Freezing E-Liquid?

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

I just included a link to this thread in a post that lead up to folks talking about stocking up. I figured those who were putting up 2 years worth right now would be able to tell us what they were planning to do to store it correctly.

I just purchased lots of dark glass bottles with glass dippers. I wouldn't store in plastic long term (okay for dripping/topping off in small quantities). When I get/make new liquid, I transfer it to the amber glass.

I'm storing mine in an electric wine cooler that is at 40 degrees. I have had stuff freeze in my fridge (especially if it's near the freezer size wall) so if you keep it in there, put it in the door, or away from the freezer wall.

Until someone can say they froze it for a year and got a nic buzz when it defrosted, I'm NOT taking the chance.

 

[Kate]

All I know is rumour.

I was told that propylene glycol likes cool dark storage but the fridge is too cold. It also can turn green if it gets too cold I've heard (can't verify that).

I keep my glycerine and nicotine eliquid in the fridge but not freezer and propylene glycol in a cool cupboard.

 

[Caesarea]

eliquid is not wine, neither is it just glycol. There are other chemicals involved and not all of them particularly like low temperatures. Depending on the recipe and temperature you could have chemicals separating or crystallizing. Mixing liquids from scratch successfully involves a considerable level of chemistry and not just stirring the right amounts of chemicals in a jug. Most mixes should be okay at minus 10C but they would be equally happy in a cool dark place. Humidity doesn't come into the equation as liquids should be in sealed containers. Ultra violet degrades nicotine so dark is essential.

Summer's on its way, and my flat faces South...finding a cool dark place prolly means the fridge or the freezer.

I have a rack of vintage December 07 Menthol that I'll be putting on ebay in about ten years time.
Alan.

There, I knew I wasn't the only one!!

I have favourite flavours and want to think ahead, even though the quantities may be fairly small.

 

[katink]

Ah ok, I guess it's the wise thing to do if you need to stay ahead of being in that state when needing new liquid

Edit: Kate, on the RoyalSmokers site about liquid: Keep in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator for extended life; expires 24 months from date of purchase.

 

[Caesarea]

Eliquid is not wine, neither is it just glycol. There are other chemicals involved and not all of them particularly like low temperatures. Depending on the recipe and temperature you could have chemicals separating or crystallizing.

I guess that is especially true for menthol, is it?

My brother is a menthol guy. Unfortunately for me, I can't stand mint or menthol - even in toothpaste! Like it when others are vaping it, but not to taste.

I like the idea of a rack - a whole new breed of "wine-snobbery" may be born...appellation controlee and Grand Cru...

 

[Caesarea]

I just included a link to this thread in a post that lead up to folks talking about stocking up. I figured those who were putting up 2 years worth right now would be able to tell us what they were planning to do to store it correctly.

Thanks HAH, these guys will be the experts on all this eventually.

I just purchased lots of dark glass bottles with glass dippers. I wouldn't store in plastic long term (okay for dripping/topping off in small quantities). When I get/make new liquid, I transfer it to the amber glass.

I'm storing mine in an electric wine cooler that is at 40 degrees. I have had stuff freeze in my fridge (especially if it's near the freezer size wall) so if you keep it in there, put it in the door, or away from the freezer wall.

Until someone can say they froze it for a year and got a nic buzz when it defrosted, I'm NOT taking the chance.

Which is why I was thinking an experienced supplier who had premium stock to conserve would know the answer to this.

 

[Caesarea]

All I know is rumour.

I was told that propylene glycol likes cool dark storage but the fridge is too cold. It also can turn green if it gets too cold I've heard (can't verify that).

I keep my glycerine and nicotine eliquid in the fridge but not freezer and propylene glycol in a cool cupboard.

Wish I knew the facts on that green phenomenon. Anyone out there who found out the cause?

C.

 

[Caesarea]

Hellen's winecooler is a nifty idea...

 

[Kate]

The green propylene glycol story came from here - The wrong kind of ‘green’? - South Bergenite

Johnson Creek have given three different explanations for their green eliquid, light, oxidation and temperature. It happens with glycerine eliquid too so I don't know if it's the same as the de-icer story above.

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

I think we are unlikely to get a good long term storage answer or freezing answer from a supplier. If they are keeping it that long, they aren't a very good sales person, LOL. Maybe the thread could be moved back into the general questions area OR perhaps start a new one like How do you plan to store your stock up long term? If all this bumping isn't getting any attention, it is probably that people see it is in the Suppliers forum?

Kate, wasn't the green phenomenon related to a plastic bottle that had stored something else in it first (eye drops?). I just don't like the idea of plastic, nor taking the chance of a weird taste that it *could* impart (I have no proof of this), especially if stored long term. I recently got some pina colada that tastes like old beer/plastic. In a plastic bottle of course... blech. That's one for dumping plenty of flavors into when I am desperate for juice and have had a few glasses of wine

 

[Kate]

The green eliquid I've heard of was (except for one case) all from Johnson Creek. It happened to a lot of people and covered clear glass bottles, brown glass bottles, half full bottles, unopened bottles, bottles stored in the fridge, bottles not stored in the fridge, propylene glycol based eliquid, glycerine based eliquid ... and loads of other things that I can't remember. Johnson Creek never gave a proper reason.

e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat - Threads Tagged with green

 

[TDM]

A quart = 40 fl oz of e-liquid??
Or do you mean 2 or 3 bottles each 30ml = 60-90ml and the freezer bag is quart-sized?

Sorry to be dim..

C

To simplify for you Caesarea

You have say 100 - 15 ml bottles.

Take quart bags put say 5 bottles in each quart bag.

You take these 20 quart bags and put say 5 quart bags in each gallon size bag.

You would have 4 gallon size bags.

that way if 1 bottle leaks then you only have to clean 5 bottles instead of 100

 

[Caesarea]

The green eliquid I've heard of was (except for one case) all from Johnson Creek. It happened to a lot of people and covered clear glass bottles, brown glass bottles, half full bottles, unopened bottles, bottles stored in the fridge, bottles not stored in the fridge, propylene glycol based eliquid, glycerine based eliquid ... and loads of other things that I can't remember. Johnson Creek never gave a proper reason.

e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat - Threads Tagged with green

Thanks for the link, Kate.

Sounds as though light was not the root cause. Nor PG nor VG. Is it naive to conclude that the way the customers stored it made no difference or aggravation of the problem either?

I think I'm still interested to see if freezer storage would give a longer life than fridging, except possibly for some juices with, for example, menthol. Perhaps worth at least a small scale experiment.

C.

 

[Kendra]

I had mine in the fridge but took it out. Sun Vaporer told me that he had his refrigerated and it turned to vinegar and became unusable (he tried vaping it). I'm terrified of losing my e-juice. Right now it's jut in a cool and dark place, but I think the humidity in TN air in the summer is probably worse than the fridge.

 

[Caesarea]

To simplify for you Caesarea

You have say 100 - 15 ml bottles.

Take quart bags put say 5 bottles in each quart bag.

You take these 20 quart bags and put say 5 quart bags in each gallon size bag.

You would have 4 gallon size bags.

that way if 1 bottle leaks then you only have to clean 5 bottles instead of 100

Now I understand! It was quart bags.
The principle of preventing the spread of leakage is absolutely sound, even if I'd be doing this on a much smaller scale.

Thanks, Truckdrivingmouse !

C.

 

[Caesarea]

I had mine in the fridge but took it out. Sun Vaporer told me that he had his refrigerated and it turned to vinegar and became unusable (he tried vaping it). I'm terrified of losing my e-juice. Right now it's jut in a cool and dark place, but I think the humidity in TN air in the summer is probably worse than the fridge.

I wonder if Sun Vaporer blames light, moisture or temperature...

 

[Kendra]

What temperature are we striving for with the liquid? I mean, if we could CHOOSE the temp, what would it be?

 

[Kendra]

I wonder if Sun Vaporer blames light, moisture or temperature...

He said moisture. But, he also thought it was too cold.

I'm thinking of getting a small wine refrigerator. But, what temp do we want?
Edited to add:

he said he called the company that made the liquid all the way in China and was told "cool and dry" but not refrigerated.

Still, I would like to be able to use mine for as long as possible. I don't want my own liquid to be the guinea pig though!

 

[nitewriter]

Caesarea I'm soooo glad you asked this question and got replies. I've asked it numerous times with NO reply.

Thank you!

 

[dirt2suck]

I just put a
2ml 36mg unflavored PG based bottle and
2ml 18mg unflavored PG based cut 50/50 w/ USP PG

in my chest freezer both put in a singe cheapo snack size zipbag and then into a quart size zip
purchased from ruyan in my chest freezer 5-03-09

Will check by dripping on atom 901 w/batt:
daily for first 3 days
weekly for first 4 weeks
monthly for first 5 months
then after two years if I still have it

This will take time but after a week or two of deep freeze (-10F to +5F), I think it will be safe to say that a week or 2 years is still the same.
I do think that the nic content will still degrade say 2 years (but this method may prolong to 3+years) We will see..

Dirt