I'm sure most of you, if you're reading this, are well aware of what dabbing is and the equipment needed to enjoy a nice 'dab' but what is sometimes harder to work out is the temperatures needed to extract the most fun out of your concentrated golden goo.
So what is the best temp to dab at? Well it's a great question and one that pretty much everyone asks for their first few dabs, but the bottom line is that there's no exact magic number as all extracts are a little different and require treating a little differently.
The science...
The cannabinoids in your product are the most important part and have specific temperatures at which they activate:
- THC at approximately 315°F (157°C)
- CBD at approximately 320-356°F (160-180°C)
Therefore dabbing above these temperatures is not required if you just want the active ingredients however some people will dab at higher temperatures either due to habit or wanting a bit of a stronger hit. This 'stronger hit' though is not likely to contain any more active ingredients and instead can contain more burnt material and unwanted gases that occur at higher temperatures.
So as a rule of thumb it's best to assume that the higher the temp you dab at the more unwanted gases are created and the more unhealthy it is for you.
Scientific research has shown that benzene gas is created at around 930°F so you should stay well away from this temperature.
The reality...
The best thing to do is aim to dab between 350-500°F (175-260°C). This is a little higher than the activation temperatures above because as soon as you add your cold dab to your banger or nail it will instantly cool the banger/nail and you want the temperature to last through the whole dab and not need reheating part way through your dab.
Each product, be it shatter, rosin, live resin etc, will have it's own sweet spot so it's best to experiment with small amounts first to make sure you're getting the best combo of effect and flavour
But how do I know what temperature my banger/nail is?
This is the hardest part of the puzzle, if you're using an e-nail or smart rig like a Boost Evo, Puffco Peak Pro or similar then just read through the instructions included with your smart rig and it should be relatively easy to work out.
If however you are using a banger/nail on a normal rig and heating it up with a blowtorch then gauging the temperature is tricky, some people use trial and error and intelligent guesswork to get it about right, but there is a better way...
The better way...
Get yourself a digital thermometer designed for the job such as a Dab Rite Thermometers. (Don't use just any digital thermometer as they are not all suitable and must be designed for the job.)
If you are lucky enough to own a Dab Rite then the process is simple and reliable...
- Heat up your banger with a blowtorch to a higher temp than needed
- Set up your dab rite sensor under your banger and set the temp you want and wait for the Dab Rite to tell you your banger is where you want it.
- Move Dab Rite out of the way so you don't damage it
- Dab away at your precisely measured temp!!!
It's easy with the right tools!
