We just killed our 4th vacuum! šŸ˜”

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MikeBro

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Joined
Jul 11, 2020
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Location
Charlotte, NC, USA
Ok all, this is getting ridiculous. We are on our 4th or 5th vacuum at this point. 4 of them have been JB's which are supposed to be exactly what we need. My guess is that we're still getting cactus juice into the pump some how, but I can't see it happening. These are lasting about 2 weeks at this point before having some kind of break down.

We're keeping the level of resin pretty low (it's a tall chamber as you can see in the pic). The initial bubbles don't come near the top when we first start.

However, when I drain the oil I can tell it's a bit milky. That being said, the resin is still pretty diluted by oil. I'm about to crack it open and see what exactly is seized up, but that's what happening time and again. The motor just hums when we turn it on.

I feel like there should be some kind of backflow preventer or something for these but I'm not having any luck with that setup. I've also heard about putting the vacuum higher than the chamber but have not tried. Any ideas? Could the resin just be coming up in the air?
 

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Nothing worse than someone offering advice that has no idea. So here I go. :) How about an intermediate "catch can"? Sort of like the trick we play with dust collector cyclones?
 
Shouldnt be hard to build a trap with some fittings and a mason jar type setup. Inlet from the tank should go to the bottom to pull the liquids back in when vacuum is released, pump end kept very short.
 
Any chance your stock is not completely dry before you start pulling the vacuum? Water "boils" in a vacuum at less than 80 f at sea level, which could be a contributor. And, JB suggests changing oil after each use--i usually go two cycles though. More likely sucking some CJ vapors--don't know how though.
Good luck,
earl
 
I was going to mention Earl's point. If the wood is too wet going on n you are going to boil off a higher level of moisture, resulting in a condensate likely coated with a resin film.

In looking At your photo, I notice your oil level seems to be very high in your pump (if that is the line I see just below the top of the site glad). I use a robinaire but my oil level runs much lower for normal operation. As I recall, to much oil also causes problems for the pump. Check the recommended level and how to check it (running or off).
 
MikeBro said:
Ok all, this is getting ridiculous. We are on our 4th or 5th vacuum at this point. 4 of them have been JB's which are supposed to be exactly what we need. My guess is that we're still getting cactus juice into the pump some how, but I can't see it happening. These are lasting about 2 weeks at this point before having some kind of break down.

We're keeping the level of resin pretty low (it's a tall chamber as you can see in the pic). The initial bubbles don't come near the top when we first start.

However, when I drain the oil I can tell it's a bit milky. That being said, the resin is still pretty diluted by oil. I'm about to crack it open and see what exactly is seized up, but that's what happening time and again. The motor just hums when we turn it on.

I feel like there should be some kind of backflow preventer or something for these but I'm not having any luck with that setup. I've also heard about putting the vacuum higher than the chamber but have not tried. Any ideas? Could the resin just be coming up in the air?
Click to expand...
I highly and mean highly suggest you contact Curtis at Turn Tex and he will walk you through everything. Here is a page of his with common questions but again pick the phone up and he will talk to you for hours but you will be far more educated.

https://www.turntex.com/help-center...2 Place,Juice has... 9 Remove from oven More
 
My guess is water vapor from wood that is too wet going into the cactus juice. I lost a vacuum pump because of it. The milky oil is a sign. I have become much more diligent about baking my wood before going into the chamber and I haven't had an issue since.
 
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