---
title: Draining, Filling and Distillation
slug: hardware/spw-draining-filling
description: Discover essential procedures for managing and disposing used solvent from part washers in this comprehensive document. Learn how to effectively drain and purify VF 1 solvent through distillation.
docTags:
createdAt: 2024-07-06T22:11:33.087Z
---
# Draining
## Basics
Draining solvent from the part washer is necessary when the solvent becomes too soiled to properly wash parts.
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Soiled VF 1 solvent is drained into the distiller for distillation and reuse.
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Soiled DPM or DAA solvent is drained into a waste container for disposal.
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**DPM and DAA are not compatible with the custom distiller. Do not distill DPM or DAA.**
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For more information on swapping between solvents, please contact Carbon Support and reference [Solvents](docId\:o0R4ZxSr-e4snOr4SnJi0).
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## Draining VF 1 Solvent into Distiller
### Install Fresh Liner
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**VF 1 should only be drained into the distiller. **A fresh liner must be installed to receive the soiled solvent from the part washer:
1. Place ring just inside the open end of the liner.
2. Fold liner over the ring from the outside in.
1. Liner should hang 3⎯ 5 inches over the ring.
3. Install liner and ring into distilling chamber until ring rests on the lip that runs around the chamber wall.
1. **Pinch the ring** to make it smaller so that it fits under the **pipe fitting** that protrudes into the chamber.
4. Flatten bag against the bottom of chamber to ensure maximum heat transfer during distillation.
5. **Do not install splash guard at this time. **It will block soiled resin pouring into chamber.
6. Close lid.
1. **Do not lock lid at this time**. Doing so may cause a pressure buildup during draining of soiled solvent from part washer.
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## Drain VF 1 Solvent
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Now that a fresh liner has been installed, the soiled solvent can be drained from the part washer:
1. **Check both ends of black drain hose** to ensure secure connection to the part washer and distiller.
1. Use the provided wrenches to tighten connections.
2. **Open the drain valve on the distiller** by turning the yellow handle counter-clockwise until it stops.
3. **Open the drain valve** on the left rear of the washer by turning the red drain handle counter-clockwise until it stops.
1. Turning the handle will take a bit of force.
4. The display will show “Red drain valve open.”
5. **Push Start drain.**
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6\. The display will show **Draining.** When complete, the display will show **Washer is empty.**
7\. Close the drain valve on the washer by turning the **red handle clockwise** until it stops.
8\. Close the drain valve on the distiller by turning the **yellow handle clockwise until it stops.**
**Notes **
- To quickly stop draining, close the drain valve on the washer or by pressing **Stop Drain** on the display.
- Pushing Emergency stop during draining will result in draining continuing for up to 30 seconds as pressure equalizes.
The drained solvent is now ready for distilling. Proceed to [Distillation](docId\:Glj5y8gEnBUifQWpEY3y4) below.
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## Draining DPM or DAA into Waste Container
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1. **Use caution to prevent splashing, overflow, or spills.**
2. **Appropriate PPE should be used according to the solvent.**
3. **Be alert. Flow may be faster than expected.**
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**DPM and DAA are incompatible with distillation.** Soiled solvent must be drained into a waste container and properly disposed.
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1. Securely connect drain hose to the drain valve on the part washer.
2. Securely connect other end of drain hose to waste container.
- **Waste container capacity must be greater than that of the part washer (7.5 gallons) and have an opening larger than the part washer drain hose.**
- Ensure the outlet of the hose is fully inserted into the waste container.
- Allow venting of the waste container during the draining process. **Failure to allow venting may cause backpressure, leading to a spill of the solvent.**
- Turning the handle will take a bit of force.
3. **Open the drain valve** on the left rear of the washer by turning the red drain handle counter-clockwise until it stops.
4. The display will show “Red drain valve open”.
5. **Push Start drain.**
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6\. The display will show** Draining.**
7\. **Never allow the washer to drain unattended. **At any point during the process, the drain can be paused by closing the red handle or by pressing the **Stop Drain **button on the front panel.
Note that some volume of solvent remains in the hose even when draining is stopped. This amount depends on hose length and position.
8\. When complete, the display will show **Washer is empty.**
9\. Close the drain valve on the washer by turning the **red handle clockwise** until it stops.
10\. Dispose of liquid waste in accordance with local regulations.
**Notes**
- To quickly stop draining, close the drain valve on the washer or by pressing **Stop Drain **on the display.
- Pushing Emergency stop during draining will not immediately halt the flow of soiled solvent. Draining will continue for up to 30 seconds as pressure equalizes.
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## Takeaways
- Soiled VF 1 solvent is drained into the distiller for distillation and reuse.
- Soiled DPM or DAA solvent is drained into a waste container for disposal.
- Before starting the draining process, always check both ends of drain hose to ensure secure connections.
# Filling
After soiled solvent is drained from the part washer, it will need to be filled with **7.5 gallons of clean solvent. **
**VF 1** solvent will be a combination of distilled solvent (5⎯ 6 gallons) and new solvent (1.5 – 2.5 gallons).
**DPM** and **DAA **solvents cannot be distilled and will only be new solvent.
## Basics
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- The Smart Part Washer requires clean solvent to properly wash parts.
- Filling with clean solvent is necessary in these cases:
- Initial installation and setup of part washer.
- After part washer is drained of soiled solvent.
- When display shows Solvent too low.
- Solvent is pumped from a **carboy or drum** through a **siphon hose** into the solvent tank in the part washer.
- **7.5 gallons (28.4 liters) **of solvent is required to fill the solvent tank.
- Solvent will be lost throughout the cleaning process, so be sure to have additional stores on hand to prevent work stoppages.
- **Never pump soiled solvent into the part washer.**
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## Filling with VF1 Solvent
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**Only VF 1 solvent (formerly Custom Vertrel™ solvent - MS-767-3D-13) is compatible with Smart Part Washer. Alternate Vertrel solvents are not compatible. VF 1 must be used to prevent damage to the hardware.**
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Filling the part washer with VF 1 solvent\* requires:
- **5⎯ 6 gallons **of distilled solvent from the carboy.
- **1.5⎯ 2.5 gallons **of new solvent from the 55-gallon drum.
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1. Connect siphon line to **part washer.**
2. Connect other end of siphon line to **carboy of distilled solvent.**
3. Unscrew **vent cap** on carboy.
4. Open fill valve on part washer by **turning green FILL handle** clockwise.
1. Display will show **Washer is empty – green fill valve open.**
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5\. Push **Start fill** button on part washer display. The washer pump will activate and make a cyclical air sound.
- This process should take about **5 minutes.**
- The bottom of the display will show a
- **progress bar.** Each section of the progress bar will pulse as it is filled.
6\. The first carboy is empty if:
- Washer pump sound frequency increases.
- Display shows **Low solvent - green fill valve open.**
- Display shows **Green fill valve open.**
8\. When first carboy is empty, use a flathead screwdriver to **push down black collar on carboy** to release siphon hose.
9\. Push siphon line into large solvent drum making sure it is under the solvent surface and push **Start fill** button.
10\. When display shows **Washer is full – close green fill valve**, close **green FILL handle.**
11\. Part washer is ready for use.
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## Filling with DPM or DAA
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Filling the part washer with DPM or DAA solvent requires:
- **7.5 gallons **of new solvent from the 55-gallon drum.
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1. Connect siphon line to **part washer.**
2. Push other end of siphon line into large solvent drum making sure it is under the solvent surface.
3. Open fill valve on part washer by **turning green FILL handle** clockwise.
1. Display will show **Washer is empty – green fill valve open.**
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4\. Push **Start fill** button on part washer display. The washer pump will activate and make a low chugging sound.
- This process should take about **10 minutes. **
- The bottom of the display will show a **progress bar.** Each section of the progress bar will pulse as it is filled.
5\. The solvent drum is empty if:
- Washer pump makes a higher pitched sound.
- Display shows **Low solvent - green fill valve open. **
- Display shows **Green fill valve open.**
6\. When display shows **Washer is full – close green fill valve**, close **green FILL handle.**
7\. Part washer is ready for use.
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## Topping Off
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A small amount of solvent (especially **VF 1**) is lost during each wash due to evaporation, absorption into the part or transfer outside of the part washer. Over time, more and more solvent is lost until the amount in the solvent tank falls below the minimum level required and the solvent will need to be topped off.
- If the solvent volume drops below 6 gallons (22.7 liters), display shows
**Solvent too low.**
- Washing will not be possible until additional fresh solvent is added to the solvent tank.
- Follow the steps above in **Filling with Fresh Solvent **to replace the lost solvent.
- When topping off, typically only one **5-gallon **carboy of solvent is required.
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## Takeaways
- **7.5 gallons (28.4 liters) **of solvent is required to fill the part washer.
- A small amount of solvent is lost with each wash due to evaporation and absorption.
- If solvent volume drops below **6 gallons (22.7 liters)**
- , topping off the solvent will be necessary to continue washing.
# Distillation
## Basics
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- Distillation recycles existing solvent by removing contaminates.
- **Only VF 1 solvent can be distilled. DPM and DAA cannot be distilled.**
- Solvent requires distillation after about **1 L of resin waste** accumulates in washer.
- This is roughly **50 washes.**This number can vary greatly based on part geometry, part size, and the number of parts being printed. For instance, lattices can trap large amounts of liquid resin and deposit a large amount of resin into the solvent tank.
- When the solvent soil level indicator reaches the maximum, **you will no longer be able to wash parts without distilling.**
- You can distill prior to this cutoff point.
- Complete distillation takes approximately **8 hours**, so you should plan accordingly to prevent a workflow interruption.
- Distillation reclaims approximately **85% of solvent.**
- New solvent will need to be added to make up the remaining amount.
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## Safety
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- Distillation should always be run under proper ventilation per your Site Prep.
- Proper PPE is especially important!
- Beware of hot surfaces.
- **Snorkel suspended over distillation chamber for maximum ventilation of fumes.**
- **Proper PPE: Glasses, gloves, coat, closed toe shoes, and pants.**
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## Distiller Setup
Before running the distiller for the first time, ensure the settings are correct.
1. On the main menu screen, touch **Options**.
2. On the next screen, touch **Unit Information**.
3. On the next screen, touch **Set Up Recipes**.
4. On the next screen, touch **Vertrel**.
### Settings
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- Cycle Time: **08:00**
- EOC Temp: **43.0**
- OP Temp: **60.0**
- RTDI Delay: **00:30**
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**Consult Preparing to Begin a Cycle in the **[manufacturer distiller manual](docId\:f2lijE2SQQV94LE9Sgfzv)** for detailed instructions.**
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## Distillation Process
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Once the soiled solvent has been drained from the washer, distillation can begin:
1. **Insert the splash guard** into the chamber until it rests on top of the ring holding the liner.
1. It will require a bit of maneuvering to get the splash guard **under the pipe fitting** that protrudes into the chamber.
2. **Insert guide pipe** through the hole in the center of the splash guard.
3. **Insert the thermocouple sensor** through the guide pipe.
4. Close lid, tilt locking screw into place and **tighten****.**
1. Be sure that the sensor stays all the way down in the solvent when closing lid.
2. This step is important as a loose seal will prevent proper pressure from building during distillation process. Improperly distilled solvent will result in poor solvent recovery.
3. Do not overtighten. Doing so may damage lock arm.
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5\. Double check that the drain valves on the distiller (yellow) and part washer (red) are both closed.
6\. Make sure the **thin white hose** is securely connected to the distiller and carboy.
7\. Unscrew cap from **vent hole****. **
- This is critical to allow proper equalization of pressure during draining.
8\. Push **“Start”** on the distiller touchscreen.
9\. The touchscreen will display:
1. Open fill ball valve
2. Fill the tank with solvent
3. When finished, close the valve and press START.
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10\. Push **Start** on the distiller touchscreen to begin the distillation process.
- Distillation takes **8 hours **to complete.
11\. The touchscreen will display a new screen with various data including elapsed time and time remaining.
- Time remaining is not accurate.
12\. Pay attention to the pressure gauge on the top of the distiller. It should be slowly increasing to **-20 Hg** over the course of about **10 minutes. **
- If the pressure fails to increase, check that the lid is tightly sealed.
- If the lid is sealed but the pressure has not reached -20 Hg, contact Carbon at [service@carbon3d.com ](mailto\:service@carbon3d.com)immediately.
13\. When distillation is complete, the touchscreen will display **End Cycle.**
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## Waste Disposal
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Once the soiled solvent has been distilled, the residual resin waste needs to be disposed of.
1. **Loosen lock** and open lid.
2. Remove thermocouple, guide pipe and splash guard.
1. Wipe residue from these parts with a blue shop towel, if necessary.
3. Leaving ring in place, unwrap liner from ring.
4. Lift liner out of distilling chamber. Squeeze liner closed just above waste resin so that little air remains in bag.
5. Dispose of waste resin in accordance with your local regulations.
6. Follow instructions from **Install Fresh Liner **above.
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The distilled waste should be about the size of a **grapefruit or softball** and the consistency of syrup. If there is **significantly more waste**, please contact Carbon Service.
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## Takeaways
- **Only VF 1 solvent can be distilled. DPM and DAA cannot be distilled.**
- Distillation takes about 8 hours.
- Approximately 15% of solvent is lost during washing and distillation, requiring additional solvent to be added during filling.