Adam B. is located in Colorado and he’s got 7,423 hours (and counting) and over 1,400 extractions out of his Apeks Supercritical system! We talked to Adam recently.
You have racked up an extraordinary number of hours on your system. First, can you tell us what system you have?
I have the 1L Benchtop system.
When did you buy it?
I bought it 3 years ago (in 2014).
How often do you perform maintenance?
I have a very strict maintenance regime, and I’m diligent about tracking maintenance performed on my system. The schedule depends on what part I’m servicing.
What are the things you do during the maintenance cycle?
I replace the pump seals every 12 extractions and I also replace the bearing bushings and sleeves every 1,500-2,000 hours. I order these directly from Masterline and replace them myself. This is pricey and requires taking the pump apart, but it’s essential because they’ll wear out, causing too much wiggle room when the pistons cycle, which then causes you to go through many more seals. I clean the orifice every other extraction. I also clean the solenoid every 200 hours, and clean the regulator every month. I’ve had to replace the solenoid two or three times, and that’s been the most expensive replacement I’ve had.
I also clean the orifice and flex lines using pipe cleaners and alcohol. For best results, I clean the lines inside the extractor by repeated soakings of 99% isopropyl alcohol followed by compressed air. I do this routinely to prevent build up of oil in my lines, and therefore, in the components.
What do you attribute the longevity of your system to?
Staying on top of maintenance and performing it before it becomes a problem. I also don’t leave it in the recovery mode. This tends to affect the life of the solenoid, so once it has recovered, I switch it off completely and leave it.
Can you share a couple of tips and tricks that you employ to get the most out of your system?
I keep a spreadsheet to track maintenance. I make sure to keep good notes of each item done to the system, creating a history of maintenance. I can then use my notes to predict the parts I’ll need, well ahead of when they’re needed. That means I have the seals and other parts I need to replace, before they break down, avoiding downtime.
Thanks, Adam! We wish you many more hours of extractions from your system!