Drops per analog...

[JoeD4]

After some discussion with more experienced members, I have decided that I do not have the expertise or equipment to pursue this with any hope of accurate or absolute results. It sure was fun trying!
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This is a work in progress. All are welcome to critique, contribute, correct, and discuss. In fact, please do.!
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Materials:
-18 mg/ml juice
-1 ml container w/ markings
-plastic squeeze dropper bottle

Method:
Using the squeeze dropper bottle (what I carry my juice in to drip) I carefully dripped juice into the measured container, one drop at a time (keeping count) until the level reached 1 ml.

After repeating that procedure a couple times to confirm results, I get approx. 40 drops per ml. I know the standard is accepted as 20 but that's for water. Viscosity affects the outcome, evidently.

My juice is 18 mg/ml so 18 divided by 40 is 0.45 mg of nicotine per drop. My analog brand is rated a 1mg nicotine (absorbed) per cigarette so (for me) 2 drops is roughly one cig.

You can find your brand here:
Erowid Tobacco Vault : Info on Nicotine Content of Cigarette Brands

Just change the math for your own juice's nic content and avg nic per cig of your old brand!

(nic per ml of juice)/40=mg per drop
(amt. nic in old brand)/(mg nic per drop)=drops per cig

Hope someone finds this useful!

I don't know the absorption rate for nicotine when vaping. This post assumes 100%. If anyone knows where to find that it would make this method more accurate.

 

[Progress]

Scientific method! Very nice analysis, thanks for sharing.
I've read a lot about this and tried to figure out how much juice would replicate a cigarette (mainly to see cost savings).

You can slice this equation so many ways...I was wondering though, how many puffs do you get per drop? And how many puffs before you're "satisfied," as if you've had a single analog cigarette?

Also what kind of device do you have? I ordered the DSE901 yesterday, can't wait to try it out. Newbie here...

 

[JoeD4]

I haven't done the "puffs per drop" analysis yet, but the results would be a bit subjective as everyone smokes/vapes differently. Some uniform standard would have to be put into place. Not sure how to do that but let me think about it...

I am using a Joye 510 manual and dripping 2-3 drops directly onto the atomizer. If I had to guess, I probably get around 5-8 good puffs per drop so that would be about 10-16 puffs per cig.

happy vaping to you!

 

[tarkus]

Interesting information but I do not believe you can compare the two without knowing how each is absorbed into the blood. From my own experience and what I read the nicotine from ecigs is absorbed much more slowly and this is done primarily in the mouth and throat not the lungs do to the size of the molecules. Apparently some other chemicals in analogs changes the absorption.

The ecig does not provide the immediate "hit" received from an analog and seems to require more nicotine to provide the constant level required by the user.

Also for those who are reading this the size of the drops from different bottles can be radically different based on the diameter of the dropper outlet. I know my TV bottle drops are only about 1/2 the size of the dekang drops so keep this in mind if you are trying to judge the amount of nicotine strickly by the number of drops.

 

[CartHeadMod]

2 drops is roughly one cig

interesting that you came to this result using scientific measurement....I had previously noted from my vaping habits that I top off my carts every third time I use it by adding six drops.....

 

[JoeD4]

Interesting information but I do not believe you can compare the two without knowing how each is absorbed into the blood. From my own experience and what I read the nicotine from ecigs is absorbed much more slowly and this is done primarily in the mouth and throat not the lungs do to the size of the molecules. Apparently some other chemicals in analogs changes the absorption.

The ecig does not provide the immediate "hit" received from an analog and seems to require more nicotine to provide the constant level required by the user.

Also for those who are reading this the size of the drops from different bottles can be radically different based on the diameter of the dropper outlet. I know my TV bottle drops are only about 1/2 the size of the dekang drops so keep this in mind if you are trying to judge the amount of nicotine strickly by the number of drops.

That's exactly the kind of info I'd like to get my hands on. I know there's more to it than counting drops but it would make a handy "rule of thumb" for me. It's more about tracking my consumption in terms of volume so I can be sure to carry enough (using the smallest bottle possible) and keep my supply sufficient. There are definitely a few more steps on this road before I'll get more accurate results. And yes, drops per ml will vary depending on the dropper you use. This is all based on MY equipment/needs. Perhaps we can build on what we know so far and get some better numbers? I see alot of people asking the question (me for one) but no one seems to have a definite answer.

 

[JoeD4]

Here's a thread I found on another forum that may be of some help to this cause: Nicotine In Vaping Compared To Analogs - Vapor Talk E Cig Forum

If we were to put the absorption rate at 25% that might give us a better "average". So for my gear, it would be more like 8 drops per analog=5 analog per ml

 

[scott58]

Voltage is also a consideration. 2 drops last a bit longer with a battery then it does a pass-thru.

 

[JoeD4]

Good point Scott. Don't know how we'd measure that.

interesting that you came to this result using scientific measurement....I had previously noted from my vaping habits that I top off my carts every third time I use it by adding six drops.....

Carthead, that seems confirm that we're barking up the right tree at least. :

 

[Kurt]

Nice work, JoeD4. I agree with the previous post, though, that using drops for volume estimations will just muddy the waters. I find that 2 drops on the atty is about 10 hits, so roughly the same amount as from an analog. But vaping nic is mostly orally absorbed, not through the lungs, and so the onset of nic effect is slower, and longer in duration than an analog. And much depends on these details:

Nic level of the juice
Viscosity of the juice
Wicking of the cart
Freshness and strength of the battery, and thus atty coil working voltage
Metabolism details, which are particular for the person
Vaping technique: deep drags or shallow puffs, exhale through mouth or nose (more absorption), holding the breath or exhaling right away.
Analog smoking technique: similar details
Tobacco MAOIs and how much you crave them, besides nic

So really, even if you have the quantities standardized, there are many other factors. So I think the best thing is find your sweet spot and stick to it. What works for you may not work as well for someone else. If you are craving analogs a lot, try upping the nic level. If that isn't working, and the PV is operating optimally (and that is not always obvious), some use snus or another smokeless tobacco product.

I make my own DIY juices, and use a syringe to make measuring accurate by volume, not drops.

There really is no way to standardize vaping, just like there is no standard on analog consumption. Vaping nic levels can vary throughout the day for some. I mostly vape around 10 mg, which is lower than many here, but then a could times a day I may vape a couple drops of 36 mg for a boost, then go back to 10 mg. And this may change next week.

Find what works for the moment, and enjoy. Vape on!

 

[JoeD4]

I definitely hear you Kurt and I tend to agree. It does work out that 2 drops on the atty gives me about 10 drags, but that's for me. I know that 1 ml of my juice contains 18mg of "potential" nicotine. I know that my dropper yields around 40 drops per ml. So that's .45mg per drop. That makes (for me) a handy guideline that I can use to keep myself from over doing it. That's all I'm trying to do here. Plus I'm kinda having fun trying to figure it out, crunching numbers, chatting with people about it, etc.. I like to analyze things, even if it's a waste of time. LOL

 

[Progress]

Yo JoeD4 I just wanted to add to this that on my walk home tonight I counted 13 true drags on my parliament light. That's a walking smoke, so I was likely dragging harder. According to erowid my cigs are only 0.7mg nicotine absorbed, so by looking at your math it shouldn't take much to get the same satisfaction out of less than 2 drops of e-juice.

Anyways, this is all somewhat irrelevant since everyone smokes differently, and I haven't even gotten my e-cig in the mail yet. I thought I could probably lend a hand since I am still smoking analogs and can provide a little perspective.

I'll let you guys know what I think once I finally get it. Can't wait!

 

[JoeD4]

Congrat's on your choice to try vapin! I am pretty new at this too so take my words with a grain of salt. I got my first PV only a month ago and just kind of messed with it while still smoking. It was only Feb 17th (my b-day) that I decided to quit smoking and start vaping full time. I tell you, I am already feeling better. My lungs aren't so heavy feeling and my "morning hack" is starting to lessen quite a bit. All that and I still get the satisfaction of vaping!

I usually drip 2-3 drops right onto the atomizer of my 510 and that "feels" like a cig to me. Your experience may vary. Please let me know where you settle in at.

Best of luck to you on your journey! By the way, you may want to try some juice from halocigs.com. My experience is limited but I really like their juice and many others on here seem to like it too. Goona try a different make of juice on my next order. Thanks alot for your input. PEACE ON YOU!

 

[Last_to_Fall]

Viscoscity of the juice probably plays a large role if it truly is absorbs through the throat more than the lungs. I think that vg probably absorbs more orally and pg absorbs more in the lungs(still primarily orally). Drops are probably different based on pg vg ratios (it might even take less vg drops to fill a cart)

I'm pretty new to vaping so this is just a theory.

 

[JoeD4]

Yeah, as I posted earlier, I'm pretty new to this too. From what others have posted here, I think it's more of personal experience. I find that for me it's 2-3 drops and that seems to be common based on what I've read elsewhere on ECF. I have to admit that I have neither the expertise or equipment to produce any accurate or absolute results. Sorry. It was just an idea that I started with and, like many good idea's, it proved a fruitless endeavor. Thanks for posting and best of luck to you! See you around the forums. Vape on!

 

[DC2]

I live for the day I can get 10 drags out of 2 drops, but I only get about 5 good drags off 2 drops. That is why I need to drip twice, 2 drops each time, to simulate a good cigarette break. However I take big huge deep lung inhales, because I grew up smoking alternative vegetation, and that is how I learned to smoke everything. I used to kill a cigarette in about 8 drags.

I only offer this information to show the potential complexity of these calculations.

 

[JoeD4]

Yeah, there are just too many variables too get any kind of standard.