For those who don’t know, mystery oils are contaminants found in butane, usually left over from the refinement process. They can include lubricants, residues, or even hydrocarbons that weren’t properly removed during manufacturing. When you’re running a closed-loop system, these oils can accumulate in your collection pot, and if you’re not careful, they can make their way into your final product.

Here are a few ways to minimize or eliminate mystery oils in BHO production:

1. Use High-Purity Butane – Don’t cheap out on low-grade butane. Look for brands that are at least 99.999% pure and specifically refined for extraction. Some common brands people trust are N-Butane by Puretane, Whip-It Premium, and Colibri.

2. Pre-Purge Your Butane – A lot of extractors will run butane through an empty collection vessel first and let it evaporate to see if any oils or residues are left behind. If there’s a noticeable residue, it’s a sign your butane isn’t as clean as it should be.

3. Use a Proper Filtration System – Adding molecular sieves and inline filtration can help catch contaminants before they reach your material column. Some people even run their butane through activated charcoal or bentonite clay to help with additional purification.

4. Regularly Clean Your Equipment – If mystery oils build up inside your system over time, even using clean butane won’t help. Make sure to do full system cleanouts with ethanol or isopropyl alcohol between extractions.

5. Consider Distilling Your Butane – Some extractors go the extra mile and distill their butane before running it through biomass. This helps separate unwanted residues and ensures only ultra-clean solvent is being used.

Anyone else have experience dealing with mystery oils? Have you found a particular butane brand or technique that works best? Let’s hear it!

Stay safe and keep those extractions clean!