The Best Vacuum Pump for BHO for Awesome BHO Everytime

Whether you're making BHO through open blasting or a closed column extractor, there is one pivotal part of the process for your wax to become smokable.

That critical step is called vacuuming purging.

When you vacuum purge your final product, it helps to remove the solvents (namely butane) from your dabs.

This makes for a purer product, and a cleaner smoke.

If you don't have a great vacuum pump, your BHO is going to suck.

And, it can even end up being unsafe.

I will look at the best vacuum pump for BHO and weigh the pros and cons of each.

Quick Top 2 Vacuum Pumps for BHO:

Welcome to BHO 101

First off, making BHO is extremely dangerous and should only be left to the professionals and the following is for informational purposes only.

Now, the basics of making BHO are the same whether you're open blasting or  using the closed column method.

You take your shake and place it into a tube that has a micron screen on the bottom of it.

Attach the tube to a tripod.

If you're making open blast BHO, be sure to place a Pyrex dish under the opening on the bottom of the tube.

If you're using a closed column extractor, turn off the valve at the bottom of the contraption.

No matter which method, open the top valve and insert the nozzle of the butane (solvent).  

After the Butane Bath

Empty the entire can of butane into the tube.

Once the butane meets the shake, it will strip the trichomes from the plant.

Now all the THC and cannabinoids from your shake are swimming in the solvent.

If this is an open blast session, gravity will take over, and the butane/THC mixture will empty into the Pyrex.

With closed column, let the cannabis marinate, so you get more compounds in your final product.

Either way, you don’t want to inhale all this butane so when it’s all said and done, you need to purge it.

With open blast, you can purge after collecting all the remnants in the Pyrex.

However, if you have a closed column extractor, you can attach the vacuum straight to the source.

Obviously, this is just a birds eye view of the process, and you should look for a more in-depth guide to make great BHO.

What Happens in a Vacuum Purge?

Vacuuming is essential to produce pure BHO.

The purpose of a vacuum is to put atmospheric pressure on the oil.

By adding pressure, it lowers the boiling point of every compound in the mixture.

As it becomes more volatile in the tube, everything inside will begin to boil at a lower temperature.    

The effect is that harmful compounds become cold boiled away without ruining the good stuff like THC.

How to Vacuum Purge

To vacuum the solvents out of your BHO, you will need at least three items:

• Vacuum Compressor
• Vacuum Chamber
• Vacuum Connector Pipe

The first step is to take the BHO and place it on something like a silicone pad that typically comes with most extraction kits.

From there, put the pad into the vacuum chamber.

Hook the connector pipe to the top of the chamber.

Connect the other side of the connector pipe to the vacuum.

Turn on the vacuum.

Running the Vacuum Pump

Keep an eye on the barometer at the top of the chamber.

Once it hits 0, you know that a true vacuum has been created.

The ideal point for BHO is to hit below that, at -29.5.

Running the vacuum to completion can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.

When you have a solid, crystallized product, you will have BHO with amounts of butane that are barely traceable.

Now that you know how to use a vacuum pump for BHO, let’s look at the two best money can buy.

This vacuum pump is simple to use and effective in making quality BHO.

The glass top of the vacuum chamber allows you to watch what's going on with your oil while simultaneously keeping an eye on the barometer.

However, don’t let the pressure gauge fool you.

To make optimal BHO, you want the vacuum to pull at -29.5 inHg.

While it still does reach the magic number of -29.5, I wouldn’t bet my life on it.

This pump most often peaks at -28 inHg.

One of the biggest drawbacks to using a vacuum pump is the loud noise it can make.

Even though the Bacoeng boasts that it works at a lower decibel, eliminating the awful noises.

Seeing as this is just a 1 ½ gallon vacuum chamber kit, this particular pump is not meant for big jobs.

In the same breath, it may take a bit longer to purge all the excess liquids out than other vacuum pumps on the market.

Also, the oil needs to be changed frequently on the pump for it to operate properly.

While they do send you some oil to put into your pump, it won’t be enough to sustain past your first use.

This is a heavy duty product for anyone looking to make a decent amount of BHO.

As noted with the Baceong, this vacuum chamber also has a see-through top for looking in.

One of the drawbacks to the Baceong is that with use, some have seen the glass starting to crack from the immense pressure going on underneath.

However, this top is shatter-resistant.

That’s because the vacuum chamber lid is made out of acrylic crystal.

Like the Bacoeng, the Vinmax also boasts that it can pull the sweet spot of -29.9 inHg pressure.

The Vinmax attains this atmospheric pressure at a faster, more consistent pace.

That's due to the fact the tightly-fit gaskets are entirely silicone based.

As you deal with solvents such as butane, they can alter anything they come into contact with (dabs as case in point).

This can lead to gaskets and other adhesives corroding over time.

However, due to the makeup of the gaskets in this vacuum chamber, corrosion should be a non-issue for BHO makers.

While this vacuum pump kit comes with a single 3 CFM pump, it's compatible with other hoses and may be switched out with dual stage 3 to 9 CFM pumps.

Cosmetically speaking, this vacuum pump isn’t too hard on the eyes either.

The bright blue pops in comparison to the Home Depot orange that is the Bacoeng.