An unusual question--an unusual user

[alt_user]

Hi,

I'm actually a non-smoker, but have fond memories of my grandfather smoking a pipe, and have always wanted to do so. Alas, health issues and my wife have prevented me from taking it up. Now with the e-pipe, I thought maybe this would be a way to have my cake (er pipe) and eat (er smoke) it too!

My plan was to make some flavored herb tea, made with distilled water, and load it into a dry, unused cartridge. I just got the pipe 601, charged the battery overnight, and tried my first bowl of cherry tea. I need to work on enhancing the flavor (maybe two tea bags per cup?), but what really suprised me was that the tea made with distilled water alone (no VG or PV) actually produced a vapor! This was an unexpected surprise. It's not to the extent that a smoker looking for a throat hit would want, but as a non-smoker who isn't even inhaling, it just adds to the physical joy of using the pipe.

My question is this. What exactly is in the vapor? I thought that without VG or PV that there would be no vapor. In fact, just using distilled water alone (no tea or anything else) also produced some vapor.

My wife, when she finds out I have this thing, is going to want to know what I'm "smoking"! Is this just steam from the atomization process?

 

[KermieD]

The visible vapor is the same thing - water. PG and VG are frequently used as dessicants in products. What they do is pull excess moisture out of the product itself.

So, in the case of an e-cig, the atty vaporizes the PG and VG. Moisture in the air then condenses on the vapor particles, which is what creates the visual impression that you're smoking.

I would be nervous to use water as your mixing solution if you're looking to achieve the appearance of vapor. Odds are, you will end up burning out your atty because you will be overheating it in your attempt to get significant amounts of vapor out of water.

 

[alt_user]

Thanks. Actually, I'm not "trying" to create vapor, but was surprised to see it, even with pure water. I have no idea how long the atty will last. If I can get the concentration of herb tea to where I can really taste it, then I'll order a back up atty for when this one dies. I've read that the pipe 601 can be weak on delivering flavor, so I sort of expected this.

 

[Fragile]

Usually the pipe comes with fabric liquid in it. So it could very well be, that the vapor you see is still the fabric liquid.

I wouldn´t reccommend to iuse a ecig like this. It has not been designed for this.

Best case: you ruin it

Worst case: you inhale toxic stuff.

 

[Midnight_toker]

I think your mad to choose to inhale anything! Most of us are already addicted and trying to find an alternative.

I suggest if you do go down this route to use zero nicotine level juice.

MT

 

[KermieD]

I suggest if you do go down this route to use zero nicotine level juice.

MT

I think this is excellent advice.

 

[Silence]

/agreeeeeeeee

 

[alt_user]

What is "fabric liquid"?

Also, I don't want to sound rude, but has anyone actually READ my post?

First, I'm not inhaling, but puffing on it like most pipe smokers do. And if the vapor truly is just water, then what difference would it make if I did enhale?

Secondly, what do you mean it was not designed for this, and therefore I would be "inhaling" toxicities? Designed for what? All I'm doing differently from everyone else is putting pure, distilled water in a cartridge that may or may not have had a tea bag soaked in it first. How is this worse than buying a cartridge that has water, VG or PG, nicotine, flavorings, etc? My e-juice is the same, but without the nicotine, glycerine, artificial flavorings, etc.

Thirdly, why am I doing it at all? It's a "physical" pleasure from me, as I suspect it is/was for everyone else out there; helps me to not overeat; helps me from biting my nails; and helps with an oral fixation. I like the feel and look of pipes, and find it relaxing.

It's non-addictive the way I'm doing it, and I've yet to hear a clear response as to how it is harmful to my health. If it is harmful, I'd sure like to hear about it.

 

[Fragile]

Hmm how to explain fabric liquid....

Ahh translation mistake from me. I meant factory Liquid for testing purposes to see wether the atty works or not. So this could very well be the case.

And as i understood it you don´t just use water you use tea with distilled water. However you dont know if there are toxins that are released at a higher temperature than when you boil the tea. The Atty delivers higher temperatures. And for the "not inhaling" thing: Some toxins enter the body through contact of your skin. I guess the chances for this is very low but i still wouldn´t recommend it. You can do whatever you want to your body but it´s just an advise.

The atty can be ruined by faulty usage. It has been desigend to be used with the eliquid. There was even a time where you could buy cheap eliquid that totally ruined the atty. So it might happen with your stuff too.

 

[DC2]

Edited to remove comments.

 

[DinosaurVapor]

I think this is excellent advice.

I second this...a lot of us, are slowly working our way down to no nic

 

[Keef]

I think your mad to choose to inhale anything! Most of us are already addicted and trying to find an alternative.

I suggest if you do go down this route to use zero nicotine level juice.

MT

I agree put the pipe in the bin and find another hobby.

Count your lucky stars you are not an addict to nicotine or habit.

I dont want to be a killjoy

No one can or should tell you what you do is safe, I hope its better than tobacco, but if you dont have to then simply dont start.

 

[alt_user]

Thanks everyone for your advice. Just so I'm clear, if I were to use 0mg nicotine, but used a flavored e-juice using formulas on this site, would that be safe and non-toxic? If not, then it seems to me they shouldn't be allowed to be used in otherwise non-smoking areas (e.g. work, inside malls, etc).

 

[ricklovesnic]

Hi there, alt_user!

I'm quite a newbie myself, but I totally understand wanting to puff on a pipe in remembrance of a relative who has passed on. I don't know if tea leaves have anything that would be toxic to vape, but I would bet a cold, frothy beer that whatever is in tea leaves is less harmful to put in a vape pipe than tobacco is when it's burning.

I would also guess that the vapor you were seeing is residual from what the atty is coated in at the factory for testing and to protect it in shipping. You will likely see the vapor quantity waning from your e-pipe. I would really recommend using (0mg nicotine, of course) e-juice with your new toy. I wouldn't necessarily say that "It's not harmful at all", but it's pretty likely that it's a LOT less harmful than picking up a real tobacco habit.

Happy vaping!

-rick

 

[jongleur]

I really don't know what people are so up in arms about here.

Folks on this forum, including myself, have been vaping for many months such things as:
* propylene glycol
* vegetable glycerin
* citric acid
* vinegar
* tobacco essence oil
* tobacco lead oil
* tobacco absolute

and of course:
* tobacco-extracted nicotine in percentages ranging from .06 to 6.0

oh, and let's not forget:
* 1-hexyl-2propyl-cyclopropane
* 1-malic acid
* 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine
* 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine
* 2,3-dimethylpyrazine
* 2,5-dimethylpyrazine
* 2-acetyl pyrrole
* 2-acetylpyrazine
* 2-acetylpyridine
* 2-dione
* 2-ethylpyrazine
* 2-methyl butyic acid
* 2-octanol
* 3,4-dihydro coumarin
* 3-methylcyclopentan-1
* 4-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-butene-4-one
* 4-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-3-butene-4-one
* 4-methoxy quinazoline
* acetyl pyridine
* acetylpyrazine
* beta-damescenone
* ethanol
* ethyl maltol
* guaiacol
* linalool
* menthol
* methyl butyric acid
* methyl cyclopentenolone
* octalactone (gamma)
* palmitic acid
* piperonal
* rhodinol
* terp ineol
* undecalactone
* vanilla extract
* vanillin

not to mention:
* artificial and natural flavors and colors from Bickford
* artificial and natural flavors and colors from Capella
* artificial and natural flavors and colors from Faeries Finest
* artificial and natural flavors and colors from Flavour Art
* artificial and natural flavors and colors from Lorann
* artificial and natural flavors and colors from Tasty Puff

...most being inhaled, and many being held in a cartridge repository made of material ranging from polyester to PET (polyethylene terephthalate) to real wool from a lamb to copper or brass or steel...

...and all using various devices at voltages ranging from 3.7 to 7.4...

We do all this why???

Because. We. Like. Nicotine.

Or, better, I'll simply speak for myself: _I_ like nicotine.

On the other hand, alt_user, you are puffing (not even inhaling!) vaporized distilled water and an herbal tea infusion -- and that's it!!!

I hope you can easily see my point.

By the way, "Fragile" might very well be right that you're also vaping a bit of factory primer fluid. Maybe you'll experiment further, and add some PG or VG in order to get some real visual feedback (more vapor), and then again, maybe you'll be happy with how you're doing it now.

But as far as I can see, what you're doing and why you're doing it seem perfectly fine.

I have been vaping since April of this year, have been reading this forum since May, and finally joined in October so I could see some of the uploaded images of mods and other devices. I am honored to use my first post to ECF to welcome your creativity and independent thinking here.

--John

 

[Keef]

Thanks everyone for your advice. Just so I'm clear, if I were to use 0mg nicotine, but used a flavored e-juice using formulas on this site, would that be safe and non-toxic? If not, then it seems to me they shouldn't be allowed to be used in otherwise non-smoking areas (e.g. work, inside malls, etc).

No one can tell you it is safe and no one can tell you it is NOT safe .


I do know the use pg in a lot of substances that people eat and it is seen as fit for humane consumption.

To say it is safe to inhail in large quantities, they really would have to run trials on a large group of people Ex smokers and Non Smokers - so far to my knowledge no one has done this, and if someone has started running tests, they have not been doing it for long enough to give any hard and fast figures.

They do use it in inhailers for asthmatics and I have never heard of an asthmatic person being ill from inhailing pg but they dont heat it up before they inhail it.

From this I would conclude it is relitavely safe, but I cannot and should not go round telling people it is especially as I dont have a medical back ground.

I went to get an injection .
The nurse I got obviously saw in my records I now vape PG & Nicotine .
Decided to give me a lecture and said I cannot condone what you are doing blah blah.
I asked her are you saying what I am doing is hamfull .
She tried to side step the question and change the subject.
But I hung on in there and kept at her.
I practically had to corner her to get her to admit she honestly could not say ivaping pg would do me any harm, but as a medical professional she could not condone it even if it got me off the cigarettes they had been lecturing me about for years

The other Nurse I had chatted to previously was much more positive and she said as far as she was concerned anything I was doing was much better for me than smoking cigarettes, so she gave it a big thumbs up

Sorry I cannot give a definate YES or NO to your question but this is a grey area and so far there is no correct answer.

 

[frogbmth]

You could just buy a vapor genie and vape tea directly, no worry about e-liquid safety or burning atomizers then....

 

[Beer Man]

I question the wisdom of someone with one post. Enough said.

 

[Sad Society]

I question the wisdom of someone with one post. Enough said.

I was thinking the exact same thing. And the OP is probably a forum troll.

 

[Lyndale]

The oils from the tea are probably going to crud up and kill your atty, but...

If you want more flavor from the tea that you're attempting to vape brew a double strength cup (two bags). Once brewed throw it into a sauce pan on your stove and reduce it over a low or medium-low heat. You'll be evaporating the water and leaving the tea oils. I'd suggest trying it at various stages such as: when reduced by 10%, reduce by a quarter, reduced by half, etc... to see if it will help produce the flavor you're looking for.

I'd also suggest maybe cleaning your atomizer nightly. Grain alcohol might be able to act as a solvent to get the oils out of the atty and prolong the life of the atty.