Double Decarbing RSO. your Experience.

[Allotrope1000]

I have made RSO for five years now, following Rick Simpson's recipe, which is not decarbing the bud (as GWE suggests) before processing. Per RS, the processing heat automatically decarbs the THCa during distillation.
I have two questions:
1. Have you made RSO before, using decarbed bud vs. vs. non-decarbed bud, and noticed a difference in RSO potency when decarbed twice? I personally think double decarbing results in stronger RSO.
2. Any opinion as to how much extra THCa might get converted by double decarbing? The stoichiometry of the reaction would suggest very little, if any.
Maybe another minor cannabinoid contributing to the mix?

Appreciate your thoughts.

[DabberDog]

Having done only the non-decarbed bud technique, I have to suppose decarbed bud RSO would be stronger because the ethanol evaporation process doesn't get as hot as a decarbing oven. 190° vs 235°ish.

[Ckbrew]

I make tinctures with the QWET (ethanol quick wash) method. I decarb first because the boiling point of ethanol is lower than the the ideal temp for decarb. The old way I made glycerin tincture was no decarb QWET then infuse the concentrate into the glycerin at 122*C for the decarb. I stopped doing it that way and did a decarb before extraction, shortening the infusion and heating time with the glycerin. I did not notice a difference in the resulting glycerin tincture by method. The glycerin will overheat to >130*C if not watched which will start degrading the THC to CBN. I have also made QWET with flower that was purposely decarbed to produce CBN. Idk if this is an answer to your question, but that is the information I can offer.

[Allotrope1000]

Thanks DabberDog and Ckbrew !
Appreciate your input. I am of the opinion that double decarbing does end up stronger, but my analytical days are long behind me. Just supposition now.

Grow some good bud and enjoy!

[Allotrope1000]

I thought I would add some details on my RSO making process. I use 99% Swan propanol ($25/gal, Ace Hardware) which degrades a bit over multiple batches since I distill it for reuse the next batch.
I will process a three pound coffee can of bud (5 to 6 oz), which requires 1800 - 1900 ml of propanol, which takes my Thermolyne lab hot plate an hour plus to boil off. If bp of propanol is 97- 98 °C, the decarboxylation graphs indicate about 1/3 as much THCa to THC over 51 minutes at 94°C vs optimal of 122°C for 27 minutes.

[Ckbrew]

The amount of THC in a sample no matter what decarb state it is in, is finite. Once it is decarbed, continuing the decarb process will not produce any more THC. So the goal is to ensure the process is complete. The decarb graphs indicate that the process continues to completion as long as the heat source is available even if the temp is not "ideal" for the decarb. So is 94*C for 51 minutes adequate? Can the heating process be extended by adding more propanol to extent the time at 94*? Is that practical? These are the type of question that home chemists have always faced. The answer can only be found with qualitative analysis lab tests which are nearly impossible for the home extractor to access and are very expensive. So the goal should be to develop a process that will complete the decarb.

[sweetazbro]

Doing it twice usually just makes it sleepier. I tried it once and the oil turned way darker than usual. You’re better off just doing a solid decarb at the start and not stressing the second round during evaporation.