Has anyone ever had VG go bad?

[Critter Man]

Thought I had two bad attys from Smoore today for my 401, turned out the VG juice I was trying out seems to have gone bad since a week ago when I gave it a little test. I've never seen any storage requirements for e liquid, other than keep it in the dark. Anyway, it tastes beyond awful and the vapor is now more of a smoke. It's persistent like cigarette smoke. It has a very noxious smell and taste, like a strong chemical. I'd expect this kind of smell around a .... lab.

Has this happened to anyone else? In case it matters, the juice is AmericaneLiquidStore.com 18mg tobacco flavor in 100% VG.

 

[Dee74]

Anything in Vg needs to steep for a while for flavor to develop. Of course maybe the juice is old or bad, contact them and let them know, they will fix it.

 

[Andyhrn]

"Thought I had two bad attys from Smoore today for my 401..."

You probably should clean the new atties from primer.

 

[Slickstick]

E-liquid DOES have an expiration date.
I don't know if other suppliers put it on their bottles, but we do.

Stored properly in a cool dark place e-liquid should be good for at least a year.
More like a year and a half, but we date ours a year out from the date it was mixed.

That's not a year from when you purchase it, it's a year from the time it was mixed.

It could have been sitting on the suppliers shelf for months.

 

[Critter Man]

I'm cleaning the attys pretty well, the bad juice left a distinctive odor on them. They're almost scent free now. It was confusing because I'd get the odor off of them and it would come back when I primed them with juice. Took me a few tries before I thought of smelling the liquid. A guy from Tasty Vapor had commented in another thread on why they didn't do 100% VG juice, he was saying that some batches they tried to make in 100% VG had gone bad (very bad smell) after only a couple of weeks. Their conclusion was that flavored VG requires preservative. The juice I had was just fine a week ago, so it didn't ship bad. Still could have been old, I guess, but it's a popular flavor and nic level.

There was a heat wave here (got to 100 degrees) while the juice was in transit and before I got my AC working, I wonder if it the mail truck sat in the sun too long and it finished cooking in my house. I have an email out to the supplier, so I'll see what they say.

Thank you for your thoughts, everyone!

Slickstick, it was very helpful to hear from a supplier about the lifespan and proper storage of eliquid. I'll be checking out your website momentarily.

 

[antism]

I've definitely had vg go bad on me. The taste went a little sour and the scent was similar. It does happen, just be careful how much you acquire at once and make sure you'll use it in a reasonable amount of time. I personally don't purchase all vg juice any longer, nor pick up large qty for diy.

 

[Critter Man]

I think I'll store it in a dark container in the fridge from here on out. I used to freeze cigarettes (before the frost-free freezer, that always dries tobacco out), and that didn't seem to affect the nicotine. Keeping VG extra cool would probably keep it from happening again... unless someone knows better.

Thanks for chiming in, antism, good to know I'm not alone

 

[Slickstick]

I think I'll store it in a dark container in the fridge from here on out. I used to freeze cigarettes (before the frost-free freezer, that always dries tobacco out), and that didn't seem to affect the nicotine. Keeping VG extra cool would probably keep it from happening again... unless someone knows better.

Thanks for chiming in, antism, good to know I'm not alone

You don't want it to get too cold or condensation can ruin the flavor.
The 100 degrees thing,... it would have to be left out for a solid week or longer I believe.
The "cool dark storage" is usually for long term storage.
Large bottles of VG need to be shaken and mixed every so often or when you get near the end of the bottle there will be no flavor.
The flavoring in VG can raise to the top and you will use up all the flavoring first.
One of the reasons we have a "VG Thin" option. Cut with distilled water it mixes easier.

 

[Critter Man]

Yeah, Slickstick, it seemed odd to me too.

Condensation needs to be avoided? Okay, the 50 to 60 degrees year round we get in the basement should do if the AC stops working on a hot day then.

I noticed that the prefilled carts I got with the 401 had a similar odor to the other bad juice, but not nearly as strong. I was just going to clean them out for refilling as they contain PG. They did smell a lot like the juice that went bad. Curious, I used one to drip an atty I had already cleaned. Yep, there was the bad flavor, just not as strong. Also, I was getting vapor this time as opposed to smoke. Now, I assumed the carts would have gone bad, but there's no VG in them.

My conclusion: the nicotine went bad in my juice. I wonder if someone accidentally left a bottle out in the light before shipping it to me. Hard to say, so I'm going to be trying other suppliers. I hope I can get this VG thing working for me, PG just causes my throat to close after a few vapes.

 

[Slickstick]

Also If you burn up the wick in your atty not much can fix the flavor less taking out the wick.

 

[Jorge22]

I've read most of the thread. When you acquire VG, because it's thick and because some people complain of lung aches and stuff when not doing it right, you must dillute it in at least 20% distilled water. As for the time VG may last, it may last for years and years and years. The same for PG. Nicotine (in liquids, for example, be it VG or PG) should have an expiration date (and the normal thing is for it to have it). Not that it's really necessary but it's just better that way - it could be, say, two years, give or take. Now, an e-liquid should last for about a year or so, even though it may well last longer, because of the flavours. But people do vape the liquids faster than that, don't they? Well, that's it, sorry to intrude.

 

[sugismimi]

I use only VG in my DIY, and I've never had a problem until recently.
When I mix my liquids and add the nic liquid( which is clear) I shake it up, put it in my "E Drawer " overnite and next day it is ready. Nice crisp clear, but.......
I got a different type of nic juice , which also is clear at mixing time. the next day it has turned golden color and the next day it gets darker. I'm not saying it's the nic juice but it is the newest item in my DIY E Drawer!!!
Any ideas about This? And what about a putdrid horrible smell , not necessarilly from the same juices or batchs just described just want to know where/why is it stinking up my purse and fingers wheeewww!!!!

 

[Jorge22]

The colour may be just like that, a fast steeping. The horrid smell and all, throw it away. I'd say something with the flavours...

 

[Critter Man]

That's the thing, it's the liquid that stinks. The atty doesn't stink until the liquid is applied and it goes away with cleaning. I also had no time to burn anything in the new attys. Looks like it happens, and it's just my rotten luck it happened to me with my first batch of VG. It's a basic tobacco flavor, so no funky oils or anything in it. Well, I ordered a new bottle from a certain supplier in Virginia and it shipped today. Been going through a POD analogs while I try to get my VG off the ground. I just can't tolerate 100% PG anymore at all.

It would be great to figure out what the smell is so the chemical reactions that produce it can be prevented. Since it's basically a much worse version of that nasty primer smell/taste, I assume it has more to do with the nicotine than the base. If it would help, I wouldn't mind some sort of preservative in my juice if it kept me from having bottles go bad.

Thanks for all the posts to this thread, especially those who have had similar things happen to them.