Nic Base Storage: Freezer vs. Room Temp Experiment

[Rossum]

All my nic is in a 50/50 base so it contracts considerably when frozen. I am trying to figure out the safest way to bottle it for freezing that won't result in a lot of shattered glass. I'm thinking that I should decant it into the bottles chilled, fill each bottle 3/4 full and top with argon. Any thoughts?

Yes, it will contract when you put it in the freezer, but the most pressure differential this can possibly cause is 14.7 PSI, and Boston rounds up to 500 ml in size have no problem handling that pressure.

I use 120ml bottles almost exclusively. I've never had one break going into our coming out of the freezer. I do nothing special like pre-chilling, and some of my bottles have been though a bunch of cycles. I re-use bottles every time I make a big batch of vaping-strength unflavored liquid, and I keep all of that except one bottle at a time in the freezer. My unflavored is 65VG, rather than 50/50, but I've seen straight PG and straight VG both contract at freezer temperatures, so I don't think the ratio makes much difference.

 

[SlowTalker]

Yes, it will contract when you put it in the freezer, but the most pressure differential this can possibly cause is 14.7 PSI, and Boston rounds up to 500 ml in size have no problem handling that pressure.

This was my last bugaboo about getting my nic into glass bottles. Thanks for the reassurance, and the thread as a whole. Lots of good info and much appreciated.

 

[sofarsogood]

This was my last bugaboo about getting my nic into glass bottles. Thanks for the reassurance, and the thread as a whole. Lots of good info and much appreciated.

I believe the greatest threat to my stored nic is breaking a bottle by clumsy handling. So the 1 liter glass bottle goes into a zip lock bag which is wrapped in bubble wrap then that goes into another zip lock bag and wrapped with tape (don't forget a label with supplier, date of purchase, and strength). I figure if the glass breaks there's a good chance the spill will be contained in the first bag and not so hard to salage or by the second bag. I try to make sure I've got a spare bottle on hand for the salvaged liquid. I like to see a little head space in the bottle so I can shake the pg/nic mixture before breaking it down to smaller bottles for mixing.

 

[Alexander Mundy]

I have had Boston round polyseal caps pop and fly across the room when filled to much with cold nic when warmed up. Lesson learned, leave a little head room and don't fill with nic straight from the freezer. (No PG or VG was present in that batch)

 

[zoiDman]

All my nic is in a 50/50 base so it contracts considerably when frozen. I am trying to figure out the safest way to bottle it for freezing that won't result in a lot of shattered glass. ...

What I like to do when putting a Liquid in the Freezer is to Bottle it, put the cap on Loosely, then stick it in the Freezer. Then the Next Day when the Liquid is as Cold as it is going to get, I will Tighten up the cap.

That way if there is any Contraction or Expansion some air can Pass thru the cap.

Same with when I thaw a Liquid. Only in Reverse.

I Don't think you should have Problems if you just put Room-Temp Nicotine Base into the Freezer in a Sealed Glass Boston Round Bottle. As long as you have some Head Space. But the Slightly Loose Cap and Tighten when Cold tech has Never Failed.

So that is what I do.

 

[Katya]

I was having trouble finding anyone with experience freezing 50/50. Thanks.

I only have blends in my freezer--70% PG and 50/50. Never had any problems. However, I buy my base in small 125ml amber bottles sealed with argon, so I don't know how my nic base is doing until I open the bottle. But I've opened several bottles in my 6 years of DIY--so far, so good.

Sometimes I wish NN used clear bottles so I could take a peek at the color of my stash--especially now. If I were to rebottle my nic myself, I'd switch to clear glass. It's dark in the freezer most of the time, and the bottles are wrapped in layers of bubble wrap and opaque shipping envelopes so the chances of the nic getting exposed to light are zilch.

 

[Katya]

Same with when I thaw a Liquid. Only in Reverse.

So that is what I do.

I do the same when I take a sealed bottle out of the freezer, except I never knew why I do it. I just have to peek inside and sniff, I guess, or just air it out. After that I recap and let it thaw in the fridge or in room temp, if I'm in a hurry. And then I shake it like crazy to get rid of any possible hot spots.

So that's what I do.

 

[Rossum]

I have had Boston round polyseal caps pop and fly across the room when filled to much with cold nic when warmed up. Lesson learned, leave a little head room and don't fill with nic straight from the freezer. (No PG or VG was present in that batch)

Sure; if you bottle something that's cold with no headroom and it expands when warming up, there's no limit to the pressure increase this can create.

But the opposite is not true. If you bottle at room temperature and then put it in the freezer, the most (negative) pressure that bottle can experience is 14.7 psi (ambient air pressure at sea level).

That said, I still like to leave a little headroom. I normally fill my bottles to the base of the neck. This ensures that they won't blow the caps off if they ever experience warmer temps than they were bottled at, for example if there were an extended power outage in the heat of the summer.

 

[stols001]

God God @Rossum now you tell me! (Queen of the over stuffer here.) I mean that's not fair like, I mean I'm sure you have mentioned it before, it's just that image of the cap shooting off.... Well at least my nic was bottled at room temp, and I will let it heat up before opening.

It can't be worse than over frozen diet Pepsi (I like it cold) I have had tops come off with enough velocity to cause someone to lose an eye (it's carbonated, etc.) until I learned how to deal with it properly. Think I will be fine..

I did order a couple gallon glass jugs (one because I have a gallon of nic salts and if I label ONE that's more likely to remain in force than if I just have to label a bunch. Also, I'm sick of bottling and like, I wanted like THREE really wide mouth jugs to finish. They are super thick glass and well, lets hope I am not making a terrible mistake but I was like, "F it."

Anna

 

[Rossum]

I mean I'm sure you have mentioned it before

Indeed, I've repeatedly stated (in various threads) that a little bit of headroom is desirable in order to reduce pressure changes, and that I don't feel comfortable with no headroom at all.

 

[stols001]

I totally believe you, my gallon jugs are gonna get some headroom LOL.

Anna

 

[Bronze]

I totally believe you, my gallon jugs are gonna get some headroom LOL.

Anna

 

[stols001]

I have missed seeing that emoji @Bronze. LOL.

Anna

 

[somdcomputerguy]

I'll refrain from the 'tilt steering wheels are for more headroom' joke..

 

[stols001]

Sigh @Rossum and whomever I have a serious nic problem now. WV does not, apparently, believe in short term rentals, cheap rentals, and pets and fences and the husband is insistent (I kind of agree with him actually) given we will be renting for like 4-5 months that we put most of our non essential items in a storage container, then drive (at least 5 days) and stay in some sort of hotel thing until we investigate Craigslist (you just can't do that from far away, too many scams, etc.) and scary "down by the river frightening houses) which is fine by me, I have done plenty of frightening houses before.

WHAT do I do with my nic? At this point, I don't even know how long the cargo container will sit before it ships, when and where it will arrive, and like, all that jazz. I don't know how long we will be in a hotel. Etc. The freezer is not going to fit and I highly doubt the husband is going to like, let me tie it to the roof of my car (no roof rack) although I'd be DOWN for that, probably.

I am thinking I am going to have to get it ALL in a bunch and like, just pack it in a box, if I'm lucky some ice in it or SOMETHING. I guess room temp is better than storage shed temp but I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT TO DO AT THIS OR ANY POINT. I mean obviously retrieving my beloved freezer would be excellent bu that may take a while.

I need some super creative solutions also it REALLY is a lot of nic. Not something you tuck down like in the legroom space of your backseat of your car.

The truck is not an option. Our rental situation is just TOO argh!

Anna

 

[Rossum]

I am thinking I am going to have to get it ALL in a bunch and like, just pack it in a box,

Cheap styrofoam cooler(s). Any grocery store or Walmart or similar store should have them. Use some pieces of cardboard to keep the glass bottles from clanking against each other. Leave a bit of room at the top for ice or blue ice packs. Take the cooler(s) with you in your car. Put the nic in the fridge when you get where you're going. Even a temporary place will have fridge, right?

 

[stols001]

The hotel will have a small fridge. Yeah I was thinking the Styrofoam coolers but: weight. Also, if I put half my nic in the fridge well, there will be room for nothing else. I really need that dang chest freezer.

Since we are gonna need another one anyway I could prevail upon my husband to like, perhaps buy one immediately whenever we get where we are going and then he gets a chest freezer back.

Unless we go the RV route guess we could run a power line out the door or window or something and put a lock on it so some kid doesn't think its moonshine and poison hisself.

OOOOHHHHH I had no IDEA this NIC would be such a PITA. Oh well, it's gonna be what it is. It's not going to be wrapped or in boxes I bet its smaller than I really think. I could go look but that is paralyzing. LOL.

I'm not rebottling what is still in plastic now I consider that something of an advantage. I could also see if it all fit in my Flavor Fridge which gets PRETTY DAMN cold it could go on my backseat and the husband has a power inverter so it could even STAY plugged in. I can get that sucker pretty close to freezing. If I take all the shelfs out....Not a bad idea.
Anna

 

[kas122461]

The hotel will have a small fridge. Yeah I was thinking the Styrofoam coolers but: weight. Also, if I put half my nic in the fridge well, there will be room for nothing else. I really need that dang chest freezer.

Since we are gonna need another one anyway I could prevail upon my husband to like, perhaps buy one immediately whenever we get where we are going and then he gets a chest freezer back.

Unless we go the RV route guess we could run a power line out the door or window or something and put a lock on it so some kid doesn't think its moonshine and poison hisself.

OOOOHHHHH I had no IDEA this NIC would be such a PITA. Oh well, it's gonna be what it is. It's not going to be wrapped or in boxes I bet its smaller than I really think. I could go look but that is paralyzing. LOL.

I'm not rebottling what is still in plastic now I consider that something of an advantage. I could also see if it all fit in my Flavor Fridge which gets PRETTY DAMN cold it could go on my backseat and the husband has a power inverter so it could even STAY plugged in. I can get that sucker pretty close to freezing. If I take all the shelfs out....Not a bad idea.
Anna

I am not sure if it would be possible with your car or not, but you could possibly rent a trailer, to pull on the trip to get your Nic and other stuff moved a bit easier, just a thought. Pulling a trailer can sometimes be a pain, if you have to back up and your not used to it.

KAS

 

[stols001]

I am not pulling a trailer (I am a bad enough driver as it is) and the husband won't either. He has a hookup AND a trailer but the tires aren't rated for the highway and we actually left it at the house.

It would be lovely if like, he would do that for me. I can't think of a better option than my flavors fridge I mean it's small but I bet I could make it all fit. I am in the middle of stripping down the work clothes that come vs. go in storage.

On the plus side our house has been on the market for 2 hours and has it's first showing in an hour. So. We did a REALLY good job, I can lift 80 lbs of concrete now (it is not enjoyable) and I am back in Juniors size one.

I'm really not sure it is/'was worth it but well whatever. We got done.

Anna

 

[kas122461]

I am not pulling a trailer (I am a bad enough driver as it is) and the husband won't either. He has a hookup AND a trailer but the tires aren't rated for the highway and we actually left it at the house.

It would be lovely if like, he would do that for me. I can't think of a better option than my flavors fridge I mean it's small but I bet I could make it all fit. I am in the middle of stripping down the work clothes that come vs. go in storage.

On the plus side our house has been on the market for 2 hours and has it's first showing in an hour. So. We did a REALLY good job, I can lift 80 lbs of concrete now (it is not enjoyable) and I am back in Juniors size one.

I'm really not sure it is/'was worth it but well whatever. We got done.

Anna

Yeah I get it, they can be a pain. I have pulled trailers several times, and while I can do it, I don't like to. I just thought I would suggest it, because it would help solve some hauling problems.

KAS