DIY Disaster!!!

[Ablonz]

Yeah, that is good to hear. At least you learned quick. We are here if you have any questions and will help out if we can. Great group of people here in this community. Here a couple of good reads for you to look at when getting into DIY. dannyv45's blog | E-Cigarette Forum also Hoosier's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[dannyv45]

Wow that is not good. Did you try just vaping the base without the NIC. Did you get a buzz from that mix you made (Sort of light headed, kind of like the buzz you get from your first cigarette after not smoking for a while). That would indicate to much NIC. The reason I suggest vaping just the VG alone then the PG alone is you may be getting that flushness or shortness of breath from a sensitivity to either the VG or PG and not the NIC. So you do need to do that process of elimination to figure this out.

Testing your 100mg nicotine is also a must do if your getting these symptoms so I would also recommend getting a test kit to make sure the MG content is correct.

 

[Caterpiller]

Wow that is not good. Did you try just vaping the base without the NIC. Did you get a buzz from the vape (Sort of light headed, kind of like the buzz you get from your first cigarette after not smoking for a while). That would indicate to much NIC. The reason I suggest vaping just the VG alone then the PG alone is you may be getting that flushness or shortness of breath from a sensitivity to either the VG or PG and not the NIC. So you do need to do that process of elimination to figure this out.

Testing your nicotine is a must do if your getting these symptoms so I would also recommend getting a test kit to make sure the MG content is correct.

Thanks Danny,

I plan to drip both the PG and VG in my Derringer to see if they can be given the all clear, but didn't do this before hand.

Although I don't think it's an allergy to either as I've been vaping 50/50 shop blends for months without any issue.

One of the reasons I'm not sure it was a case of too high nic level (apart from the fact I'm pretty darn sure I put 3.6ml in my 30ml) is the way I felt ill.

No buzz or light headed feel, no over nic feel (I've had it and know the feeling), more like my body just rejected the chemicals in the vape.

I'm also want to know what the menthol like cold irritation was, it was a very strong sensation right in the roof of my mouth. It was accompanied by a peppery taste which I attribute to the nic, by the cold menthol-ish feeling is odd. If you look at the flavours I used there is nothing there that would provide an easy explanation.

I will either just throw the nic and look for another supplier, or get the nic tested before using it again.

 

[Hoosier]

Ugh, that was a read...

Always go back to the basics. Even folks that have been mixing awhile forget that and things go weird. Vape your PG & VG straight. Try a non-nicotine version of the recipe. Try an unflavored version mixed down to your normal nicotine level. Somewhere in those 4 vapes is the answer. (PG, VG, 0mg recipe, and 0-flavor = four different vapes for those who are having a tough day with counting, like me.)

I don't know what the problem is without those tests, but, if it were me, I'd want to know ASAP what the issue is so it doesn't happen again.

 

[kkiet]

Ugh, that was a read...

Always go back to the basics. Even folks that have been mixing awhile forget that and things go weird. Vape your PG & VG straight. Try a non-nicotine version of the recipe. Try an unflavored version mixed down to your normal nicotine level. Somewhere in those 4 vapes is the answer. (PG, VG, 0mg recipe, and 0-flavor = four different vapes for those who are having a tough day with counting, like me.)

I don't know what the problem is without those tests, but, if it were me, I'd want to know ASAP what the issue is so it doesn't happen again.

Totally agree with you.

 

[Caterpiller]

Having slept on it I think the problem is one of three things:

1.) I put to much nic in the juice. Possible, but not likely. I used a 3ml oral syringe and measured 3.6ml. This was one of two 30ml bottles I made, and when finished both were filled to the exact same level, just under the neck of the bottle.

2.) The supplied nic base is over strength from the vendor. I need to test for this, and will source a test kit or the chemicals to do my own.

3.) One or more of the ingredients purchased is of such poor quality the impurity made me ill. The ingredient is miss labelled or has been contaminated (unfortunately this is my suspicion at the moment, it seems to make most sense and is the only way I can explain the prominent 'cold menthol sensation (no menthol taste or smell, just the cold sensation)).

I'll vape the PG, VG, and nic free mix with flavours to test them, but I'm not looking forward to it.

If it is one of these and not the nic, I really don't want to poison myself with a contaminated ingredient.

 

[Caterpiller]

Quick update.

I threw out the offending 30ml bottle yesterday, but kept the second 30ml bottle batch in my kitchen cupboard with all my store bought juice.

Opening the cupboard I usually get a slight aroma of sweet juice flavours.

Today a get a very strong peppery smell that fills the whole cupboard, coming from just one sealed bottle of 30ml DIY juice.

If I open this bottle and smell it I clearly sense the spearmint I mixed with strawberry, but also a equally strong peppery note.

I'm no closer to knowing what went wrong with my DIY, but at the very least I think the nic base I bought must be very unclean to produce such a peppery smell.

To be honest I don't mind the peppery smell (or the taste from yesterday), but it does now remind me of getting sick.

Is it common for DIY nic to have a very strong peppery smell as described?

I'd love to try this second batch, to see if it also produces the strange cold throat hit, but I think that would be very unwise until I know more.

I'm not the hypochondriac type, and I may of understated how bad yesterday's vape made me feel.

I really thought I was about to collapse and possibly worse.

I suspect the nic base is the issue, but even the thought of vaping the pure PG or VG scares me right now, in case it was one of those that was the problem.

If let's say the PG was contaminated and I tried to vape it on it's own (100% pure PG base) to rule it out as the problem, I might get more than I can handle.

Wish I was in US or Europe with trust worthy and know suppliers.

 

[AndriaD]

One thing occurs to me... is it at all possible that instead of 100mg nic... you got 100%? That would multiply the strength by a factor of 10.

Andria

 

[puffon]

Thanks guys, come to think of it I didn't shake the nic bottle before use. Is this standard practice?

This could be the problem..............

 

[Caterpiller]

One thing occurs to me... is it at all possible that instead of 100mg nic... you got 100%? That would multiply the strength by a factor of 10.

Andria

I have wondered the same thing.

I didn't mention this earlier, to stop my posts being so long that no one would read them, but when the package arrived some nic base had escaped the bottle.

Either the cap wasn't on tightly enough, or they made a real messy job when packaging it.

Fortunately, they did have the sense to enclose the bottle in a seal plastic bag for transit, so I spotted this immediately.

I opened the bag carefully removed the bottle and carefully disposed of the bag. Then cleaned up the outside of the bottle.

Now the label on the bottle had become saturated with nic base. Before I opened the bag I 'think' I read 100mg on the label, but while cleaning the outside of the bottle it became clear the label was soaked in juice, so I removed it completely - shedding it in the process.

If it was 100% pure nicotine I think I got enough on my hands to kill me (although I washed them thoroughly immediately after the clean up).

I really don't know at this point. I'll be calling the vendor first thing on Monday morning, but what's he going to say? I suspect he will just be defensive and wouldn't admit there was a problem even if he knew there was.

 

[Caterpiller]

This could be the problem..............

Could you elaborate on this puffon? Someone mentioned that if you don't shake the bottle the nic can settle on the bottom making this a hot spot.

When I took the nic out of the bottle I used a 3ml syringe, so was taking the liquid at the very top of the bottle.

One other thing I'll mention. In my haste to test my first DIY I put the 2-3ml in my 'almost' empty KFv4 without cleaning it out or rewicking it.

I quickly noticed that the very small residue of my store bought ADV (which is a dark brown colour), was flushed to the top on my almost clear DIY. Leaving a small coating of my ADV on top of my DIY.

Both are 50/50 blends, so I thought this a little strange, but decided there would be some variance in the flavour percentages that could cause my DIY to be heavier than the store bought.

Now it's just another small indicator that I may have a real issue with one or more of my ingredients. IDK.

 

[AndriaD]

I have wondered the same thing.

I didn't mention this earlier, to stop my posts being so long that no one would read them, but when the package arrived some nic base had escaped the bottle.

Either the cap wasn't on tightly enough, or they made a real messy job when packaging it.

Fortunately, they did have the sense to enclose the bottle in a seal plastic bag for transit, so I spotted this immediately.

I opened the bag carefully removed the bottle and carefully disposed of the bag. Then cleaned up the outside of the bottle.

Now the label on the bottle had become saturated with nic base. Before I opened the bag I 'think' I read 100mg on the label, but while cleaning the outside of the bottle it became clear the label was soaked in juice, so I removed it completely - shedding it in the process.

If it was 100% pure nicotine I think I got enough on my hands to kill me (although I washed them thoroughly immediately after the clean up).

I really don't know at this point. I'll be calling the vendor first thing on Monday morning, but what's he going to say? I suspect he will just be defensive and wouldn't admit there was a problem even if he knew there was.

Hmm, that *is* a problem. When you washed your hands, did you use warm water or cold? I've heard that it's best to use cold, because warm water opens your pores, making it easier to absorb nicotine. Did you feel at all sick after that?

I'd second (or 3rd or 4th) the suggstion of getting a nic test kit; you can get them for $6.99 from ecigexpress.com. Also gloves! If it shuold turn out that it *is* 100%, you can still salvage it, by mixing it with Pg (or VG if you prefer though it's think and therefore much harder to mix); if you get a 100ml bottle, add 10ml of the nic and 90ml of PG, and that will give you true 100mg nicotine -- if what you have is 100%.

It's possible of course that you're merely coming down with some bug or other, but the thing about the nic smell in your cabinet... that's what made me wonder if the nic you have is actually 10 times stronger than you think. Because the smell is actually pretty subtle, in my 100mg nicotine -- I've sniffed it more than once, to see if I detect any bad odor, since it's been in my fridge for a while; it's actually pretty hard to smell much of anything from it.

Andria

 

[Caterpiller]

Thanks Andria, I used cold water as that was all that was available at the time.

I'll definitely invest in the nic test.

This nic base definitely has a very strong peppery odor. Remember the 30ml bottle in my cupboard only has 3.6ml of nic base in 30ml, but the odor has escaped the sealed bottle and is permeating the whole cupboard.

I did feel very slightly off colour after the clean up and washing my hands, but thought at the time it was probably phychosomatic from being nervous about working with the nic base and getting some on my hands.

It was some six hours later that I vaped the DIY and had the really bad reaction. So again IDK.

 

[AndriaD]

Thanks Andria, I used cold water as that was all that was available at the time.

I'll definitely invest in the nic test.

This nic base definitely has a very strong peppery odor. Remember the 30ml bottle in my cupboard only has 3.6ml of nic base in 30ml, but the odor has escaped the sealed bottle and is permeating the whole cupboard.

I did feel very slightly off colour after the clean up and washing my hands, but thought at the time it was probably phychosomatic from being nervous about working with the nic base and getting some on my hands.

It was some six hours later that I vaped the DIY and had the really bad reaction. So again IDK.

Hmm hmmm... it's possible that it was psychosomatic; if I even *suspect* that some meat I've eaten might be just a trifle *off* I can make myself sick just thinking about it. But, it might have been an actual reaction; the fact that you used cold water may be why it wasn't worse.

I've used WizardLabs nicotine, ecigexpress nicotine, and lately, the TH-nicotine from vaperstek; none of it has much of an odor to me, though it's all 100mg nicotine, and the TH-nic has a pretty satisfying "burn" in the mouth. Compared to WTA, 100mg nicotine has very little odor at all. But if multiplied by 10... I guess it could smell pretty strong.

Andria

 

[puffon]

Could you elaborate on this puffon? Someone mentioned that if you don't shake the bottle the nic can settle on the bottom making this a hot spot.

Not sure, I read just the opposite, the nic goes to the top?
Probably best just to do the nic test.

 

[zoiDman]

I made my first DIY Juice today.

...

OK... Here is the 1st thing that you should do when you get Any New Nicotine Base or PG or VG or All 3.

If you want to vape 12mg/ml as your Final mg/ml level, you should make a Small Test Batch of Unflavored at 12mg/ml. Then Test Vape this Unflavored to make sure there is No Problems. Or Funky Tastes.

You have to Know that the Nicotine Base, PG, and VG are Good BEFORE you start doing Flavored e-Liquids.

 

[Caterpiller]

OK... Here is the 1st thing that you should do when you get Any New Nicotine Base or PG or VG or All 3.

If you want to vape 12mg/ml as your Final mg/ml level, you should make a Small Test Batch of Unflavored at 12mg/ml. Then Test Vape this Unflavored to make sure there is No Problems. Or Funky Tastes.

You have to Know that the Nicotine Base, PG, and VG are Good BEFORE you start doing Flavored e-Liquids.

This was my first go at DIY, and it has been a learning process.

I completely agree, I will try a flavourless batch first in future.

I'll also give the nic base a solid shake before use in future.

And for this particular nic base I will get a test kit and check the percentage before trying to use it again.

 

[Caterpiller]

Not sure, I read just the opposite, the nic goes to the top?
Probably best just to do the nic test.

The funny this @puffon is that I had my reservations about using an unknown local supplier, and it was only due to difficulties is getting US vendors to deliver to Malaysia that I resorted to taking the chance.

Looks like the chickens may have come home to roost. Lol.

 

[Caterpiller]

On the possible assumption that the vendor sent me 100% pure nicotine, I ran the numbers through my calculator.

3.6ml in a 30ml bottle would be 120mg!!!

It would certainly explain me almost collapsing.

I still think this is unlikely, but the vendor does sell 200mg and 300mg, so I may have something that is not pure, but a lot stronger than I think it is.

I will be ordering the test kit.

Andria mentioned a kit by ecigexpress. Has anyone used this test kit?

EDIT: Oh crap, just looked on the ecigexpress website and it clearly states they can't deliver the Nicotine test kit outside of the USA.

Back to trying to source the two required chemicals locally.

 

[AndriaD]

Hmm, that *is* a problem. When you washed your hands, did you use warm water or cold? I've heard that it's best to use cold, because warm water opens your pores, making it easier to absorb nicotine. Did you feel at all sick after that?

I'd second (or 3rd or 4th) the suggstion of getting a nic test kit; you can get them for $6.99 from ecigexpress.com. Also gloves! If it shuold turn out that it *is* 100%, you can still salvage it, by mixing it with Pg (or VG if you prefer though it's think and therefore much harder to mix); if you get a 100ml bottle, add 10ml of the nic and 90ml of PG, and that will give you true 100mg nicotine -- if what you have is 100%.

It's possible of course that you're merely coming down with some bug or other, but the thing about the nic smell in your cabinet... that's what made me wonder if the nic you have is actually 10 times stronger than you think. Because the smell is actually pretty subtle, in my 100mg nicotine -- I've sniffed it more than once, to see if I detect any bad odor, since it's been in my fridge for a while; it's actually pretty hard to smell much of anything from it.

Andria

I just wanted to add to this a bit -- if it does turn out to be 100% or anything close to that, you should get not only gloves, but a plastic apron, eye protection at the very least though a full face mask would be better, and either EXCELLENT ventilation or a fume hood... or let a professional do the mixing for you, because that 100% is not to be trifled with, it's serious poison.

That's the reason why ECF frowns on the discussion of anything over 100mg, I think is the limit, and it's possible that all these posts might get deleted because of that... but it would seem to be an emergency, if it really does turn out to be that strong.

Andria