Vaccum Oven Alcohol Extraction Problem

[Benhemp]

Hey There

First time poster here posting out of England! I am using a best value vacs oven that we use just to purge the final small residues of alcohol out of our extract before mixing for our products. We normally evaporate the main bulk of alcohol out first, then I finish it off in a smaller pan doing my best magnetic stirrer impression and using a temperature laser to monitor when the temperature starts to rise above the evaporation temp for our alcohol. Thats when i know most of the alcohol has been evaporated and then it goes in to the vac to finish it off. I normally release the vac every day, sometimes stir the extract and then re vac to ensure full removal of alcohol. I have been using it for about 4 months every week and getting great results (0ppm of residual alcohol left in the extract when tested). However last week I found a pool of alcohol collected on the bottom shelf of the oven and the extract clearly not purged (strong alcohol taste to the oil) I cleaned it up and then replaced the vaccum only to find another pool the following day. I have now cleaned alcohol off of the bottom of the oven 3 or 4 times and am wondering what is going on! Can anybody help??? Many thanks In advance

 

[visajoe1]

Hey There

First time poster here posting out of England! I am using a best value vacs oven that we use just to purge the final small residues of alcohol out of our extract before mixing for our products. We normally evaporate the main bulk of alcohol out first, then I finish it off in a smaller pan doing my best magnetic stirrer impression and using a temperature laser to monitor when the temperature starts to rise above the evaporation temp for our alcohol. Thats when i know most of the alcohol has been evaporated and then it goes in to the vac to finish it off. I normally release the vac every day, sometimes stir the extract and then re vac to ensure full removal of alcohol. I have been using it for about 4 months every week and getting great results (0ppm of residual alcohol left in the extract when tested). However last week I found a pool of alcohol collected on the bottom shelf of the oven and the extract clearly not purged (strong alcohol taste to the oil) I cleaned it up and then replaced the vaccum only to find another pool the following day. I have now cleaned alcohol off of the bottom of the oven 3 or 4 times and am wondering what is going on! Can anybody help??? Many thanks In advance

interesting query, i'm intrigued. i have zero experience with those ovens, but perhaps we can figure this out. are all the other trays above the bottom tray fine? if more than one tray are they all same material? or is there only one tray in the oven? did something change in the process recently? or has everything generally been the same since day 1 (i.e. volume to be purged, # of trays, brand/type of alcohol, etc)?

if all has generally been the same the entire time, with just one tray, I would think there could be a leak somewhere or a sensor may need to be replaced. something is preventing it from attaining peak operation

 

[cemchris]

Have you rebuilt the pump or replaced the seals in it as of late? Not sure how much work your pump has on it or which pump you are using

 

[DistyDemon]

What's your shut down procedure for your oven and pump.

Are you sure your vac line isnt being clogged, then back flowing the etoh back into the vac oven upon shit down?