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Accessories TCheck - Cannabis Oil Potency Tester

Baron23 said:
So what has happened since 6 Apr. We got to the part where you were ready to test, then nada??
Click to expand...

Sorry bud, I've been waiting for a friend to turn up so I could pass on the caps I made for him.

He was here this weekend and took 72 caps with them and will incrementally increase the dosage until they hit their sweet spot.

The intention is to then figure out how much they need per cap.

A quick summary of what I've done so far:
  • 1.75g of GrandDaddyPerp cooked in 60ml of coconut oil for 8hr using a mini crock pot (no decarbing)
  • Tested with tCheck and displayed results were 6.2mg/ml
  • Created 72 caps (00 size) 0.91ml capacity
  • Each cap should be 5.6mg of active components (6.2 / 100 x 91 = 5.642)
  • Caps handed to Guinea Pig...ahem...I mean friend
I'm now waiting to see how many caps are needed to hit that sweet spot for them.

EXAMPLE:
If they come back saying they needed 6 caps (about 34mg of actives) then I'll know that I'll need 10.5g of GDP per 60ml. That should test out at 37.2mg/ml on the tCheck. 37.2 / 100 x 91 = 33.852 so each cap would be approximately 34mg.

Unfortunately I don't have access to independent labs for testing the THC content of the pre infused oil or the results in order to scientifically confirm the tCheck but I can let you guys know what my real world experience with it is.

Hopefully my friend will come back some time in the next two weeks with a cap count and I can begin working on a second batch for him.

I just got some BlueBerry for myself so might have a go at creating some caps for myself starting with 0.5g/60ml and a second batch at 1.0g/60ml for comparison.
 
tCheck user report... I have a small fortune invested in HPLC testing of infused oils samples. I intended to use the samples to verify my tCheck device when it arrived so I could write a shining review backed with solid data.

I received the device, ran over 60 tests over many hours as part of a Gage Reproducibility and Repeatability study. The results of the Gage R&R were about 30% of tolerance using an arbitrary, loosely set tolerance of ±0.5 mg/ml. A Gage R&R result of 30% would be just okay for a home tester I suppose, but not great (Industry standards for Gage R&R state less than 10% is good; 10% to 30% needs work; over 30% is not acceptable).

The accuracy of the tCheck is not acceptable. The best results I could get was more than 400% lower than the HPLC test from SCLabs in Santa Cruz, CA which is not even close by any stretch of the imagination. I discussed the issue with tCheck over the phone and email (by the way, they were very professional in how they handled my issue, and went the extra mile to help me). I ended up sending my tCheck back twice and each time it came back no-trouble-found. I used unfiltered and then filtered coconut oil, coconut MCT oil, and Ghee butter, some of my oils were infused in the oven with no water used, others were infused in simmering water and others in crockpots. The results were similar for all samples. For what it is worth, tCheck suggests the use of filtered coconut oils, coconut MCT oils (which freezes at 27F), and Ghee butters to reduce the particles the light must shine through. When cooking chocolate and computing the dose using data from SCLabs, the effects of the chocolate were right on the mark compared to the effects of commercial chocolate bars, which gives me even more confidence in the SCLabs test results over the tCheck results.

I REALLY did want to see this device perform well. I intended to verify the tCheck accuracy and Gage R&R and then be able to confidently test my products with the convenience, and lower cost that the system could have theoretically provided. Unfortunately, I have had to return it for a refund; my strategy has now reverted back to doing larger batches and have samples tested at SCLabs. If I learn tCheck somehow improved their device, I may like to try it out again as they seem like a solid company. As for now, this exercise was very costly and complete let down.
 
KingKola1 said:
tCheck user report... I have a small fortune invested in HPLC testing of infused oils samples. I intended to use the samples to verify my tCheck device when it arrived so I could write a shining review backed with solid data.

I received the device, ran over 60 tests over many hours as part of a Gage Reproducibility and Repeatability study. The results of the Gage R&R were about 30% of tolerance using an arbitrary, loosely set tolerance of ±0.5 mg/ml. A Gage R&R result of 30% would be just okay for a home tester I suppose, but not great (Industry standards for Gage R&R state less than 10% is good; 10% to 30% needs work; over 30% is not acceptable).

The accuracy of the tCheck is not acceptable. The best results I could get was more than 400% lower than the HPLC test from SCLabs in Santa Cruz, CA which is not even close by any stretch of the imagination. I discussed the issue with tCheck over the phone and email (by the way, they were very professional in how they handled my issue, and went the extra mile to help me). I ended up sending my tCheck back twice and each time it came back no-trouble-found. I used unfiltered and then filtered coconut oil, coconut MCT oil, and Ghee butter, some of my oils were infused in the oven with no water used, others were infused in simmering water and others in crockpots. The results were similar for all samples. For what it is worth, tCheck suggests the use of filtered coconut oils, coconut MCT oils (which freezes at 27F), and Ghee butters to reduce the particles the light must shine through. When cooking chocolate and computing the dose using data from SCLabs, the effects of the chocolate were right on the mark compared to the effects of commercial chocolate bars, which gives me even more confidence in the SCLabs test results over the tCheck results.

I REALLY did want to see this device perform well. I intended to verify the tCheck accuracy and Gage R&R and then be able to confidently test my products with the convenience, and lower cost that the system could have theoretically provided. Unfortunately, I have had to return it for a refund; my strategy has now reverted back to doing larger batches and have samples tested at SCLabs. If I learn tCheck somehow improved their device, I may like to try it out again as they seem like a solid company. As for now, this exercise was very costly and complete let down.
Click to expand...

That is a disappointing result but a great report.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I was still in the process of testing mine but I don't have access to independent lab results so I'm running on consistency of experience.

It doesn't sound good though from your results.

Shame, that's somewhat shaken my confidence in the readings I've been getting. So far I've only really begun to establish a baseline.

I'll continue to report back my experiences but it's going to take much more time for me to offer any insight if any.

Currently I'm waiting for a few friends to let me know how many of the last batch of caps they needed for their desired dose.
 
Just got this email from tCheck

"tCheck Firmware Bug Detected

Hello,

We have recently discovered a manufacturing variance in one of the components within tCheck. This variance resulted in a problem with the calibration of the unit that leads to errors in measurement readings (0.0 or mis-reading low concentrations).

We will be sending a firmware release e-mail in the next 2-3 days with complete instructions.

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

Regards,
tCheck Support Team

-----------------------------

Details on this issue:

Symptom:
Device reads 0.0 mg/ml or it can't read low concentrations

Root cause:
Manufacturing variability in the LEDs results in changed behavior as LED intensity changes during measurement phase.

Scope:
This affects an unknown subset of units shipped since March of 2017.

Resolution:
This firmware update will correct this condition. The correction will not require the devices to be returned to the factory."
 
Another update email from T-Check

714cff97-56bb-4b0b-8bfb-8f208cd1f21e.png


tCheck Firmware Issues -- Version 1.10

Hello,
With our last firmware update, we have been listening and discovered that it created another bug/issue.

For existing customers... In an effort to make the machine more accurate, we are currently working on another update. You may find the results from tCheck could be a little bit wonky. Since the last update the only base oil that remains unaffected is coconut oil or MCT oil.

Rest assured we will have another fix shortly.

For customers waiting for tCheck... We understand that you have been waiting for a long time and we apologize, but it just wouldn't be our style to send something out until it's at its absolute best. In the meantime we are not sending out any units until we can update the firmware and do rigorous hand testing to ensure that the product is working correctly.

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact us. We truly value any and all feedback from everyone in the tCheck family.
Thank you so much,

Regards,
tCheck Support Team
Click to expand...
 
tCheck Firmware Update -- Version 1.11

tCheck Firmware Update -- Version 1.11

Hello,

We have been very busy testing a much more accurate version of the firmware. We estimate the release to be next week.

For existing customers you can simply update to this better version of firmware via WiFi. These instructions will be sent out to everyone hopefully next week.

For customers waiting for their tCheck, all units will have this firmware pre-loaded, and we will resume shipping ASAP. All our order backlog should ship out by the 20th of June. This includes any warranty returns. You will receive tracking notification via e-mail.

If you have any questions or other comments as always we value your feedback.

Thank you so much,

Regards,

tCheck Support Team
Click to expand...
 
Hello,

New tCheck Firmware is Available for Download (Version 1.11).

Go to User Guide/Firmware for Download Instructions

Key improvements:
  • Fixed measurement functions for all oils & alcohol
  • Added a feature to re-align the touch screen. To re-align the touch screen, hold the power button and quickly tap screen 5 times, then release power button. We recommend using a wooden chopstick or toothpick to touch the alignment dots as it would be more accurate than your finger. Please do not use a sharp metal object as that may permanently damage the screen.
  • Fixed issue that caused firmware to update to the same version
PLEASE NOTE:

This version of firmware has a *much* more extensive way to factory calibrate the device. The default values should work for most existing devices, however, if you are still experiencing measurement issues there are two courses of action:
  1. In about a week, we should have calibration kits available - along with firmware that allows you to perform the same factory style re-calibration. This would be the best option from a time savings perspective. If you are having issues please let us know through our support site.
  2. Send it back to us for re-calibration. Go to support site and file a ticket Typical turn-around time for this process is 1-2 weeks.
As always we appreciate your support and patience.

Thank you so much,

Regards,
tCheck Support Team
Click to expand...
 
Hi Guys,

I have the original T Check (V1).

I still use it once or twice a year when I infuse coconut oil with my leftover shake to make Cannacaps.

I tend to use it as a rough guide, it's OK but do have to dilute my solution usually in order to test withing the range the T-Check can handle.

I haven't ever had the opportunity to get the results independently tested so I can't really confirm it's acuracy. However I do feel like it helps to tell if a dose is roughly inline with expectations. I tend to aim for around 30mg per ml.

@Killick what inspiration are you after fella, how can I help?
 
Hi @GreenHopper , and thanks for the support offer.

So here's what I have after 3 test runs on friends brand new TC2. I'm using an LP (gov supplier) strain of infused oil. It's a Tikum Olam strain called Alaska, which is infused into sunflower oil. The lab specs on the label say that its 22.6 mg/ml. I seem to be getting inconsistent results according to the numbers below. Would mixing sunflower oil infusion (from LP) with coconut oil cause this? I kinda want to use the LP oil to verify accuracy before testing my own infusions in the unit, but the results seen a little off.

1 drop into 19 drops carrier oil = 4.3 mg/ml thc

3 drops into 19 drops carrier oil = 8.9 mg/ml

2 drops into 8 drops carrier oil = 8.7 mg/ml
 
No worries bud,

I'll do my best. It's worth pointing out that we are a little sceptical about this devices capability.

@herbivore21 raised concerns about the T-Checks capabilities and @KingKola1 didn't have a great experience with the device.

Killick said:
It's a Tikum Olam strain called Alaska, which is infused into sunflower oil.
Click to expand...

You mention 'sunflower oil' but I don't believe the T-Check is capable of detecting using that oil.

WHAT CAN I TEST WITH TCHECK?
TCheck is capable of testing infusions that are made with coconut oil, clarified butter (ghee), olive oil, and alcohol. We are working on getting other bases, such as glycerin, on the device. These updates will be available by updating the firmware via WiFi.
Click to expand...
* T-Check FAQ

Killick said:
Would mixing sunflower oil infusion (from LP) with coconut oil cause this?
Click to expand...

Below is quote from T-Check about how they use "spectral absorbance characteristics" to identify their results.

T-Check by proxy of GreenHopper said:
tCheck is a UV-Vis spectrometer. THC and CBD happen to have spectral absorbance characteristics we use as the measurement points. We make no guarantees that other contaminants will not affect the readings. This is why we only claim to measure olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and alcohol based infusions. If the user adds other oils, herbs, or supplements to the infusion, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the results.
Click to expand...

I guess this means mixing oils would change the "spectral absorbance characteristics" of the solution? :idon'tknow:
 
This is so helpful, and thanks for putting it together. All the 'factory' oils I get, with prescription markings and lab test results, are all sunflower which seems to scupper the idea of using them as a reference.

So friend is bringing an ExtractCraft Turbo tomorrow . We're going to unbox it and start extracting stuff. I've been watching a few of their vids and think it will have potential. Using math I can make up a reference sample using alcohol, but I have another idea in mind. What I want to try do is make tincture using dry sift, and have a selection of both plain and decarbed. While the ExtractCraft doesn't make a large volume per session this method *should* give a pretty reasonable return (he says, without ever having seen one in real life...)

Trip report to follow :)
 
More than welcomed me bud. :cheers:

Killick said:
So friend is bringing an ExtractCraft Turbo tomorrow . We're going to unbox it and start extracting stuff. I've been watching a few of their vids and think it will have potential.
Click to expand...

I've had my eye on a Source from ExtractCraft for some time. I'm really hoping they come out with a 220v version. My biggest issue with ETH extractions is the scacety and cost of the ETH here.

The Source would go along way to alleviating that.

Killick said:
Using math I can make up a reference sample using alcohol, but I have another idea in mind. What I want to try do is make tincture using dry sift, and have a selection of both plain and decarbed. While the ExtractCraft doesn't make a large volume per session this method *should* give a pretty reasonable return (he says, without ever having seen one in real life...)
Click to expand...

Sounds interesting, how did it go?

Are you aware that there is a software update out for the tCheck 2?


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Hello!

We have released a new update for tCheck 2, and it will help you, and us, with any troubleshooting needs. If you already have your tCheck 2, please update your device as soon as you can. If you are about to order, or are waiting for your device to ship,keep this handy as a guide for understanding the lights once you receive it.

This new update will help with signal drop issues, that mainly affect iOS devices, and it will also change the lights on your device.

These new light patterns will tell you a lot more about what is going on inside your tCheck, or when it is connected to your phone.

If you do need to contact us for support, the lights will tell us if there is a problem much faster now.

All purple - You need to complete an update (same as before)
All green - Power-On Self Test (same as before-this is your device making sure it is a-ok!)
All red (orange) - very low battery -pop in some new ones pronto.
Red-Red-White -something is wrong, and you need to contact us please,support@tcheck.me
Blue-Blue-Green - Device ready / waiting for BLE connection
All blue - BLE connected- all systems go! Hooray!
Blue-Blue-Purple (purple light rotates) - Device is currently running a test (measurement)
All yellow - low battery / device will still run tests but you should change batteries soon
We hope this helps. We have some more features coming soon and we will keep you posted :)
As always,
Team tCheck
GO TO WEBSITE
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tCheck4415 Granite Drive, Suite 200Rocklin, CA 95677
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Sent by team@tcheck.mein collaboration with

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Click to expand...
 
@GreenHopper I installed the update on Sunday. Monday I tried a batch of dry sift, extracted into alcohol, then ran through the Source Turbo. First run left more alcohol behind than anticipated, but a second run cleared that up. Ran that sample through the Tcheck, starting at 1 drop to 19 of olive oil, and was over. Then, in 10 drop increments, went up to 200 drops olive oil to 1 drops infused oil and still 'over'. So tried again infusing 1 drop infused oil into 19 of 95% EC and it was over. Went up to 1 in 40 and over every single time. I'm sure it's strong, being as it started live as 60 grams of a 20% strain, sifted to 11 grams of trichomes. It still tastes of alcohol, so I added 50% ginger-infused VG, and now it tastes dandy. I've labelled the bottle 'turbo sauce'.

A friend brought a bottle of infused oil along to run through the Tcheck, and when we did the 19:1 mix we got an 8.4 mg/ml reading, which friend thought should be about right for her extraction. I can see how it would be handy, but there's a definite learning curve to the unit. It's likely a helpful unit for those who are reasonably 'normal' with their extractions, while people who go for maximum saturation might have to putter with it a bit more.

The Source Turbo is an awfully handy unit. The unit is altitude adjustable, which was the major challenge with the original Source being set for Boulder, CO and then not allowing for adjustment. According to the app (which isn't required to use the machine) it sets temp at 71f, and then uses vacuum to sublimate the alcohol out. The top is clear plexiglas, allowing a view into the extraction cup. The top is tilted, which is where the alcohol collects, runs to the outside,, then down into the reclaim reservoir. A dish of ice sits on the plexiglas lid to allow quick cooling of the alcohol. You'd take the dish off to view the activity throigh the window. Outside of cannabis extractions you can also make your fave essential oils. There is some lavender, Alaskan pine, and a couple of other things that will be getting tested over the next few days.
 
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