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Why does my cold trap have ice inside of it?
You have water inside your system, which is being pulled into the cold trap and freezing. Please check your solvents to make sure they were not left open and that you are using the correct grade reagents. Make sure the scientific glassware is as dry as possible by using a desiccator or an oven to dry your glassware. Check for vacuum leaks as moisture may be leaking into the system.
What mixture ratio of chemicals should I use for my chiller?
Specific temperatures will require different mixtures of varying substances to achieve certain set points. It is recommended that you check your owner's manual first for suggestions.
What kind of refrigerant do I use in my chiller?
How do I pack a column?
Depending on the application, one should have chosen their media based on what they are trying to achieve. When the media is chosen, take the column and pack the bottom with a small amount of sand so it fills the bottom tapered section. When the tapered section is full of sand, take a long stick or a glass rod to push a small ball of glass wool down the column so it covers the top of the sand completely. The column should then be made wet with the chosen solvent. Fill the solvent so the cotton and sand are completely wet (no air bubbles), do this by adding more solvent than there is sand and wool and letting some pass through the column. A funnel should then be added to the top of the column and silica should then be poured in. Silica will most likely get stuck during this process, a tapping stick of some sort to slightly tap on the column will help column packings settle. Once your column is packed and settled, make sure to have enough solvent above the packing when you start and keep adding more as it is being used. You do not want a dry column! There are various other ways and methods to pack and use a column though.
What is the difference between a Harvest Right Pharmaceutical and Home model?
What is the difference between a Harvest Right Pharmaceutical and Scientific model?
Key Differences:- The Pharmaceutical model comes with a standard vacuum pump while the Scientific model includes a 7CFM Harvest Right Oil Free Scroll Freeze Dryer Vacuum Pump. You can always purchase the oil free pump and use it with the Pharmaceutical models however, which we strongly suggest if your budget allows for it.- The Pharmaceutical models have more trays and thus a higher capacity (Small Pharmaceutical - 5 trays, Medium Pharmaceutical - 7 trays, Large Pharmaceutical - 8 trays) compared to the Scientific models (Scientific - 4 trays, Large Scientific - 5 trays)- The Pharmaceutical model is the ideal plug and play freeze dryer. The Scientific model gives users more customizations allowing multiple thermal and drying steps. It also allows the user to set their vacuum pressure making it a great option if you're looking to experiment and perfect your cycles.- The Scientific model has shelf heaters that are completely adjustable and an internal sensor that tells you when your material is dry.Ready to buy your freeze dryer? Click here to see all the options.
What is the difference between a Labconco and a Harvest Right?
Aside from price point, the differences between Labconco and Harvest Right freeze dryers come down to a few things. If you'd like to learn more about what freeze dryer option might be best for your operation, contact us today.- The Labconco FDry-8L is a pharmaceutical grade freeze dryer that is geared towards professional labs and large scale labs looking to increase efficiency. While the Harvest Right models take anywhere from 18-24 hours to complete the freeze drying cycle, a Labconco can complete the cycle in around 6-8 hours. - The Labconco FDry-8L freeze dryers come with a Leybold SOGEVAC NEO D 16 Vacuum Pump that only requires an oil change every 3 years. For Harvest Right freeze dryers, unless you are using a Harvest Right Oil Free Scroll Freeze Dryer Vacuum Pump, you will be changing the oil every other use (with the standard pump) or every 20 uses (with the Harvest Right Premier Freeze Dryer Vacuum Pump).- Lastly, the Labconco FDry-8L freeze dryer offers significantly more options for professionals looking to make the very best ice water hash possible, but do require more tinkering to get the recipes perfect. We sell an SOP for them as well as each Harvest Right freeze dryer model, so no matter what you pick, we can help you run it perfectly.
What can the Labconco do that a Harvest Right can't?
Can I use my Pharmaceutical Harvest Right for food purposes as well?
The Pharmaceutical Harvest Right models can be used for food purposes. However, we recommend purchasing the Home freeze dryer shelving insert if you are using your Pharmaceutical model to freeze dry food. If you would like to purchase this, contact us. Making some freeze dried bananas or other goodies between hash batches is always fun!
How often should I change my Harvest Right's oil?
How much can I freeze dry at one time?
How do I get support for my Harvest Right freeze dryer?
Since we do not manufacture Harvest Right freeze dryers, we suggest that you contact Harvest Right directly to be best assisted with your support needs. If you purchased your Harvest Right freeze dryer from us, we'd be happy to go to bat for you with Harvest Right since they sometimes are not the fastest to respond. If you didn't purchase your freeze dryer from us, unfortunately we do not offer direct end user support.
Do you price match Harvest Right freeze dryers?
Yes. If you see a better price on a Harvest Right freeze dryer, we will gladly match and beat it. Contact us for a price match today.
What shelf temperature should I dry at?
We typically see freeze dryers run between 45°F and 55°F to best preserve the terpenes, but shelf temperatures will affect your drying times considerably. For more freeze drying tips and tricks, read this article. We also sell SOPs for Harvest Right and Labconco freeze dryers if you really want to perfect your drying cycles.
What size freezer do I need?
Freezer size depends on application; bigger objects need a larger area to fit them in a freezer. If you are looking to scale up in the future, a bigger freezer may be a better option rather than buying another one further down the road.
What kind of freezer do I need?
This question again depends on the application of the freezer. If your compounds in the freezer need to be a temperature that falls outside of a certain range, you will need to buy a temperature-range-specific freezer in that set range value. If one were dealing with highly volatile compounds, one would want an explosion-proof freezer where all the electric is wired on the outside preventing sparking and an explosion.
Why is my filter flask not filtering?
Depending on the filter being used, a filter adapter or a rubber cork with a hole must be used to create the air tight seal; allowing the vacuum pump to pull liquid through the filter paper and filter out the particulates. Also, be sure that all vacuum lines fit nice and tight and that the vacuum is on.
How do I seat filter paper?
Once you have selected the correct filter paper, remove a piece of filter paper from the box. Make sure it is the correct size and speed for your application. Place filter paper on/over the filter funnel holes; Draw Vacuum and use a wetting agent. Wetting agents will vary based on different experiments. Wet the filter paper with decided wetting agent and allow vacuum to pull on the wet filter paper seating it to the holes. This should help reduced the chance of contaminants flowing around the filter paper into the filtration vessel.
Are your Bruteless washing vessels food grade?
Yes, unlike Brute trash cans or other non-food grade plastic vessels, the Bruteless series is made from 100% durable, sanitary stainless steel. This ensures that no micro-plastics are left behind in the wash process, due to the vessel you are using.
How much can I wash at one time in my Bruteless vessel?
We have 4 different sizes of Bruteless vessels. The maximum suggested capacity per wash for each vessel size is listed below:
20 gallon - 2,500 fresh frozen grams or 500 dry grams
30 gallon - 5,000 fresh frozen grams or 1,000 dry grams
44 gallon - 10,000 fresh frozen grams or 2,000 dry grams
65 gallon - 15,000 fresh frozen grams or 5,000 dry grams
How do I clean my Bruteless vessel?
We strongly recommend deep cleaning your Bruteless stainless steel vessel, fittings, and paddle at the end of each day's washing. This will help ensure that your system stays contaminant free, which is crucial. RO water can be extremely corrosive; surface rust can appear even on stainless steel because of rogue particulate in standing water on the metal. We have two different cleaning recommendations depending on if you are cleaning your lines or the stainless steel surfaces of your system.
How do I clean the cryogenic sleeve (insulation jacket) on the Bruteless vessels and how often?
The Bruteless insulation jacket is composed of a shell and a core. The shell is neoprene and can be wiped clean with isopropyl alcohol if needed. The core is a moisture resistant closed cell foam and should not absorb liquid.
What is the difference between the solid hash washing paddle and the paddle with holes?
What is the Axis trichome separator?
PurePressure's Axis trichome separator is our take on an automated hash washing machine. It offers unparalleled control, machine utilization, and scalability for solventless processors. The unique design separates the washing vessels from the source of agitation, which enables extractors to wash in one vessel while the next one is being filled, pre-soaked, or filtered. This creates massive efficiencies both in terms of batch processing throughput and labor cost savings.
Built in the USA, the Axis' wash down rated stainless steel housing allows for easy cleaning and sanitation. It also features a joystick that's coupled with a touch screen control panel to mimic hand-paddle agitation. Begin washing like a pro from the start with preset and custom recipes, further increasing your ability to produce challenging SKUs like full melt or six star hash with ease and consistency.
How much can the Axis trichome separator wash at one time?
The Axis trichome separator works with the 30, 44, and 65 gallon Bruteless vessels. Depending on the size of your vessel you can wash, filter, and collect up to 132 lb (60,000 grams) or more of fresh frozen material per 9 hour shift.
Listed below are the capacities of fresh frozen flower (grams) that the Axis can wash with each size of Bruteless vessel at one time:
30 gallon - 5,000 grams per batch
44 gallon - 10,000 grams per batch
65 gallon - 15,000 grams per batch
What are the compressed air requirements on the Axis trichome separator?
The Axis trichome separator's compressed air requirements are: 100 PSI, < 1 CFM.
For more information, see the full user manual .
What is an open wash liner? Do I have to use it?
Which open wash liner fits on a Brute® trash can?
Which micron filter will give me full melt?
Typically, full melt hash contains trichomes that fall in the range of 90µm-120µm, but each strain and even each plant is different. The full micron spectrum range for most hash washing filter bag sets ranges from 25µm-220µm. Full melt is also achievable in some instances with very high quality dry sift, but is less common than with ice water hash.
What is the Pneumatic Hash Pump?
PurePressure's Pneumatic Hash Pump is a stainless steel fluid management system that eliminates gravity draining and feeding during hash washing. It is perfect for connecting multiple/separate wash systems together in your lab.
This hash-safe pump has a gentle, low shear flow that protects delicate trichomes from being damaged. It includes an integrated control stand that allows the operator to adjust pressure and speed of the pump on the fly.
What are the compressed air requirments on the Pneumatic Hash Pump?
The compressed air requirements of the Pneumatic Hash Pump are listed below:
Max inlet pressure to pump: 104 PSI
Max inlet pressure to included regulator: 150 PSI
Compressor should produce 5 CFM at 40 PSI minimum
Air consumption could be as low as 5 CFM at 20 PSI
Air consumption could be as high as 20 CFM at 104 PSI
How long does freshly frozen cannabis last in the freezer?
When properly stored, fresh frozen cannabis can last in the freezer for up to a year or more.
Can I press fresh frozen cannabis?
No. If you are pressing flower, it must be freshly dried and cured. If you attempt to press fresh frozen cannabis it will sizzle and ruin the fresh frozen material. There is far too much water in fresh frozen cannabis to apply direct heat and pressure.
Why do people wash fresh frozen cannabis?
Washing fresh frozen cannabis with ice water, shears off the trichomes via turbulence and agitation. When the plant material is frozen, it creates a more brittle surface that can snap off much easier than if it was not frozen.
How do you test wash? How much flower do you need to perform a test wash?
Test washing is sometimes done in a sealable glass jar with about 12-24 grams of fresh frozen flower, ice, and water. These jar sized batches are typically not dried and processed, therefore you won't get a weight or any numbers from this. However, this works great as a visual testing method for comparing strains side by side. More experienced processors will use this method because they know what to look for.
For beginners looking to see how their starting flower will yield, your best bet is to wash at least a few hundred grams in a bigger vessel. Eric Simpson (Instagram: @simpsonsolventless) recommends washing 1,000 grams (fresh frozen weight) in a 20 or 32 gallon vessel. This way you will be able to collect the hash, weigh it, and gather proper data from your test wash to further calculate yields on your starting material.
What temperature should the room that I'm washing in be?
The lower the temperature in your wash room, the better. An ideal wash/ extraction room will be around 60°F or lower. Hash is much easier to work with when it is kept cold, when it is heated it becomes tacky and starts to stick to everything it touches.
Do you have to use RO water and ice or can you use tap water and ice?
Yes. Reverse osmosis water is necessary in the hash washing process. RO water is filtered and stripped of all minerals, microbes, and potential contaminants. This is extremely important as non-RO water such as tap water will leave minerals (or other microscopic elements) behind in your hash after the freeze drying process.
Where should I store my ice water hash if I am not ready to press it yet?
Ice water hash can be stored in an air tight container or glass jar in the freezer for months. It is important to keep the ice water hash cold and preserved so it doesn't begin to lose terpenes and "grease up" before it is time to consume it or press it into rosin.
Why is my heating mantle not receiving electricity?
Make sure the plug in the back of the heating mantle is pushed all the way in, then turn clockwise to lock in place.
Why will my heating mantle not turn on?
Try plugging the mantle directly into the wall. If you start to feel heat the mantle is fine and you should remove the plug from the wall immediately. NEVER LEAVE A NON-REGULATED MANTLE DIRECTLY PLUGGED INTO THE WALL!
Do I need a heating mantle or a heating plate?
If one is not worried about vapor and keeping temperatures consistent in the vapor portion of the reaction, a simple heating plate should be sufficient. However, if one wants to try to keep the reaction vessel at a stable temperature including the vapor, one should employ the use of a top and bottom heating mantle. Having a full heating mantle ensures the most even heating of both the vapor and the liquid in the reaction vessel.
What size plate / heating mantle do I need to use?
This question all depends on what size glassware you are using. If one has a two L heating mantle and a one L round bottom flask, the flask will fit but will not heat sufficiently as there will be a gap. However, if keeping the reaction temperatures of vapor is of no concern, a hot plate that is designed for that size glass or larger will be sufficient. The heating mantles however, should be snug to the glass and are designed specifically for certain size of glassware.
How do I select the right tubing for the right application?
There are many kinds of tubing. While some can be used for multiple applications, most are designed for a specific application. An example would be vacuum tubing - it is a thick walled, anti-collapse tubing generally made from rubber or silicone which allows for a deep vacuum without risking collapse. Tubing made of plastics are easier to manipulate but are also more prone to collapse and are best suited for water pump applications where water is pushed rather than sucked though the tube. These tubes tend to be clear as well, so you can watch the flow of substances. Tubing may also be braided or have a coil running throughout the tube which may also be used for vacuum applications.
How do I clean up broken thermometers?
If you have a mercury thermometer, you should take extra care to not spread the mercury around. All people present (who are not aiding in clean up) should clear the area, so as not to spread mercury elsewhere in the lab and possibly contaminate other surfaces or products. The mercury should be cleaned up using a mercury clean up kit. If one is not available, put a pair of latex, nitrile or rubber gloves on. Once gloves are on, pick up all broken glass pieces carefully and put them in a bag, label as directed by the local health or fire department. Once the glass is removed from the site of the mercury spillage, cleanup of the mercury can now begin. Locate the mercury beads and use a squeegee or card which can be thrown away after use. Once you have located a card or squeegee, slowly sweep the mercury beads into a pile. Once the mercury is in a pile, an eye dropper or pipette may be used to suck up the beads of mercury. Pipettes or eye droppers should then be placed inside a plastic bag and labeled properly for disposal. One should check for any leftover mercury that was spilt. If you have a flashlight, you can turn off the lights and use the flashlight - any leftover mercury should glimmer from the flashlight.
How do I clean up other kinds of liquid-based thermometers?
Other kinds of liquid-based thermometers contain ethanol, toluene, kerosene or isoamyl acetate. These compounds are less hazardous and can be cleaned up in a very similar way to the mercury thermometer. Clear the area of the spill; put on lab gloves and clean up glassware carefully that was associated with the spill. Once glass is out of the way, a paper towel may be used to soak up the spill. Due to the volatility of most liquids in the non-mercury thermometers, the paper towels should never be wadded up and thrown away; They should always be placed under a fume hood and spread out to increase surface area to increase evaporation. Once towels are dried, they can be folded and disposed of properly.
What is the shelf life of rosin?
The shelf life of rosin is similar to BHO or other concentrates in that it will last a very long time on the shelf if kept in properly sealed containers.
Your rosin's consistency depends entirely on how it's produced and stored, however rosin generally tends to automatically develop a budder-like texture if left out at room temperature. You can refrigerate your rosin like any other extract product to prolong its shelf life and preserve its original consistency for longer periods of time.
What affects the color and clarity of rosin?
The following 3 factors heavily influence the color or clarity of your rosin:
- Quality of your material
- Age of your material
- Temperature at which your material is pressed at
To get the best, brightest rosin, we recommend pressing your flower, kief, or bubble hash as soon as possible after it has been dried, cured, and processed from the original harvest. Quality in = quality out, and pressing too hot (typically above 250 degrees Fahrenheit) may darken your rosin as well as potentially harm the terpene profile, especially with flower rosin. Bubble hash and kief seem to be somewhat more heat resistant when pressing rosin in our experience, however.
Generally, the higher the quality of your input pressing material, the better the clarity will be, and vice versa. Same goes for age, which is another critical factor - old material tends to come out darker, although that doesn't necessarily equate to a poorer quality product.
To read more, check out our blog article here!
Can rosin mold?
Yes, rosin can mold, though it is not common and you don't hear about it very often. This usually won't happen unless rosin is produced poorly or not tested for contaminants, microbials, etc.
Does rosin contain any solvents, such as butane?
No. Rosin is completely solvent-less and contains no residual compounds such as butane, propane, CO2, or ethanol. Rosin and hash are two of the only truly non-solvent cannabis concentrates available!
Rosin vs BHO: what's the difference?
Rosin and BHO (butane hash oil) are both cannabis concentrates, but are extracted differently. Both rosin and BHO offer comparable potencies that can range from 60-80%+ in active cannabinoids. Rosin can be manipulated into popular consistencies, such as shatter, budder, wax, sugar, and so on, contrary to popular belief that shatter is only BHO.
Rosin is the result of an extraction method that squeezes cannabinoids (THC, CBD, and their sub variants) out of cannabis material using only heat and pressure, making it solventless.
BHO on the other hand is extracted by using butane, a harsh solvent, which strips cannabinoids from the cannabis material. The resulting oil requires extensive purging in vacuum oven chambers to remove the butane so that it is consumable
Is the THC % different in rosin vs BHO or other solvent based extracts?
Rosin and BHO both have equally comparable THC percentages and potency.
The amount of active cannabinoids in rosin or BHO mainly depends on how high quality the starting material was. Typically, this percentage range for concentrates is 60% - 90%, whereas cannabis flower by itself tests anywhere from 10% to 30% or slightly over at the most.
What is full melt hash?
In the world of cannabis concentrates, a term you may hear often is "full melt" or "six-star" hash. When talking about ice water hash or "bubble hash" specifically, this is a reference to the quality of the product. Full melt means that the products entirely melts on your banger with little to no residue or debris left after.
For a thorough explanation of full melt and six star bubble hash, check out this blog article!
Which rosin bags should I use?
Do I always need to use a rosin bag when pressing?
Typically you will always want to press using a rosin bag for a couple reasons, namely that they provide crucial filtration in order to achieve the highest quality rosin possible. With kief and hash rosin specifically, there is virtually no other way to do it since due to the granularity of those starting materials, simply pressing them without a bag will result in a mess of liquefied trichome heads and organic detritus.
When you use a rosin bag, it helps filter out the organic material that does not contain any cannabinoids, thus purifying your rosin and making it higher quality. You can however press flowers as-is in small quantities without a bag to get an unfiltered product, which often has small bits of plant matter in it.
Are your rosin bags compatible with any rosin press?
Yes, absolutely. We sell rosin bags in multiple sizes and micron mesh variants to ensure that our bags are usable in all set ups. All bags we sell are sewn in Denver, Colorado with premium grade 100% polyester monofilament and are color coded for ease of micron recognition.
For example, if you're using a hair straightener, we recommend purchasing the 2" x 3" bags for ease of use. For any other heated rosin press, select the bag that closest resembles your heat plate size. We sell the following sizes:
2" x 3"
2" x 6"
2" x 9"
2.5" x 4.5"
2.5" x 9"
What are your rosin bags made out of?
How much material can I fit into your rosin bags?
Typically you can fit more kief, dry sift, or ice water hash gram for gram into a rosin bag than flower, trim, or shake. This is because those materials are more dense and weigh more by volume.
See the full collection here.
Why do I need to turn my bags inside out?
Are rosin bags one time use only, or can they be used multiple times?
Do you offer custom sized rosin bags?
Yes, we do!
If you're interested in rosin bags in a custom size, please contact us and we will get you a quote. Please note: this option is only available for bulk orders exceeding 5,000 units.
What is the maximum temperature PurePressure's rosin bags work with?
Do you sell filtration for mechanical fractioning and separations?
What does a pre-press mold do?
What kind of parchment do you sell?
What is the difference between parchment and PTFE?
Why isn't my temperature controller sending out any electricity.
To make sure the temperature controller device is outputting electricity, plug in a lamp to one of the heating outlets; Then turn on the temperature controller. The temperature controller has an analog power knob on the front for outputting electricity in different percentages (up to 100%), but is denoted by flask volume instead. The analog power knob should be looked at as a power knob which can output power from 0-100%. Each click is proportional to the amount of ramp that is applied when a knob is turned one position higher. One should start at the first setting 1-10ml. This should allow pulses of electricity to hit the light bulb causing it to pulse. If the lightbulb does not light up, turn the dial to 1-100 ml volume size, as this will increase the power pulsing output and should make the light bulb light up brighter than before. If your light bulb is not lighting up, please check to make sure you have a working lamp/lightbulb and try again. If the problem persists, you may have a problem with your unit and should contact Lab Society.
Why won't my temperature monitor read temperature?
Make sure the thermocouple probe connections are thoroughly together. Plugging the plugs in backwards will cause a reverse polarity giving a negative reading or in some cases no reading at all.
Can I monitor my data through a computer?
How do I use the analog power knob on my J-KEM?How do I use the analog power knob on my J-KEM?
The analog power knob on the front is for output of electricity in different percentages up to 100%, demarcated by flask volume. Each turn of the knob will increase the power output proportional to each other in the amount of ramp that is applied when a knob is turned one position higher. One should always start on a lower setting and ramp up to make sure one does not fly past set points and provide too much power to the mantle.
What is a Thermocouple?
A thermocouple is an electrical device consisting of two dissimilar electrical conductors, forming electrical junctions at differing temperatures. A thermocouple produces a temperature-dependent voltage - which is essentially a "reading" or measurement. This measurement can then be interpreted by an input device such as a temperature monitor/regulator in the form of actual degrees.
Thermocouple Adapters - Which should I choose?
Lab Society manufactures and sells various types of thermocouple adapters for many different sizes and types of thermocouples. When choosing an adapter, it is important to know what size thermocouple should be used (common sizes are 1/4″ and 1/8″) and what size ground glass joint will be used inside (common sizes are 10/18, 19/22, 24/40, etc.). Providing these two pieces of information to one of our sales representatives will allow us to give you multiple viable options. The next most important question to answer is: What kinds of materials/products will the adapter(s) be used around? For corrosive environments, PTFE or glass will suffice. For high-temperature operations (internal temperatures over 260°C), PTFE and glass adapters have the potential to fail due to plastic (PPE) caps or parts.
Do thermocouple adapters leak? Are they supposed to move?
Some of Lab Society's boiling flasks have 1/8″ thermocouple adapters located directly on the round bottom flask (RBF) to reduce the potential for connection leaks. These adapters allow for the probe to slightly move around inside the flask. As long as the probe cannot easily move up and down inside the adapter (meaning the Viton O-Ring is not properly seated against the probe), the connection will provide an adequate vacuum seal.
If the operator cannot properly seat the thermocouple probe to seal inside the adapter (e.g. the probe moves up and down loosely), the following steps should be followed:
- Separate the components of the adapter and inspect the Viton O-Ring that compresses beneath the compression cap.
- If the Viton O-Ring is damaged, it may require replacement.
- If O-Ring experiences excessive exposure to alcohol, it will degrade and may require replacement.
- If the O-Ring is extremely hard and not malleable, it may require some manipulation via slight heat (to improve elasticity) or even slight lubrication (you can use a small amount of vacuum grease for this). - After ensuring that the O-Ring is exceptional and malleable, place it on top of the glass fitting, followed by the black (PPE) or tan (PEEK) cap, and begin screwing the cap into place.
- Once the cap stops turning, it has met the O-Ring. The operator should now peer through the opening in the cap to ensure that the O-Ring is indeed seated properly against the cap and glass.
- While looking through the cap's aperture, begin tightening the cap, observing the O-Ring's aperture shrinking down to smaller diameters.
- Lightly attempt to push the thermocouple probe inside the adapter with the cap tightened - it should not allow the probe through without excessive force. This means that the adapter is functioning properly, and it is ready to be assembled onto the system. Now the operator may loosen the cap until it is back to only just meeting the O-Ring (barely finger tight).
- Finally, insert the probe into the adapter (for fixed adapters ensure that the probe is STRAIGHT and NOT BENT until after inserting through the adapter). After the desired positioning is achieved, tighten the adapter's cap until the thermocouple probe is snug and cannot move easily up and down unless force is applied. The adapter is now properly assembled and should provide a vacuum-tight seal for operation.
If my PTFE melts off my thermocouple probe can I still use it?
Yes, you can still use your thermocouple probe. Underneath the PTFE is a stainless-steel probe which can still be used and will remain accurate.
Can I bend my thermocouple probe?
Yes, you can bend your thermocouple probe. Bending the thermocouple probe will not harm the probe unless bent to excess. Bending the thermocouple probe will allow for a more accurate reading in most cases, compared to when just the tip of the probe is sitting in the solution or vapor you are trying to monitor.
What kind of oven is a Gravity Convection Oven?
A Gravity Convection Oven is the standard for drying glassware, culture incubations and various other baking requirements which a lab may have.
What is a Forced Air Convection Oven?
A Forced Air Convection Oven has a convection fan with a heating element around the fan. The fan circulates and provides even heat throughout the chamber. Some ovens have radiant heat sources at the top, bottom or both which aid in heat transfer, speeding up heating. Forced Air Convection Ovens can also be used to dry glass, culture incubations and handle various other baking requirements a lab may have.
What is a Vacuum Oven?
A Vacuum Oven aids in the drying/removal process of certain products. Not only does the oven heat the substance to dry it, a vacuum is also applied to reduce atmospheric pressure by lowering the boiling points of compounds, allowing for easier removal of certain contaminants. They can be used to dry glass, culture incubations, but their main use is for various applications that require vacuum while heating.
Do I have a vacuum leak?
One should first have a vacuum gauge to check said system for a constant vacuum pull. If one hears leaking sounds coming from joints caps or any other part of the glassware, it should be inspected thoroughly. Ghost vapors or streams can sometimes be seen near a vacuum leak which will also help you identify a leak in the system. If one cannot find a leak but is positive there is one, the system should be dismantled and re setup. When re setting up the system, check all joints and properly grease them, as well as check all GL-caps, barbed attachment fittings for cracks and ensure all vacuum lines are snug on the fittings. If the problem persists, isolate the system starting from the pump and test from there.
How do I maintain my vacuum pump?
Your vacuum pump should use have an oil gauge located somewhere on the pump. The oil needs to be within the correct levels for correct pump operation. Keeping the levels in check is one of the keys to prolonging your pump's life. If a pump is not in use and no hoses are connected, a piece of parafilm should be used to cover the holes to not let dust or debris fall in and damage or contaminate your pump. Oil should be changed based on your manufacturer's owner's manual, as each pump will require different maintenance. If a pump is still having problems or does not require oil, a maintenance kit may be needed. If the problem persists, contact Lab Society
Which Pump Should I Use?
Which Pump Should I Use?
Vacuum Filtration (Low Vacuum)
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- Single Funnels/Small Applications Welch 2019
- Multiple Funnels/Manifold System Welch DryFast 2014, 2037, 2047
Rotary Evaporation (Low to Medium Vacuum)
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- Small to Medium-Sized Systems Welch DryFast 2014, 2032, 2042
- Medium to Large-Sized Systems Welch DryFast 2042, 2052, 2062, 2163
Distillation (High Vacuum)
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- 2L Distillation Systems Welch DuoSeal 1400, Chemstar 2070, CRVpro 4, Edwards RV3, RV5
- 5L Distillation Systems Welch DuoSeal 1402, Chemstar 2070, CRVpro 8, Edwards RV5, nXDS10iC
What does a vacuum monitor do?
A vacuum monitor measures the amount of vacuum being pulled by a system at single or multiple points in time, allowing real time data of pressures inside the system.
