APEKs Supercritical CO2 Extraction Equipment - reviews?

[Jim Durward]

Picture is the end of extraction run. Waxes/THC/CBDs stuck on the side wall. The collection at the bottom was already pulled off. The spiral look will let you know you have your orifice pointed at the correct angle in the separator. It helps with cyclic effect and thus better separation, and less oil carry over that could end up in your pump. Should see an increase in your yields. Consult the Apeks system manual for a diagram /example of the orifice angle direction.

Thanks-great answers. If the separator is acting as a cyclone, does that mean there is a centre tube that sticks down from the top into the separator - the tube where the CO2 escapes from the separator?

 

[gt pureweed]

At the top of the separator, next to the orifice tubere the is a small opening that then runs through a steel flex hose and over to the other separator. So with the cyclic action you can help push the CO2 to bottom as it turns back into gas and will then rise moving over into the second separator. At the right settings it will carry just the oil into that second separator and leave just your waxes in the first one. However it also comes with a risk of getting oil carryover into your pump.

The steel flex line on the left is the where CO2/oil is coming into the separator from the extractor. This hose leads to the orifice into the separator. You can then see the other line that runs to the second separator.

 

[Paradigm]

Sounds like snake oil to me bro unless you post something up more than talk - no offense

Sorry for the delay, lost track of this thread, here is some raw, 15.2%

 

[Paradigm]

Rebel PSICO2

 

[toquer]

Finishing a test run on the 20L 5000psi machine. Lets hope is all its promised to be!!

 

[Paradigm]

Finishing a test run on the 20L 5000psi machine. Lets hope is all its promised to be!!

Let us know!

 

[funkfreely]

http://ocolabs.com/?gclid=CJ_39ayvisMCFejyMgodO38Afg

You guys seen these? Table top set up only 3200. Looks pretty sweet for small scaleView attachment 474555

Yes, I saw them. Alright for fun. Not good for serious work.

 

[funkfreely]

O Apeks. So if you have an "auto" Apeks ONE of the problems is the programing in the recovery. Other than the fact it takes 2hrs to recover, the program lets the sep go to 450psi; this is what is causing a large portion of your carryover problems. Until you can get them to update your program to remain below 300psi during recovery try lowering your chiller temp. This will add some time to recovery, but it is preferred over rebuilding the pump every 25 hrs.

Some of you had said how unhelpful Apeks is. Agreed! Here is how it goes:
1- are you using a siphon tank
2-maybe direction of the orifice is wrong check that
3-chiller temp
4-are you using the same material
5-you could add another filter
6-yeah seals go out they will need to be replaced

all that on the first handful hrs of running (5L 5000psi). Must be operator error. Doesn't help when their tec guys fuck up and then point fingers at you.

I have run Apeks for years- the Apeks 5L-1500 not automated, 20L-1500 not auto, 5L-1500 auto, 5L-5000 auto and they treat me the same. I apeks was my only option I would go with the 1500psi not auto. A better machine is the Waters unit, which i have run too.

One problem is they feel they know best for a plant they hate and can't even beta test (sorry hops is close but still way different). Unwilling to take recommendations for changes based on science b/c that would take soooo much programing.

I haven't had the chance to run Eden's models though I feel Eden has great forward thinking and will continue to grow and develop, but I see Apeks going away.

O Apeks. So if you have an "auto" Apeks ONE of the problems is the programing in the recovery. Other than the fact it takes 2hrs to recover, the program lets the sep go to 450psi; this is what is causing a large portion of your carryover problems. Until you can get them to update your program to remain below 300psi during recovery try lowering your chiller temp. This will add some time to recovery, but it is preferred over rebuilding the pump every 25 hrs.

Some of you had said how unhelpful Apeks is. Agreed! Here is how it goes:
1- are you using a siphon tank
2-maybe direction of the orifice is wrong check that
3-chiller temp
4-are you using the same material
5-you could add another filter
6-yeah seals go out they will need to be replaced

all that on the first handful hrs of running (5L 5000psi). Must be operator error. Doesn't help when their tec guys fuck up and then point fingers at you.

I have run Apeks for years- the Apeks 5L-1500 not automated, 20L-1500 not auto, 5L-1500 auto, 5L-5000 auto and they treat me the same. I apeks was my only option I would go with the 1500psi not auto. A better machine is the Waters unit, which i have run too.

One problem is they feel they know best for a plant they hate and can't even beta test (sorry hops is close but still way different). Unwilling to take recommendations for changes based on science b/c that would take soooo much programing.

I haven't had the chance to run Eden's models though I feel Eden has great forward thinking and will continue to grow and develop, but I see Apeks going away.

I am up in AK waiting on the light to turn green for me to use my Eden 5l/5k. In dry runs it was as solid as a diesel engine. And it will allow me more control on customizing my technique.

 

[toquer]

So I've done about 25 runs so far with various pressures and orifice sizes. I get the bright yellow buttery/hard waxy product which I then winterize and turn into oil and soon hopefully shatter. But I also get a very runny dark brown product that is much higher in terpene content that the waxy stuff. Any body else getting similar results? Care to share your theories? I'm going to winterize that product as soon as I get my cold trap set up. Looking for suggestions...

 

[funkfreely]

Let us know!

What happened? What happened? And what pressure(s) did you run, if you don't mind me asking.

 

[StepX]

Anyone having trouble with your CO2 compressor? I may have a solution. Please contact me.

 

[Brian S]

Anyone having trouble with your CO2 compressor? I may have a solution. Please contact me.

Having trouble running a liquid CO2 pump (Cat Pump). Any thoughts?

 

[StepX]

Having trouble running a liquid CO2 pump (Cat Pump). Any thoughts?

Please contact me at [email protected] :)

 

[toquer]

What happened? What happened? And what pressure(s) did you run, if you don't mind me asking.

So I've got terpene oil twice. Finally figured that fraction out. Had several runs that overlapped terps with other material. But the terpene oil is something else to be honest!! It's a pretty big learning curve though. Takes time to do big runs and then you gotta wait for test results.

 

[1craighender]

C02 oil sucks unless you're making edibles or just eating it raw. It's also really good in vape pens but i've never really been a fan of those things...

I disagree, CO2 oil a couple years ago sucked, due to liquid pumping and hot separation. Companies the last couple years have switched to reliable gas pumping, and cold separation, and are seeing some amazing results. Get on Instagram and check out the CO2 Live Resin, Shatter, and pure terpene fractions. Rivals any oil or extract on the market. Stay away from hot separation, which is used by most CO2 companies. Keep temps low in separators, don't use liquid pumping, and you will see some amazing stuff.

 

[1craighender]

Eden Labs has much faster run times (4 hours vs 12 hours). Higher yields due to the reduced surface tension cohesion of SCFE. The pumps never break, and they have a great knowledge of the industry. A company I consulted with ended up going to Eden to request that they fix their Apex system, pumps were breaking so often and yields were so low they weren't making money. Since then they have purchased another Eden system in addition to the retrofit. If I had the cash I would avoid Apexs like the plague. Waters is just big pharma trying to get in on the green rush.

Completely false. Run times are determined by two things, flow rate, and pressure. Any system cranked up to 4000psi can achieve 45 min per pound run times. What people don't realize is that the best C02 oil is achieved between 1000-1800psi. At these pressures, the only variable left is flow rate. Call up Apeks, Eden, waters, IES, and get the flow rates. Apeks the past 14 months has not only surpassed the competition, but was able to do so without using liquid pumping driven by a noisy, hot air compressor. Using a air compressor to drive a liquid or gas pump is outdated technology, and is extremely unreliable.

 

[1craighender]

Something like 110f. The difference between the companies regarding run times is that Eden pumps liquid co2 whereas Apeks is pumping gas. Liquid is denser than gas, therefore higher flow rate.

False! People use liquid pumps because it's cheap and easy to pump. Liquid pumping however is outdated technology, and is horrible for Cannabis applications. Liquid pumping requires lots of heat in the separation vessels, this heat is horrible for Cannabis extract, and is the reason people think that CO2 oil isn't very good. With gas pumping you can keep separation temperatures low, which locks in flavor and terpenes. If your trying to make live resin, or a high quality C02 shatter, good luck achieving this with liquid pumping. Also, new diaphragm gas compressors blow liquid pumps away with regards to flow rates. Don't take my word for it, get the flow rates from all the CO2 companies, and don't forget to ask what the separation temperatures are. Anyone who tells you that they keep there separators warmer than 40-60F, then that is No Bueno, you'll never make high quality oil. Good separation temps are kept between 0-35F maybe 50-60F during certain applications, but never warmer than 60F

 

[1craighender]

Thanks sir. Yes, I have their price list.... gulp... I can afford it, if it's what I really need. I expect lower grade quality form CO2 than our butane hash, but the Colorado Springs fire Marshall will allow CO2 and no new butane will be allowed for who knows how long down here. I feel I can market CO2 edibles better than those made with solventless hash, but what the market really wants is extract for dabs.... if it can't produce a reasonable dab, then I can't do 60K.

I have heard that the Emotek machines are ETL rated now... anyone know if that's the case? If so, I might get one of those past the FM.... still would have to do the enclosed exhaust hood I expect. Their website lists ISO and other nice attributes that give me confidence in the soundness of the machine, but not any UL or ETL rating that I can find.

Hey, I noticed you were looking for something UL listed, or Engineering Peer reviewed. All Apeks systems are now UL listed, and come with Engineering peer reviews that have been approved in CO, CA, WA, NV, OR, and AZ.

 

[1craighender]

Not true. I have an EDEN LABS machine and the pump failed on the second run. They had to replace it. I am on my 6th run and the pump is failing again. Not operator error. Pretty damn frustrating.

Agreed, Eden lab pumps are completely outdated. Any system using an air compressor to drive a liquid pump is a unreliable thing of the past.

 

[BubbaG]

Agreed, Eden lab pumps are completely outdated. Any system using an air compressor to drive a liquid pump is a unreliable thing of the past.

Steam distillation seems to be the way things are going anyways.... but I'm still enjoying superbly crafted butane extractions of my own thanks to my friends