With an active system you can use pumps instead of temperature. It makes everything faster if you are running large amounts. As far as quality goes imo it comes down to the processor how refined the product ends up.
I use a passive system from best value vacs which is plenty for me. If I owned a processing business I would have gone active. Here's a pic of some wax made with the best value vac passive system with vac oven. Well what's left of it after smoking most of it. Lol
 
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