Steeping Times and an Ultrasonic Cleaner Part II

[bobalex]

I posted about this months ago and here's an update:

The e-liquid I make is 100% PG and the nic strength is 24-25mg. The suggested amount of tobacco flavoring to use is 1 - 2%. I found that if I put the bottled e-liquid in an ultrasonic cleaner and give it 30 minutes or so ... it took about a week off my 3 week steep time.

I used this cleaner:

Amazon.com: Sonic Wave CD-2800 Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Cleaning Machine-White/Gray: Electronics


It wasn't very big, the cycle only lasted 3 minutes, and it didn't like too many repeated cycles without needing a "rest."

So ...

I did what all ecig and computer geeks do. I upgraded:

http://www.harborfreight.com/25-liter-ultrasonic-cleaner-95563.html

It holds 2.5 liters instead of 2 cups, has 8 minute cycles instead of 3, and a heater option. I have to give the bottles a "warm bath" anyway ... might as well do that while the e-liquid is vibrating.

Yesterday I made three batches of juice resulting in six 70ml bottles. I wrapped a rubber band around the bottles so they'd stay put while vibrating, plopped 'em in the cleaner, and added water to just under the "max" line. Set the time for 480 seconds, pushed the heat option, and let 'er go.

Every time i passed through the kitchen yesterday I put it through another 8-minute cycle. Every other one without heat. I dunno how many cycles I gave it. Anywhere from 8 - 12 times I guess. This morning I sampled the 3 flavors: Desert Ship (FlavorArt), Cowboy (FlavorArt), and Tobacco (ecigexpess Signature). The Cowboy and the tobacco flavors are "there." Desert Ship ... almost.

Today I ran it through another 8 - 12 cycles. I'll see tomorrow where the Desert Ship is at.

But for someone like me with nooooo patience ... This Is Great!

 

[graffinfected]

thank you sir!

 

[Vappa]

When i steep my FA Cowboy blend, the juice turns yellow after two or three weeks. Is that also the case when you 'steep' it in the ultrasonic? Do juices change color like they do with 'normal' time steeping?

I searched around a little and i found a Dutch company that has an ultrasonic 2.5l with 30 minutes cylce (max) and temp (65C) at Euro99,-
I'm tempted to buy one, but i don't mix that many batches. So i'm doubting whether this justifies the investment...

 

[bobalex]

When i steep my FA Cowboy blend, the juice turns yellow after two or three weeks. Is that also the case when you 'steep' it in the ultrasonic? Do juices change color like they do with 'normal' time steeping?

Yes. In fact after the two days in the ultrasonic ... same color as the 3 week aged batch.

I'm tempted to buy one, but i don't mix that many batches. So i'm doubting whether this justifies the investment...

The only reason I shelled out $75 was I needed a larger cleaner than the one I had for other purposes. Otherwise I woulda stuck with the $25 model. And restarting the process every 8 minutes instead of 3 ... that's a huge improvement.

 

[opal]

I was just thinking of equipment today.. we have a gem/jewelry tumbler - small canister that spins with medium and stones in it (it's intended use)
I have a bunch of juices in various size bottles that could fit a few in the canister at once to just spin and shake for a while. No timer involved.. this thing is designed to run a couple of weeks at a time.
I suppose I could add hot water too...

If I get off my procrastinating .... and do it, I'll let yas know how it went.

 

[Vappa]

I was just thinking of equipment today.. we have a gem/jewelry tumbler - small canister that spins with medium and stones in it (it's intended use)
I have a bunch of juices in various size bottles that could fit a few in the canister at once to just spin and shake for a while. No timer involved.. this thing is designed to run a couple of weeks at a time.
I suppose I could add hot water too...

If I get off my procrastinating .... and do it, I'll let yas know how it went.

Nice idea. If it doesn't work at least you'll end up with very nice shiny bottles.

In the mean time i'm trying to convince my GF that we really need this ultrasonic for cleaning jewelry, cutlery and other stuff. She said "What jewelry? You never buy me any. Whats there to clean?"

 

[opal]

threadjack in
5
4
3
2
..1

when are women going to understand that WE CAN BUY OUR OWN DAMN JEWELRY???? you guys need to be let off the hook for some of this (not the wedding kind.. you're still in it there) Most of us women like shopping.. are better at it and we know what we like in jewelry. Now if you wanted to get a generic coin bezzel and gold Canadian maple leaf coins at jewelry... that's more of a value than taste issue.

/end threadjack

 

[bobalex]

Threadjack Part II

In the mean time i'm trying to convince my GF that we really need this ultrasonic for cleaning jewelry, cutlery and other stuff.

And ...

Eyeglasses, CDs, DVDs-BluRays etc, and for what I really bought it for ... making Liposomal Vitamin C.

???!!!

When you take a Vitamin C tablet very little of it is absorbed. About 17%.

But ...

• If you dissolve Vitamin C powder in water ...

• Dissolve lecithin in water ...

• And pour both solutions into an ultrasonic cleaner and run it a few cycles ...

You get a Liposomal Vitamin C liquid that it 70% bioavailable vs. 17%.

More here: How to Make Liposomal Vitamin C At Home - YouTube

I've been taking an ounce or two every day since late May and the plagues that my son regularly brought home from school have not, like every single time over the last 8 years, laid me low. Placebo effect? Who cares??!! If I can get through Cold/Flu Season without losing 9 days or more to The Creeping Crud ... I'll be a happy guy. So far so good.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming ...

 

[Vappa]

Now that's what i needed: more arguments LOL. Thanks

 

[Leothwyn]

I picked up an ultrasonic cleaner at a yard sale for $.25 a while ago, but haven't used it yet. (It does seem to work though). I just got some new flavors in the mail today, so this sounds like a perfect chance to test the thing out. It's older - no cycles, no heat; just on/off. Maybe I'll put it on overnight and see how that does.

 

[DigiManTX]

it was fate... got a 20% off coupon in the mail today for harbor freight... so i called the store and they had 1 in stock...

LOL... so yeah... got my 1st batches in the ultrasonic "super make it go faster steeper machine" now... giggity...

they've already been steeping for a few days... but anything to move this process along

 

[bobalex]

When I bought juice I never had to steep. Ready to go as soon as they arrived. I didn't even know about steeping until I made my first batch and filled up a tank with the new stuff.

Yow!

Immediately I found out what unflavored PG & Nic tasted like. Then I spent some time here in DIY and learned about steeping.

 

[RCXD]

Hey bob, i'm about to buy something which has the 3 minute cut off but no heater. Will that be okay?

 

[mre777]

Hey guys want to know if something like Magnetic-Stirrer-with-Hot-Plate would work good for this? Its really a set it and forget it kinda thing with the heat to boot.

 

[bobalex]

Hey bob, i'm about to buy something which has the 3 minute cut off but no heater. Will that be okay?

My first ultrasonic was the 3-minute no-heat $25 cleaner. It ... um ... worked ... but it was a pain jumping up every 3 minutes to start the next cycle. For $75 my next cleaner had an 8 minute cycle as well as the heat option. It seems to do the job better and even though I'm still hopping up every 8 minutes ... it's not as bad. If you're committed to the 3 minute cleaner ... just use hot water. You'll have great results. And my definition of Great Results is: Juice in a day or two instead of 2 - 3 weeks.

 

[RCXD]

My first ultrasonic was the 3-minute no-heat $25 cleaner. It ... um ... worked ... but it was a pain jumping up every 3 minutes to start the next cycle. For $75 my next cleaner had an 8 minute cycle as well as the heat option. It seems to do the job better and even though I'm still hopping up every 8 minutes ... it's not as bad. If you're committed to the 3 minute cleaner ... just use hot water. You'll have great results. And my definition of Great Results is: Juice in a day or two instead of 2 - 3 weeks.

Awesome. Would like to know how many cycles am i looking with the 3 minute?

 

[mre777]

Hey guys want to know if something like Magnetic-Stirrer-with-Hot-Plate would work good for this? Its really a set it and forget it kinda thing with the heat to boot.

Any opinions?

 

[Sovran]

If you made a batch large enough to put the stirbar in and used a flat bottom vessel like a flask or beaker, then a mag stirrer should work even better. The biggest problem is, I dont think you could put the small bottles in a water bath and stir them like that. the bottle bouncing around might cause them to open or break if you werent using plastic. IMO the smallest batch you could do is 75-100 ml. Test with water to check for fine temp control. You can make a mag stirrer using a computer fan, a rare earth magnet and a tuperware container for about $20. Then buy the ceramic coated stirbar for about $2. I made and used one for years when I was homebrewing.

 

[bobalex]

Awesome. Would like to know how many cycles am i looking with the 3 minute?

Well ... I did 90 - 120 minutes the first day and 60 - 90 minutes the second day. That's a lot of 3 minute cycles.

 

[graffinfected]

Nice idea. If it doesn't work at least you'll end up with very nice shiny bottles.

In the mean time i'm trying to convince my GF that we really need this ultrasonic for cleaning jewelry, cutlery and other stuff. She said "What jewelry? You never buy me any. Whats there to clean?"

haha!!!!!..... im trying to figure this out myself.. let me know if anything ended up working for you..