Taking Apart and Cleaning the Volcano Vaporizer Step by Step Photo Guide

Here’s a new improved photo gallery based on user requests. One of the most daunting tasks for the new Volcano Vaporizer owner is taking it apart and cleaning for the first time. Here’s a step by step photo illustration of how to disassemble all the parts of the Volcano Vaporizer and clean using rubbing alcohol and sea salt. If it’s your first time taking apart the inner workings of your Volcano, this will help make sense of it. You’ll need some simple supplies; rubbing alcohol, sea salt, a large freezer bag or wide mouth jar, a pair of pliers, some q-tips and paper towels. (You can substitute Formula 420 for the alcohol and sea salt.) If you’re looking for an all-in-one cleaning solution, check this out. Remember – a clean Volcano Vaporizer works better and more efficiently and tastes better!

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classic and hybrid

81 Comments

  1. joanne danik on October 30, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    I Have the Volcano Classic…the air pump has stopped pumping air into bag. I changed the air filter…I bought the tamperproof screw bit and apparatus to get inside to see if it MIGHT be a switch loose..Nothing seems to be apparent..no wires crossed …no tubes clogged..the green light(air pump) still turns on..yet Im only BARELY getting air out..and of course not enough to fill bag. Im really desparate..I RELY HEAVY on this machine for pain management for severe conditions…PLEASE…ANYBODY have ANY idea how to get this working or what could be the problem? Its only 3 years old..used everyday..but cleaned on a regular basis. TIA…appreciate any help



    • Vapormaster on October 31, 2017 at 5:37 am

      That stinks! Nothing worse than a broken Volcano. The air pump seems to be one of the more difficult parts to repair and replace yourself. Sounds like you might be within warranty. I would contact Storz and Bickel – america@volcanovaporizer.com / 510-451-1553



      • joanne danik on October 31, 2017 at 10:30 am

        Thanks so much for the phone number and heads up…I hope they can help…Happy Hallos Eve..!



  2. Aga on November 2, 2015 at 5:07 pm

    Bought a used volcano classic on kijiji. Looked like a legit volcano. Got it home turned it on, works fine. Until I put the bag on and filled. It fills soooo slow. Looked for advice online. Ppl keep talking about the air filter so I turned it upside down and checked….no air filter. Great..guess I bought a fake. Opened it up to look…does not look like images online. Took it apart, piece by piece … pump inside is working shiT .. but it’s a Nitto Kohki VC0100 black…so now I’m assuming this is the very 1st model or its still fake. Not an expert on volcanos by any means. I’m guessing this pump is dead. Very little air being blown out. Can’t find the pump anywhere online…gonna open the pump and have a go at her .. any suggestions from anybody who has a really old one and the pump is shyt?



  3. Andreas on January 21, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    Anybody got a clue where i could get a replacement pump for the old Volcano? The one where you could not replace the filter without Disassembling it.

    The Pump is an Nitto Kohki VC0100, but i can’t seem to find it anywhere in Europe. And i know the Manufacture of the Volcano does not sell any electric components of the Volcano.



    • Vapormaster on January 21, 2015 at 6:19 pm

      I don’t, but perhaps someone will chime in.



      • Andreas on February 1, 2015 at 6:19 pm

        Ok i didn’t find one. But a replacement thats actually better, with the downside of notting fitting in the inside of the Volcano.

        An Eheim 400 Air Pump for Aqauariums.

        Connected to the Chimney of the Volcano using 1 Y Adapter (2x4mm to 1x6mm) and small pieces of silicone hose.

        Its external, but its working.

        Next thing i will connect it to the switch on the volcano, and build a new base for it out of wood where everything fits in.



        • Vapormaster on February 6, 2015 at 8:22 am

          Awesome solution! Would love to see a picture of the finished project.



    • Streetsy on January 22, 2015 at 8:01 am

      Hi,
      Try this link, for German and UK contact details for Nitto, they should be able to help you in Europe:

      http://www.nitto-kohki.eu/en/products-en/pumps-a-compressors/ac-pumps/item/vc-0100-blower.html

      Failing that, take a look at this Reddit, where people suggest Herbalaire has the same pump, and sell it separately:

      http://www.reddit.com/r/vaporents/comments/2aiyzx/

      Good luck, and don’t forget to come back and post for other users if you successfully get hold of the part or manage to work out some other repair for it.



      • Andreas on February 6, 2015 at 9:49 am

        U contacted the German and other European Distributors, none could or were willing to help me. Most of them didn’t answer my mail.

        The Herbalair pump in Reddit is not the same.
        This is only for the later models of the Volcano classic. The old one i got has a different pump in it.

        But thanks anyway for the help, i appreciate it!



  4. Chris b on November 29, 2014 at 9:05 am

    ive had my volcano for a couple years now, got it used for a little over $100 🙂 but my filling chamber has never seemed to fit snug on the actual unit during filling. I’ve always had to hold it on or the bag/chamber will fall off. Any advice? Thank you.



    • Chris b on November 29, 2014 at 9:06 am

      its a solid valve as well



    • Zargohn on July 2, 2017 at 10:44 pm

      If using basic valve you must hold it to the unit and the blue washer must be installed on the valve,



  5. Delaware on April 9, 2014 at 9:08 am

    Anyone else have a problem of the stuff flying out?

    I always like to turn mine on and wait till I see vap before attaching the bag, but lately the chamber flys off and my stuff goes everywhere.

    Any help? thnx



    • Vapormaster on April 10, 2014 at 3:37 pm

      Easy valve or solid?



    • dronemaster on April 21, 2014 at 3:21 pm

      Same thing happened to me the other day, out of the blue; it’d never happened before. Took me a couple of seconds to understand what had happened lol…

      In my case the screen was getting filthy, and I was vaping particularly finely ground weed (a lot of it was dust). The stuff basically caked itself on the backside of the screen, effectively creating a seal until the air pressure just popped the whole assembly out!

      Cleaned the screen, made sure my weed wasn’t ground quite so finely, problem solved.



  6. Jomoco on January 25, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    I recently bought a volcano and the attachment that holds the bag immediately started leaking vapour. It’s not a substantial amount but it’s still awfull and stinks up the room. What could be doing this?



    • Vapormaster on January 27, 2014 at 8:02 am

      Solid or easy valve? Make sure all your rubber seals and o-rings are in place.



  7. LongTimeVolcanoOwner on September 14, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    Dental Floss works very well for tying up the end of a fresh bag.

    Regarding the use of alcohol, Storz and Bickel advocate minimum 90% alcohol for cleaning the various bits. They also state to not allow extended contact with the plastic parts. No problem, a quick wipedown with 91% and rinse in water gets it done handily.

    Finally, get that juicy goo off the various bits and use it like hash. You can straight up smoke it, or use it to lace a joint. You DO NOT want to discard that stuff, it’s pure gold, and a nice reward for taking care of your Vocano.



  8. Q on August 17, 2013 at 2:06 pm

    I tried this method with 70% rubbing alcohol and now my mouth piece and the plastic piece that the bag attaches too have a strange discoloration.

    It worked like a charm for all of the metal pieces but I would not recommend doing this to the plastic pieces.



  9. Vapormania on July 25, 2013 at 2:49 pm

    I find I am loosing vapor. Any tips on how to secure the bag more efficiently? The vape seems to be escaping where the bag and valve meet.



    • Vapormaster on July 26, 2013 at 7:20 am

      Easy or Solid valve? Escaping vapor usually means you have a small tear in your bag. They can be difficult to spot. If it still leaks with a fresh bag; Solid Valve – clean thoroughly, make sure spring action on valve moves easily… Easy valve – check blue rubber o-ring on very top of filling chamber.



  10. Martia Lant on March 12, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Clean the parts in milk. Then quick rinse with warm water. Drink the milk, get high. I bet you can’t drink the alcohol that you just cleaned your parts in.



    • john on July 18, 2013 at 8:54 am

      Milk isn’t very good for cleaning. You are creating a petri dish in your Volcano! Isopropyl alcohol aka rubbing alcohol works best for dissolving resins and oils. Don’t drink the alcohol, though!



      • Martia Lant on July 26, 2013 at 10:45 am

        Sorry pal, but you don’t know what your talking about. There is no milk left on the parts as they are rinsed before assembly. So, no, you wont be “creating a petri dish in your Volcano!”
        I’ve had my Digit since Oct 2009. Its had a bag change & parts clean every 4 to 6 weeks, using milk. At no point have i had bad smells, no bad taste & no nasties growing anywhere near my Volcano.
        Before you jump to conclusions, give cleaning your parts in milk a try. Then come and thank me for showing you how to get a free evenings worth of wastedness from something you’ve been throwing away.



        • Powers on September 11, 2013 at 1:44 am

          What positives does milk bring to the table? (Beyond drinking the runoff. I’m not interested in that because I just don’t know what’s getting into the liquid beyond the good stuff.)

          Does it clean better? Can you share a good process, with pictures maybe?



          • Eric on July 5, 2018 at 9:54 pm

            It might not clean better but I’m assuming since the weed has been heated it’s been activated so soaking your parts in milk, or any type of drink overnight and then cleaning would produce an edible type beverage. You can clean w alcohol after that if anything is left.



  11. b on December 23, 2012 at 5:28 am

    volcano users might wanna try the vaporfection bags, theyre better and cheaper than s&b rustly bags.

    they also sell a pretty sweet inline vapor cooler.

    i love both.



    • Vapormaster on January 6, 2013 at 6:25 am

      How do you use the inline vapor cooler with your Volcano?



    • biggbonger on April 16, 2013 at 6:04 pm

      I’ll have to give those a try. Currently my preference is for the Tokeez bags. 3 in a pack for 10 bucks. They are pre-sealed already, you just have to clip it on. Bags are 3 ft. long and seal is very strong. Priced the same as S&B bags in the 10 ft. roll, plus they are quieter too:)
      Haven’t heard of the vapor cooler, but gonna look. Is that the brand name…’Vaporfection’? Thanks.



      • biggbonger on April 17, 2013 at 6:17 pm

        I think the inline vapor cooler is for vaporizers using a whip, correct? I couldn’t find anything about using it with a Volcano.



  12. Streetsy on December 17, 2012 at 5:40 am

    Little tips for used bags, especially now we’re coming up to Xmas:

    a) Easiest: Pop a turkey (or anything else) inside it, seal both ends with supplied ties, and roast in your oven. Make sure you share this meal, and don’t plan anything serious for right after it!!!!

    b) Variation: Cut your used bags into strips, lengthwise, make a nice hot chocolate (full fat milk needed), dip some strips in, leave for a while (until clean-ish?), pull out, enjoy your hot chocolate!!! Follow same advice as above for plans later that day, hahaha



  13. Scott on November 21, 2012 at 4:40 am

    Just cleaned out my system but had some trouble with the valve. Admittedly it was a pretty overdue cleaning for the valve part as I usually just cleaned the bowl and tamper. For most of its owning history I didn’t even know that cap could unscrew. After reading this I tried to unscrew it but it seemed on there TIGHT. I even used two wrenches to try to get enough torque and it wasn’t enough. Anyone else run into this problem? Am I destined to just buy another valve?



    • Vapormaster on November 21, 2012 at 10:56 am

      I would run it under hot water or soak in iso to loosen up, you’re going to want that out of there to clean thoroughly.



    • biggbonger on April 16, 2013 at 6:11 pm

      Try soaking in iso in a glass jar over night. Or try heating it up again on the volcano to get the resins to liquify again. (turn it back oil instead of being hard.) If you heat it up on the valcano, take of the bottom rubber ring so it doesn’t damage, turn it up a little hotter and let it sit for a few minutes, try it, if not heat some more…just not super,super hot:)



  14. not bleep on March 21, 2012 at 11:26 am

    You don’t actually need to use any alcohol or salt for cleaning the chamber. Just remove the screens and run the volcano at a high temperature for a minute or two. Then CAREFULLY wipe the chamber clean with a paper towel or a cotton swab until it’s as shiny as new.

    This won’t work for the screens though. It will just mash the resin deeper into the screen if you try it.



    • not bleep on March 21, 2012 at 11:27 am

      Sorry, in the last post I forgot the obvious warning. After heating the volcano chamber it will be hot. Be careful. Use a glove or something. Don’t burn yourself.



  15. Osama on March 12, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    RUBBING alcohol? Sea SALT? Yuck. Doesn’t that leave a nasty taste? I use 99% pure isopropyl WITHOUT that shit they put in it to keep bums from drinking it. No salt needed (from the sea or otherwise). Get your iso from costco its much cheaper than at the drug store. The added advantage is all the resin from your equipment is preserved, just collect it up in a jar and allow the alcohol to evaporate off…this can take a few days. At the end you will have back all that resin you thought was wasted. Please do not recommend this rubbing alcohol and salt method it is downright the wrong way to go about this.



    • Vapormaster on March 12, 2012 at 10:10 pm

      Rubbing Alcohol == Isopropyl Alcohol… at least where I come from. Salt adds a gentle non-toxic abrasive. If you were going to save the solution for evaporation then I suppose the salt could be a detriment.



  16. Volc on March 5, 2012 at 8:52 am

    I’ve read that the rubber rings shouldn’t be cleaned with alcohol since it can destroy rubber. Anyone know if this is the case?



  17. pdm on February 5, 2012 at 8:32 am

    just a week into the ‘classic’ experience. very happy. i’m an old guy, so lots of this escapes me, but since i got the easy valve, am i correct tht i only need to clean the chamber where the lavender and chamomile goes? beyond that, i am also confused as to where the honey oil is supposed to collect. thanks a million for your site.



    • Vapormaster on February 5, 2012 at 9:20 pm

      You’re correct the herb chamber is what you will need to keep clean on the Easy Valve. The oil collects above the top screen in the area that tapers to the tube which the valve fits over.



      • not bleep on March 21, 2012 at 11:20 am

        You don’t need alcohol or anything to clean the top chamber of the volcano. Just remove the top screen and run the volcano at a high temperature for a minute or two. Then take a cotton swab and wipe it clean before it cools. I can usually get mine as shiny as new that way without any chemicals.



  18. miked on February 5, 2012 at 4:47 am

    Well I followed instructions and cleaned it up, after 3 weeks of using it twice per day or so. Nothing difficult, but I reused the screens. Should I had replaced them already?



    • Vapormaster on February 5, 2012 at 9:21 pm

      You can clean the screens and reuse them indefinitely. Hold them up to the light to see if they are clogged.



  19. Miked on January 30, 2012 at 3:25 am

    Great. Do you have one with attaching new balloon to the solid valve?



  20. DH on January 4, 2012 at 1:47 am

    I didn’t see it in the post, however I apologize if it was there and I missed it. I’m trying to figure out how much sea salt to add to the rubbing alcohol… help?



    • Vapormaster on January 4, 2012 at 5:19 am

      About a tablespoon works for me.



  21. Chris shaw on September 15, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    yo we make 6 foot bags called party bags, turn it up to 9, and one person has to clear it as fast as possible. Called a 9 bag or specifically party bag 9 bag. Record is 37 seconds.



  22. Laura on January 3, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    You didn’t scrape anything with a straw before washing?! The resin inside the Volcano is PURE HONEY OIL! Just use a straw!
    Also, I always just use Citrusolve (a citrus based solvent) to clean our Volcano, can wash everything together. Also, an old toothbrush for the hard to reach parts.



    • Vapormaster on January 3, 2011 at 2:05 pm

      I scrape the inside of my chamber regularly (wooden toothpick) and mix it in with the fresh as I load the Volcano. I’m not one for combustion so that’s the best way to use it I’ve found. I’ve always wondered though – how good can the oil really be if it’s been exposed to so much high temp?



  23. Laura on January 3, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    I have started using only oven bags. You can buy them at the grocery store. They are for putting turkeys in then putting in over to seal in juices. They are perfect Volcano bags. They’re already sealed on one end, the seem SLIGHTLY thicker so they last longer, they stand up by themselves and are just awesome all around. I highly recommend “Look” brand Turkey Oven Bags.



    • not bleep on March 21, 2012 at 11:23 am

      I used to do that with my classic. I learned after awhile that the bags are heavier and put more of a strain on the volcano to fill the bag. Whatever is in the chamber ends up being heated up more than with the name brand bags. I like how sturdy the turkey bags were but they just don’t work as well with mine.



    • biggbonger on April 16, 2013 at 6:28 pm

      I found the end seals to be terrible, done within a few days of frequent use. Tokeez bags are the best, haven’t brke a seal yet. Plus I just feel like I’m being cheap when I tried them. I only would recommend them if you are on a very tight budget, but then they don’t last like proper volcano bags so not really cost effective.



    • Zargohn on July 2, 2017 at 10:51 pm

      To make installing turkey bag to solid valve easier, I seal the end of the bag first, then cut a corner on the opposite end. Make this opening slightly larger than the valve and it will be much easier to gather the plastic around the valve and seal it to it.



  24. CubsPhan on October 1, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    I am with Vapormaster. I have never had any troubles using the provided strip but whatever’s clever I suppose.



  25. CitizenJ on July 23, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    Nice Yo- I just discovered this myself. Zip ties are THE BEST for sealing the ends of the bag- so easy and works wonderfully. Save yourself a bit of headache and use zip ties instead of the bag tie thing they give you.



    • Vapormaster on August 11, 2010 at 5:10 pm

      Whatever works… I’ve never had any trouble with using the bag trimmings. But to each their own! Thanks for sharing your tips. Vape on.



  26. Protonus on July 10, 2010 at 5:58 pm

    Re: brushes to clean the chamber/screen/grinder, dry, after each use, paintbrushes seem a little too nice for the task and the brushes are soft.

    I recommenced “acid brushes” – they’re pretty much perfect. They’re very cheap horsehair brushes often with cheap rolled tin handles, the bristles are fairly stiff, they’re disposable, and often purchased in a pack of many for very little $. Used by a variety of industries, I use them with alcohol for soldering cleanup. Or my volcano. They’re all over the net for dirt cheap, here is a variety pack of 12 for $1.78!
    http://www.amazon.com/Acid-Brushes-Piece-Assorted-Widths/dp/B000O5JOYE



  27. Yo on June 27, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    Quick hint. For a really good seal on the end of the bag i use small zip ties. Trim off the excess and you end up with a MUCH better seal than just using the excess bag clippings



  28. lola on June 25, 2010 at 11:06 pm

    how can i clean the part where the air exits? i’m moving and i want to mail my volcano to my new home out of state…any suggestions for making this thing “mail safe”?



    • Vapormaster on July 1, 2010 at 3:46 am

      I recommend a vacuum, but you’re never going to be able to get it perfectly ‘mail safe’ without taking it apart me thinks. There’s probably some crumbs or dust that have settled into the base.



  29. Elle on March 10, 2010 at 5:15 pm

    This was, by far, the most helpful guide I found for changing the bags. I was looking everywhere to no avail. In the process of discovering this very easy to understand set of photos, I also learned how to give my Volcano a proper, well-overdue cleaning… thank you so much.



  30. Vapormaster on February 12, 2010 at 5:25 am

    Yobo – have you tried water filtration?



  31. Yobo on February 5, 2010 at 11:05 pm

    I have had mine for a couple years now, I have the early model without the air filter. Even after I clean the parts and replace the bag, the vapor is pretty harsh on the throat and lungs. Even at a setting of 5.5 it has me coughing like crazy. I’m tempted to take the whole thing apart and take a look around, but I don’t know. Got any ideas?



    • biggbonger on April 28, 2012 at 9:30 am

      How much product are you using…maybe try less. Or keep trying lower temps. Can’t think of much else, sorry.



      • biggbonger on April 28, 2012 at 11:43 am

        oh ya….maybe the product hasn’t been flushed properly during growing. That can make it harsh as well.



    • graeme on April 26, 2017 at 11:45 am

      the problem is that your herb is possibly ground too finely. try replacing the screen with the fine screen set on your filling chamber. actually I tend to use 2 or 3fine screens stacked together and this seems to solve the problem.



  32. Rob on November 6, 2009 at 2:34 pm

    1). How often should you change the bag you are using? Five came with the package, but I am not sure if that is because people blow them up overfilling them or if they should be changed routinely.
    2). Do you have to clean the easyvalve Volcano?



    • Vapormaster on December 10, 2009 at 9:39 am

      The bag will start to get sticky and eventually may crack and leak. I change the bag every time I clean.

      The easy valve parts are disposable – no cleaning involved.



  33. […] UPDATE – Please see updated photos here – Taking Apart and Cleaning the Volcano Vaporizer […]



  34. […] Volcano Vaporizer. The video runs 9:45 and is available in full screen. You can also consult the Volcano Vaporizer cleaning photo guide for more detail. Continue reading to start watching the […]



  35. D. Reid Dillinger on July 7, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    THE PHOTO STEP BY STEP WAS PERFECT, IN ANY LANGUAGE. I almost broke the plastic ring with the gator teeth. Your picture explained exactly. Now, what are those white foam-ish filters, and the metal disc filter(?)? Any tricks to getting the balloon to equally wrap around the ring? I’m still looking over the blog but are we suppose to take the ‘volcano’ apart? The ‘heater’?



    • Vapormaster on July 18, 2009 at 9:45 am

      The white foamish filter is the air intake filter. It goes on the bottom of the heat generator. It rarely needs to be replaced. Flip the Volcano over in your lap and you’ll see a twist out plastic piece perforated with holes. Remove it and you can inspect the air filter to see if it needs replacing.

      There’s no need to take apart the heater, keep it clean and occasionally vacuum the top where the hot air exits.

      The metal woven filter pad thingy is for heating essential oils instead of plant materials.

      Thanks for stopping by….



      • Jaydee Bee on February 11, 2014 at 7:04 pm

        Dear Vapormaster:

        Thank you for writing with clarity and precision. Your explanations are almost always helpful, to the point, and user-friendly. You (individually, or collectively if there’s more than one of you) have set a gold standard of tech help writing. Keep up the great work!



  36. stryde on November 9, 2008 at 5:32 pm

    great job, this really helped.



  37. Eugene on October 20, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    I am looking for some idea and stumble upon your posting 🙂 decide to wish you Thanks. Eugene



  38. MartyMar247 on April 6, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    This was a cool tutrial…I even learned something…I didn’t know the metal chamber in the bowl piece came out. But I think you’re overlooking one of the coolest aspestcs of owning a volcano. The brown gunk that forms on the metal pyramid piece and inside the metal cylinder that screws into the pyramid piece is active ingredients oil. Scrape that gunk off with a knife and press it into some keif and bam, you got yourself high quality jelly active ingredients! Try it and let me know what you think… PeAcE!



  39. Greg on April 1, 2008 at 10:26 am

    Awesome demonstration. Exactly the same process I use with a couple of differences in the details. Epsom salt I have found works slightly more effectively than sea salt. I clean the the filling chamber less frequently than the other parts. Sometimes after cleaning I reuse a bag for a time or two more if it is not ripped and if the open end can be stretched gently across a surface without sticking too much.

    After single uses I recommend cleaning the filling chamber (and insert) with an appropriately sized paintbrush. Paintbrushes are also good for removing dust or residue off the Volcano near the exhaust vent.