Questions about storage and shelf life and especially about nicotine solutions please.

[Spydro]

Sorry if this is all covered elsewhere on this site. It runs terribly slow for me so takes forever to do research on.

Ready to get into DYI, so I ws happily going along making my list, counting it twice for DYI gear and supplies. I am new at this, still learning so taking it slow to make sure I do it right.

At the top of the list a Nicotine Test Kit, was a no brainer and found a source for one.
I set about figuring out in what quantities to buy of PG, VG and flavor; trying to figure out what strength/mix and quanity for nicotine solution.

Ran into a something that got me thinking about storage and shelf life ... something I read on the Wizard Lab site about their amber glass bottles...
"For long term storage of nicotine solutions we advise transferring the contents of bulk bottles into several smaller amber glass bottles before freezing."

So my most important questions are about the nicotine solutions (as they should be)...

I vape about 2ml per day so far at 6mg nicotine. So I was going to start with 36mg nicotine solution bought in larger quantity for the cost savings. Maybe later, maybe not with more experience higher mg solutions. Now I wonder about how long the storage/shelf life is because of the above. Woukd I have to freeze the nic solution if I buy it in larger qualtities for my low uesage?

Side question... how to do I decide between the nic solutions, 100% PG, 100% VG or a mixture of both, and why?

What about PG and VG? I was going to buy 500ml of each to start (I'll probably try a 70/30 + 5% flavor mix to start and work from there.


Thanks.

 

[dannyv45]

To answer your storage question.

For long term storage it is best to store it in the freezer in glass bottles. NIC solution won't freeze it will just thicken. Air, moisture, heat and light cause NIC to go bad so it's best to store unopen bottles. If this is not possible fill glass bottles as full as possible and keep out about a 2 month supply to avoid constant removal from the freezer and opening.

PG/VG mixing

The more PG you have in a mix the more throught hit you will have but it reduces the smoke on the exhale. The more VG you have the the less throught hit you will have but will have pleanty of smoke. Also higher VG mixes require more flavoring. The mix will usually be much thicker which is harder on your vaping hardware. A good starting point is 75%PG to 25%VG and adjust from there.

Mix ratios

as I mentioned 75/25 is a good starting point for NIC base
5 - 7 % for non tobacco flavor and 3% for tobacco flavors is a good starting point
Make small 5ml test batches so you don't have much waste in the event you don't like the mix.

 

[Izan]

Buy premixed .06% nic in different bases. 50/50, 100% pg, 100% VG, Peg400, Dirty base, Menthol base, from a few different vendors.
Mix your flavors in small test batched and let steep.
Find out what you like : nic flavor, base flavor, best base for your device, best base per flavor, ratios based on mix, etc.

Once you settle on what works for you, then invest in large quantities of what you LIKE.



good luck
Have fun
I

 

[Spydro]

Danny/Izan, thank you both.

Covers the bases on the nic solution storage… I’ll probably buy 120ml and 30ml amber bottles to have one in use and the other 3 in the freezer. I’ll also probably buy smaller bottles for the “in use” PG/VG for dilution.

I do plan to mix small to experiment, probably in 3ml quantities.

I pretty much understood the effects of PG/VG (throat hit, VG muting flavor, etc), so the 72/25 suggestion and my thinking 70/30 covers that base pretty close.

Have no idea on what mix would work best in my devices… Halo G6.

What I don’t understand I guess is overcomplicating it with the differences between the premix nic solutions. I was just going to buy 100% PG, 100% VG or a mix of the two nicotine solution – which one I wasn’t sure of yet. IOW, Peg400/Dirty mean nothing to me (a hole in my research I guess).

” nic flavor, base flavor, best base for your device, best base per flavor, ratios based on mix, etc.”
Can’t really reply to any of that since the formula of the Halo premix juices I’ve been vaping is not published. They do state they are PG/VG solutions, but not what percentages.

 

[DeeDee1234]

Is the halo juice thick?

 

[dannyv45]

Danny/Izan, thank you both.

Covers the bases on the nic solution storage… I’ll probably buy 120ml and 30ml amber bottles to have one in use and the other 3 in the freezer. I’ll also probably buy smaller bottles for the “in use” PG/VG for dilution.

I do plan to mix small to experiment, probably in 3ml quantities.

I pretty much understood the effects of PG/VG (throat hit, VG muting flavor, etc), so the 72/25 suggestion and my thinking 70/30 covers that base pretty close.

Have no idea on what mix would work best in my devices… Halo G6.

What I don’t understand I guess is overcomplicating it with the differences between the premix nic solutions. I was just going to buy 100% PG, 100% VG or a mix of the two nicotine solution – which one I wasn’t sure of yet. IOW, Peg400/Dirty mean nothing to me (a hole in my research I guess).

” nic flavor, base flavor, best base for your device, best base per flavor, ratios based on mix, etc.”
Can’t really reply to any of that since the formula of the Halo premix juices I’ve been vaping is not published. They do state they are PG/VG solutions, but not what percentages.

Ah funny you should mention the halo G6. It's what I started with and go back to quite frequently. If you like halo you will love these receipes. It's exactly like halo's prime 15 and close to tribeca , so easy to make and works great in the G6

Prime 15

for a 5ml test batch use 5ml 75/25 PG/VG Nic base (for 1oz multiply these amounts by 6)
Add
6% or 6 drops, T5 (555 type) 555 Concentrated Hangsen Flavor | Concentrated Flavoring - E Cig : Best Ejuice | Joye eGo & eGo-T | Boge Leo | Cartomizers | E-Liquid | Electronic Cigarettes
1% or 1 drop, AP (Acetyl Pyrazine) gives it that nutty taste Perfumers Apprentice - Acetyl Pyrazine 5% (PG)
1% or 1 drop, sweetner Perfumers Apprentice - Ethyl Maltol Liquid (10% PG)

steep in hot water until cooled to room temperature then repeat 2 more times shaking bottle in between baths.

Tribeca (Haven't tried it but from what I read its very close)

for a 5ml test batch use 5ml 75/25 PG/VG Nic base (for 1oz multiply these amounts by 6)
Add
6% or 6 drops, ry4 double Perfumers Apprentice - RY4 Double Flavor
1% or 1 drop, AP (Acetyl Pyrazine) gives it that nutty taste Perfumers Apprentice - Acetyl Pyrazine 5% (PG)
1% or 1 drop, sweetner Perfumers Apprentice - Ethyl Maltol Liquid (10% PG)

steep in hot water until cooled to room temperature then repeat 2 more times shaking bottle in between baths.

 

[Spydro]

DeeDee,
I can only answer based on the 7 Halo flavors I have... they vary from quite thin to somewhat thicker depending on which flavor. I have nothing else to compare them to.


Danny,

Thanks a bunch for the Halo similar recipes. I have not tried their Prime 15, but the Tribeca is my current "tobacco" juice that came in cartos with the startup kit, and I bought 30ml extra of. I also bought their Gourmet Sample Pack (Belgian Cocoa, Malibu, Cafe Mocha, Twisted Java, Kringle's Curse, Shamrock). All but one of them could be all day juices... the Shamrock is a total blah to me for some reason.

I don't expect to be a user of a lot of flavors to vape just like I don't expect to have a drawer full of every different device made like some I am learning do. Probably more like I will just find 4-5 at most that I really like to switch between from day to day for variety... and they will probably be tobacco, coffee and maybe "drink" based rather than fruit, food or menthol based. I smoked the same tired old analog cigs for the last 10 years... it's been years since I smioked pipes with special blends daily, and decades longer since I smoked oddball or "flavored" cigs (ovals, clove, etc). I started as a meat and potatoes smoker late 50's... non filter Lucky Strike, Camels, Chesterfiled, etc that eventually went to filtered, then light filtered the last 10.

 

[dannyv45]

Danny,

Thanks a bunch for the Halo similar recipes. I have not tried their Prime 15, but the Tribeca is my current "tobacco" juice that came in cartos with the startup kit, and I bought 30ml extra of. I also bought their Gourmet Sample Pack (Belgian Cocoa, Malibu, Cafe Mocha, Twisted Java, Kringle's Curse, Shamrock). All but one of them could be all day juices... the Shamrock is a total blah to me for some reason.

I don't expect to be a user of a lot of flavors to vape just like I don't expect to have a drawer full of every different device made like some I am learning do.

I can relate I'm a recent X 40 year smoker. Keeping it simple takes a lot of the confusion out of the equasion. I myself have 2 favorate everyday vapes and about 3 flavors I like to switch off to. You usually find your favorite everyday vape tends to fall flat at somepoint during the day and I find switching to one of the alternate flavors for an hour or two will liven the original back up when you go back to it.

I do find great pleasure in experimenting with different flavores and sometimes coming up with somthing that will knock your socks off. But even those get boring after a period of constant vaping. SO it's always good to have others to fall back on.

 

[Spydro]

Danny,
Boredom is what got me checking into vaping. I smoke because I like to smoke, not a nicotine habit. But it has become very boring with the analog cigs the last year or so. I can see having more than one juice in a given day. In part why I want to have 3-4 I really like that are good to go for all day or can be to switch too if that suits me better on some days. Being new at this I will play the game of mixing and trying out my own concoctions as well as trying some of the recipes others post to find my "starting" 4-5. And doing the same later if the desire is there. But I am not going to turn into the mad chemist. Even though long retired and I have been alone since 2002, I still have lots of other things to take up my free time that is pretty much 24/7/365. Sleep is not one of them... I seldom do that anymore.

Thanks again to the person who sent me a PM about using the refridgerated nicotine solution - I replied to it, but also wanted to thank you here.

L.