Bumping nicotine of non DIY juice

[TylerA]

If this is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it!

Hi there,

I'm looking at purchasing some 60ml 12mg OFE Cup O Joe e liquid (I really hope this is a good coffee flavor). I'm running a MTL setup and I'd like to possibly bump the nicotine from 12mg to maybe 16mg or 18mg (ex 1.5-2 pack a day smoker).

I found this calculator: Nicotine Shot Calculator | Liquid Nicotine Wholesalers

It says I need to add 3.6ml of 100mg/ml concentrated nicotine (I added a link of what I was intending on buying below, if that's not allowed, please remove it. Not trying to advertise anything, I just wanted to make sure everyone knew what I was attempting to buy so they could make an informed reply), and I just want to make sure that this is correct. I'd like a stronger vape, but I don't want to end up making myself sick or worse by doing something terribly wrong.

Can anyone let me know if the calculator above is accurate?

Thank you in advance!

Nicotine concentrate I was intending on purchasing: 100MG Concentrated Nicotine

 

[greek mule]

Yes it is accurate.For 18mg/ml nic.

 

[TylerA]

Thank you so much @greek mule. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to hurt myself.

 

[IDJoel]

Can anyone let me know if the calculator above is accurate?

Actually, it is in the ballpark, but it is NOT correct. Adding 3.6mL of 100mg/mL nic, to 60mL of 12mg/mL e-liquid, will result in 16.98mg/mL nic. It is easy to check the math:

60mL of 12 mg/mL contains 720mg total nic (60mL x 12mg/mL = 720mg)
3.6mL of 100mg/mL contains 360mg total nic (3.6mL x 100mg/mL = 360mg)

720mg total nic + 360 total nic equals 1080mg total nic (720mg + 360mg = 1080mg)

60mL + 3.6mL equals 63.6 total milliliters of liquid (60mL + 3.6mL =63.6mL)

1080mg of total nicotine, divided into 63.6mL of liquid, equals 16.9811mg/mL (1080mg ÷ 63.6mL = 16.9811mg/mL)

3.6mL of 100mg/mL will put you right in the middle of the 16-18mg/mL you were aiming for. So, don't worry if you already mixed it. But, for the true/precise numbers, they would be the following:

For 16mg/mL nic: add 2.857ml of 100mg/mL nic to 60mL of 12mg/mL e-liquid.
(resulting in 62.86mL of e-liquid)

For 17mg/mL nic: add 3.614ml of 100mg/mL nic to 60mL of 12mg/mL e-liquid.
(resulting in 63.61mL of e-liquid)

For 18mg/mL nic: add 4.390ml of 100mg/mL nic to 60mL of 12mg/mL e-liquid.
(resulting in 64.39mL of e-liquid)

It looks to me, like the calculator you linked, is actually figuring nicotine for short-fill application. A short-fill is normally a zero nicotine e-liquid that contains 10-15/% less liquid, than the stated volume of the bottle. So, when the user adds nicotine, it will be at/near the stated volume. The purpose being it prevents over-diluting the flavoring. And, to leave enough room in the bottle; to not only add the desired amount of nicotine, but also adequately mix together (you always want room to shake ).

here is a link to another on-line calculator that does both proper nicotine shot calculations, as well as short-fill calculations.

Note the difference when I put in your data, first as a nic shot:

And, second, as a short-fill:

Notice how the second one is still not making even 60mL of liquid... even though I said it was a 60mL bottle size? That is due to the expected short-fill volume. And, that is why there is a difference, in the calculated amount of nicotine to add.

Now... whether you can actually detect any real difference between 16.98ng/mL nic, and 18mg/mL nic, is an entirely different question... and only one you can answer.

 

[TylerA]

Thank you @IDJoel. It's good to know that I would have shortchanged rather than overshot and used too much ... I've bookmarked that calculator as well.

I'm very new at this, and didn't even realize you could buy nicotine ... so I've been spending probably way too much money on different flavors at higher nicotine strengths trying to find something I like, rather than adding nicotine to flavors I like that have lower nicotine.

Been debating whether I should go the DIY route, since in the long run it seems much cheaper and I can at least experiment a little with flavors. I'm not a huge fan of berries/fruits or desserts .. haven't tried any coffee's yet, but I love coffee (like normal coffee, dark, little bit of milk and sugar and that's it), so I hope the Cup O Joe I mentioned above is decent. I also really like plain old vanilla ice cream, so if I could find something tasted just like that with a teeny tiny amount of sweetness, I think I'd be in good shape.

Thanks again though, I really do appreciate the help I've received here. Great community you guys have here.

 

[IDJoel]

Been debating whether I should go the DIY route, since in the long run it seems much cheaper and I can at least experiment a little with flavors.

DIY is certainly cheaper. Well... depending on one's buying self-control.

If you enjoy experimenting. If you enjoy learning and researching. If you don't mind failing, as well as succeeding. And, if you have a supply of e-liquid you don't mind vaping while you mix. You are likely a good candidate for DIY.

DIY works for lots of different people. From folks who are frustrated chemists, and want to understand everything there is to know about their e-liquid. To the whimsical home chefs that never cook the same thing, the same way twice. To the harried single parent, that has nether the time nor the money, but has to have a steady economical nic fix. DIY can fit them all.

Some folks like having (and using) the hundreds and hundreds of various flavor concentrates, and the constant search and creation of new recipes. Others are quite happy with just a handful of enjoyable recipes that they can make over and over. Others still, are content with nothing more than a simple mix of PG, VG, and nicotine.

You choose how simple, or complex, you want to be.

I have been vaping for 7 years... and I have been DIYing for 6. I will never return to commercial e-liquids (I couldn't afford to).

I'm not a huge fan of berries/fruits or desserts .. haven't tried any coffee's yet, but I love coffee (like normal coffee, dark, little bit of milk and sugar and that's it), so I hope the Cup O Joe I mentioned above is decent. I also really like plain old vanilla ice cream, so if I could find something tasted just like that with a teeny tiny amount of sweetness, I think I'd be in good shape.

I have to leave e-liquid recommendations to others. I am so out of touch with commercial brands that I have no opinion to offer.

Thanks again though, I really do appreciate the help I've received here. Great community you guys have here.

You are most welcome!

But, now that you have an account, and are posting, you can no longer refer to us as "you guys." You are now part of this terrific community we call ECF. So, until such time you might choose to go a different way, "we," "us," and "our" are much more appropriate.

I tease... but, seriously we do have a fantastic group of men, women, guys, and gals. I am glad you have chosen to be part of our community. Welcome, @TylerA !!!

 

[DeloresRose]

I’ve been diy for 5 years, and I love it, but it’s not for everyone. There is waste, and the initial purchase of supplies may seem costly.

Before you decide to try it, I’d recommend finding 3-4 recipes that sound good. Get a notebook (I’m old, I do it old school, but you can start a file on whatever device you prefer) and list the flavors you’ll need. Hit up the diy forum for a list of other supplies and vendors.

There’s no need to go hog wild at first, just like grocery shopping, you’ll want to get what you need and not be distracted by all the interesting flavors. Says the woman who has no self-control when flavor shopping.

It’s a rewarding and money-saving hobby but it takes practice.

 

[TylerA]

Thank you @IDJoel and @DeloresRose the help is appreciated more than you know. I mean, I could pick up a pack of cigarettes of any brand, and it would mostly be the same (at least to me) .. but with vaping it's been a bit overwhelming .. however, I cannot complain - after ditching cigs, I feel way better and a little extra work / research is nothing compared to my health.

I think I have a good sense about the hardware, now it's just finding a few flavors I can use all day. I don't think im a big fan of tasting something different on the inhale vs exhale, I just kinda want it to be the same in and out.

But anyways, I really do appreciate the help ... thank you again.

 

[Shadav]

keep in mind though, adding more nic to the bottle may dilute the flavor, i doubt very noticeably but still just something to keep in mind

 

[TylerA]

keep in mind though, adding more nic to the bottle may dilute the flavor, i doubt very noticeably but still just something to keep in mind

Yeah, I've read about that. I'm pretty boring in terms of what I like for flavors and how strong they are, so if its mellowed out a bit, I don't think it'll bother me too much. Some of the juice I've tried has been waaaay too strong in terms of flavor ... gives me a headache and makes me a bit nauseous ... that happens with food, too ... like cakes and stuff that are super sugary and strong in flavor.

 

[DeloresRose]

Well if commercial juice is too strong and sweet for you, then you will like diy lol. Check out the Random mixing thread. Right up your alley I bet.

 

[TylerA]

Well if commercial juice is too strong and sweet for you, then you will like diy lol. Check out the Random mixing thread. Right up your alley I bet.

I ordered some Old Fashioned Elixir Cup O Joe, gonna give that a try - I really like coffee, and its won a few awards, so hopefully its actually good. If the Cup O Joe doesn't work out, I'll probably move to the DIY route ... I've spent just over $150 juices in the last week and I don't think that's sustainable

 

[IDJoel]

Yeah, I've read about that. I'm pretty boring in terms of what I like for flavors and how strong they are, so if its mellowed out a bit, I don't think it'll bother me too much.

If the Cup O Joe doesn't work out, I'll probably move to the DIY route ... I've spent just over $150 juices in the last week and I don't think that's sustainable

@TylerA, if you find you have a hard time finding enjoyable flavored e-liquid, you might want to give unflavored a try. It is not earth shaking in terms of flavor excitement. But, it is also hard put to offend. It has just a touch of sweetness to it... and that is about it. It doesn't tax your taste buds. It doesn't conflict with other flavors that you may be eating or drinking. Wicking and coils last longer. And, if you decide to try your had at DIY, it is dirt cheap to make.

As I previously mentioned, I have been DIYing my own e-liquid for about 6 years. I had always used flavoring in my creations. A couple of years ago, I hit a mental wall, and couldn't decide what I wanted to mix. All my old standards sounded boring. Nothing new inspired me. I was at a complete loss.

I kept waiting for my apathy to fade and my previously mixed stock diminished. My need for nicotine was starting to make me panic. I still had zero inspiration. So, out of sheer desperation, I made a small batch of unflavored. And, what do you know? It turned out that I liked it!

Unflavored now makes up about 70-80% of the e-liquid I mix and vape. Flavored DIY e-liquid, has now become more of a treat for me. I no longer feel the self-imposed pressure to have "that perfect" recipe. I don't seem to burn out on recipes. And, when I do vape flavored mixes, I tend to enjoy them more. My taste buds are not getting constantly bombarded and overwhelmed.

And, the best part? It is dirt cheap. I mix up 240mL (equivalent to 8 30mL bottles) at a time; and it costs me a whopping $2.94 worth of ingredients, and takes me less than 10 minutes to make.

Until you decide whether you want to enter the realm of DIY; there are commercially available unflavored mixes you can try, to see if they might work for you. Here is a link to just one example, that offers multiple sizes, in various PG/VG ratios.

 

[TylerA]

@IDJoel The unflavored liquid sounds like not a half bad idea. With all the DIY recipes out there, I might be even more overwhelmed than I am now haha, at least it'll be a cheaper option .. and I can make smaller sizes so its not so wasteful.

Again, the advice is appreciated

 

[IDJoel]

@IDJoel The unflavored liquid sounds like not a half bad idea. With all the DIY recipes out there, I might be even more overwhelmed than I am now haha, at least it'll be a cheaper option .. and I can make smaller sizes so its not so wasteful.

Again, the advice is appreciated

If you can find a small quantity, at a price that is reasonable to you, give it a try. If it works; you've got a great simple fall-back. If not; you aren't out much.

If you can't find anything reasonable; PM me with your mailing info, and I will mix up a 30mL batch to your nic and PG/VG preferences, and send it to you gratis. Then you can decide if buying larger volumes commercially, or DIYing your own, is right for you.

 

[TylerA]

@IDJoel Very much appreciated Looking around, I can probably get a 30ml bottle for $10 or less (in Canada), so should be no biggie. I probably will go the DIY route, biggest thing is finding a type of flavor that I'll be happy with .. like a vanilla or coffee or vanilla/coffee something like that .. then adjusting to taste.

 

[TheFish]

Are you sure you need to up your nic levels in your juice that high?

I was a 1.5 to 2 pack a day smoker 3 weeks ago and I am only using 6mg mixes.....and it's not recommended by anyone that you go higher than this sub-ohm. Are you sub-ohm vaping?

Im using the cascade and the SKKR tanks atm, but even found with the Nautilus2 tank at 10 watts it was still doing the job, but only just, had cravings quite a bit on that setup, now with the above tanks and vaping at about 232c to 252c on TC or 45 to 70 watts on Kanthal it is really hitting the spot.

 

[TylerA]

Are you sure you need to up your nic levels in your juice that high?

I was a 1.5 to 2 pack a day smoker 3 weeks ago and I am only using 6mg mixes.....and it's not recommended by anyone that you go higher than this sub-ohm. Are you sub-ohm vaping?

Im using the cascade and the SKKR tanks atm, but even found with the Nautilus2 tank at 10 watts it was still doing the job, but only just, had cravings quite a bit on that setup, now with the above tanks and vaping at about 232c to 252c on TC or 45 to 70 watts on Kanthal it is really hitting the spot.

Currently I'm using the Innokin Zenith tank with a 0.8Ω coil at 17 watts. I vape mouth to lung. I'm really not all that interested in cloud chasing or whatever, as that seems to use a lot of liquid and direct to lung is not my preferred style of vaping. I just want to get my nicotine fix when I need it, and not go through a ton of juice if I don't need to.

 

[TheFish]

I'm surprised a 6mg/ml mix isn't working for you.
Above that level I'm getting feedback from a few friends that have been vaping much longer than me, that throat issues can and do occur.
I'm not a cloud chaser, but do prefer a D2L rather than a MTL, but I keep the airflow pretty tight on on the Kanthal coils and vape at the lowest recommended wattages, but have had to open it up on the TC coils I was using (Vaporesso CCells) as the throat on those drop in coils was way too tight and really only suit MTL IMHO.

Hope you sort it out as giving up the cigs is huge!!!

Good luck.

 

[Susaz]

Thank you @IDJoel. It's good to know that I would have shortchanged rather than overshot and used too much ... I've bookmarked that calculator as well.

I'm very new at this, and didn't even realize you could buy nicotine ... so I've been spending probably way too much money on different flavors at higher nicotine strengths trying to find something I like, rather than adding nicotine to flavors I like that have lower nicotine.

Been debating whether I should go the DIY route, since in the long run it seems much cheaper and I can at least experiment a little with flavors. I'm not a huge fan of berries/fruits or desserts .. haven't tried any coffee's yet, but I love coffee (like normal coffee, dark, little bit of milk and sugar and that's it), so I hope the Cup O Joe I mentioned above is decent. I also really like plain old vanilla ice cream, so if I could find something tasted just like that with a teeny tiny amount of sweetness, I think I'd be in good shape.

Thanks again though, I really do appreciate the help I've received here. Great community you guys have here.

If you're having issues with nic and find that bumping up concentration is not enough, try this
5% Whole Tobacco Alkaloid Base PG or VG | OM Vapors

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