Harsh PG?

[Beans]

I'm just wondering if anyone has ever had a problem with harsh PG.. I ordered 1000mls a few months back from one of ECF registered suppliers. (This not an attempt to slam any company I will not name names) I broke out the new bottle yesterday for the first time.(stored in my freezer) Mixed a bit of my favorite juice and holy hell it's harsh. I did a taste test and it taste like my old PG, so I'm sure it is "PG", but I'm thinking really? Currently attempting to vape it plain IDK why....But how can it be a total loss. Now I'm stressed about the 1000 mls of nic I received in the same shipment.

I will be contacting the company today to see but I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem to this. Ive been DIY'ing for a while now and have never had any problems... Are there just harsher brands out there?

 

[mjradik]

PG nic should be pg nic, not much different in harshness except for the strength of the nic. What strength is it labeled at? Did you test it to make sure it really is the advertised strength? i.e. could be labeled at 24 and it might really be 48 or something, thats why it seems harsh.

 

[Beans]

No this in 0 nic juice, just plain PG. It's much harsher than other brands of PG I have tried before. I'll also add this batch was sent out to many ECF members a few months ago and I have heard 0 complaints so I was wondering if it's a manufacturing difference and This is just a harsher brand, I'm not used to.

 

[simplyme82]

Not naming names could be the wrong thing to do. You can name names and not slam a company. I have run into a similar problem with ecigarettes. I am not slamming them because it really could be me doing something wrong in my DIY. Either way, the NIC I have seems very harsh. Gives my throat a scratchy feeling. I'm not sure if this is because I'm mixing it wrong (trying to 18mg from 24mg) or if it's a bad batch, or maybe it's the flavoring, or maybe my body doesn't agree with PG (although I have never had a problem with vendors juices), who knows.

I ordered 36mg from another vendor and will see how that goes.

 

[Nunnster]

Humm, I have only tried 3 brands so far, but None of my PG is more harsh then the other. I have a 1000ml bottle I got off of amazon for cheep that imo is good stuff. I have tired 3 diffrent VG's and they do have a difference in taste, even tho I know chemically they shouldn't (RTS vapes, CVS "Pure glycerin" and Heritage for VG. RTS vapes, Essential depot and void mist for pg)

 

[mjradik]

ohhh.. in that case, I do not know.... I don't know if plain PG can go bad. I buy mine a gallon at a time and takes a very long time to use. (over a year) No special storage, and never had it taste funny. I would think USP grade PG should be USP grade PG, and no difference in anything. Thats a standard.... Maybe some how NIC got mixed in it somehow, and if you are a 0mg nic vaporer, then thats the harshness??? Leave it exposed to air for like a week. If it turn yellowish, then it might contain nic.

Sorry not much help I guess.

 

[Beans]

I can't imagine what it is then, I had a few drops of my other batch and it vaped plain just fine... I'll contact the company then. What's killing me I'm sure at least one other who answered is vaping the same stuff right now. Maybe it's me Grrrrrr

Thanks for everyones replies.


mjradik, I'm sure there is no nic in it, i tasted it Not peppery at all like my nic is. I'll keep working on the prob and if it is bad I'll post a warning for everyone else. But until I know I don't want to start a false panic or slam party

 

[Rainz]

I picked up a bottle of PG from my local pharmacy when I started to DIY. It's Galenova brand(USP). Don't know if all brands are the same, but this one tastes rancid!

At one point I was wondering what was giving my homemade juices a bad taste... I dipped a finger in each bottle(PG and VG no nic)... the VG tastes like nothing(good), but the PG was awful! Extremely bitter and chemy tasting, yuck! ...which would explain the bad diy mixes. And I use 75-80%PG in my mixes, so I had a dilemma.

I think it may just be the brand of PG because I started to adjust my calculations for juice mixes, that would allow me to add zero - 'no-nic PG', and still get my 75ish% final PG in my mix... and they've been turning out much better. {To do this, I would have to use between 66 - 100% PG-nic to begin with}

I'm guessing that my 'PG-nic' was mixed with a better tasting brand of 'no-nic PG, before it came to me.

Maybe i'll try another brand of PG sometime, if I can find another locally... but this works for now.

 

[markfm]

PG USP should indeed all be the same. It has to meet thresholds that are pretty high.

Multiple of the manufacturers basically say the same thing, variations of: "The shelf life of propylene glycol USP manufactured and delivered by Lyondell Chemical Company when stored and handled under appropriate conditions is two years from the manufacturing date. Subsequent handling and/or repackaging by intermediaries such as distributors may affect shelf life." and "With increasing storage time, dependent on the storage conditions, the water content, color, odor and acidity can increase."

Perhaps a bad job of handling/repackaging, schmidt happens. I got a new 7-1/2 ounce bottle of PG-based flavoring in Feb, turned out to be rancid. I let the vendor know, they replaced it immediately.

 

[Beans]

Good points Rainz and markfm. Thank you for your answers. I will say after vaping for a while, the juice is NOT making me sick just harsh to my lungs.


Ok now this may soud STUPID to everyone.....Yesterday I decided not to use VG in my mixes for the first time. Ive been battling a lot of Phlegm so I thought this could help. Yes, the phlegm completely went away last night but does VG tone down PG harshnes? Am I a stupid blond and over looked this fact?

 

[markfm]

No comment

Yes, VG tends to smooth things out a bit compared to straight PG. I've gone between 0PG and 0VG. I find 0PG leaves me feeling a bit "heavy" doing aerobic stuff, but I do like the vapor from it, so I've settled in on around 30 - 35% VG.

 

[Beans]

Ok, I'm a tool. I don't know why this didnt occur to me. I only use very small amounts of VG in my juice juice normally. I didn't realize 10% made that much of a difference in PG harshness Grrrrr so harsh or phlegm is my choice now.
Thank you all your help!

 

[Ms. Creant]

I found that too little VG (I was using 25-30%) gives me a feeling like I'm about to catch a cold; you know, a day or two before, you get that scratchy throat feeling. I upped my vg to 40-50% and that feeling has gone away.

 

[Beans]

Well that just stinks! I thought I had every thing dialed in but I guess I don't anymore. Just added a few drops of VG in my Carto and it's a bit better on the throat but my nose started to run
I think I may have to suck it up and wear a pair of Big Girl Panties. VG has seemed to turn on me.

 

[markfm]

You might hunt around for some PEG400, see if that works for you. Otherwise go back to trying the sip of water before a puff, see if that helps.

 

[Beans]

I haven't tried PEG400, thanks for the tip. I'll look in to it.

 

[jammydodger]

Ok, I'm a tool. I don't know why this didnt occur to me. I only use very small amounts of VG in my juice juice normally. I didn't realize 10% made that much of a difference in PG harshness Grrrrr so harsh or phlegm is my choice now.
Thank you all your help!

VG (no disrespect to people who love it and are genuinely sensitive to PG) is used in skin moisturizers -- that's why it smooths things out and probably why it makes a lot of vapor. Only so much can coat the respiratory surfaces, and the rest comes out upon exhaling. PG has been used in medical inhalers for decades but it's very dehydrating. As someone else mentioned, a sip of water per vape (3/4-1 gal a day for me) has kept my body happy with high PG juice, whereas higher VG juices leave me feeling gunky.

 

[Rainz]

Beans - You may want to up the PG(80%) and try adding some Vape Wizard. I recently started adding a couple drops per 3-5mls of homemade juice, and the results seem to be; slightly more throat hit and smoother, less chemy tasting juice. I think it tames the bitterness in the PG somewhat... and brings out the flavor of your mix overall.

I believe it's supposed to lower acidity... which I think can only be a good thing. Seems all good so far.

 

[Jimi D.]

I caught a cold a few weeks ago. My vaping was harsher than normal..It took a few days for my lungs to get back to normal. Then the vaping was smooth again..