Nic Base Storage: Freezer vs. Room Temp Experiment

[Rossum]

Next up is the VT "Premium" nic in PG.

The PET bottles don't seem to attract condensation from the air quite as quickly as the glass bottles do, which is for purposes of photographing them is a good thing.

None of the VT samples have been opened, and they're all a bit over a month old now. "As received" pics are in post #78 of this thread.

Still, it's pretty obvious that the Room Temperature sample has undergone a noticeable color change while the Freezer sample still looks pretty colorless.

 

[Rossum]

Here we have the "Throat Hit" nic in PG:

Pretty much the same situation.

 

[zoiDman]

Thanks for the Update Rossum.

And Thumbs Up for the work you're Ding and keeping this Thread going.

 

[Rossum]

Here's the "Throat Hit" in VG:

My perception is this is the Room Temperature sample that changed the least.

 

[Rossum]

So for laughs, I too a pic of all of the Room Temperature samples side-by side:

I would not call the differences between the 3 VT samples dramatic, but the WL sample (which got rebottled and thus exposed to additional air a couple of months ago) is noticeably darker.

 

[Rossum]

Preliminary conclusion is: KEEP YOUR NIC BASE IN THE FREEZER!
Since I am not in the appliance business, I have nothing to gain from that advice.

But given how much darker the re-bottled WL has gotten, I'm now wondering if it actually makes sense to transfer nic that arrives in PET into glass. Of course comparing the 3 year old WL that I re-bottled to the fresh VT is probably apples and oranges.

So I think when I get to Florida in a couple of weeks, I'm going to order up four more bottles of TH in PG. The plan is to transfer two of them to glass and keep the other two in the original PET. Then one glass and one PET will go in the freezer down there, while one of each will stay at room temperature.

 

[WillyZee]

do I notice the PG freezer nic slightly clearer than the VG freezer nic?

also, the VG freezer nic seems to have a small concentrated nic ring forming on the top, where the PG freezer nic does not (more noticeable on the RT samples).

 

[Rossum]

do I notice the PG freezer nic slightly clearer than the VG freezer nic?

I think all of them are pretty clear (as in lacking turbidity). I'm afraid all of them formed a bit of condensation on the outside of the bottle almost immediately upon being removed from the fridge. This could be avoided by letting them all come to room temperature prior to taking pics, but I don't really want to do that to the Freezer samples. If you like, I will take another close-up pic of the tops of the VT Room Temperature samples a bit later, once they're back at room temperature.

also, the VG freezer nic seems to have a small concentrated nic ring forming on the top, where the PG freezer nic does not (more noticeable on the RT samples).

You're thinking the nic is separating from the VG?

 

[WillyZee]

You're thinking the nic is separating from the VG?

yes, only slightly ... I've noticed it also does that when adding plain PG/VG to premixed juice.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

do I notice the PG freezer nic slightly clearer than the VG freezer nic?

also, the VG freezer nic seems to have a small concentrated nic ring forming on the top, where the PG freezer nic does not (more noticeable on the RT samples).

...You're thinking the nic is separating from the VG?

Is it that we a simply seeing the meniscus edge on? The lighting is coming for the left front. There's not as much shadow behind the VG sample which is on the left as there is for those to the right of it. Ergo, more contrast between the liquid and the meniscus..?

 

[Rossum]

also, the VG freezer nic seems to have a small concentrated nic ring forming on the top, where the PG freezer nic does not (more noticeable on the RT samples).

I think it's a trick from the uneven light. @Cool_Breeze has assessed it correctly; there is a window behind me and a window to my left. The Room Temp samples are now close enough to ambient again that they're not forming condensation. Here's a new close-up with the VG on the left again:

and another with the left and right bottles reversed:

I guess I should try to come up with a way to get more even lighting in the future..

 

[DaveP]

Rossum, I'm enjoying your nic pictures. It's funny that I have had my two liters of MyFreedomSmokes nic on a shelf in the laundry room (inside the house in A/C) now for about 10 months (procrastinating on transferring to my brown Boston Rounds bottles for storage).

In all that time my nic is still water clear. I'm not complaining, just wondering why. Did you keep any out at room temp that has never been frozen? Did it change color more, less, or the same as the frozen bottles? Maybe mine isn't old enough to show color change at room temp.

 

[Rossum]

Rossum, I'm enjoying your nic pictures. It's funny that I have had my two liters of MyFreedomSmokes nic on a shelf in the laundry room (inside the house in A/C) now for about 10 months (procrastinating on transferring to my brown Boston Rounds bottles for storage).

In all that time my nic is still water clear.

Let's get some more data here. What kind of bottles is it in? Have they been opened, or are they "factory sealed"?

Did you keep any out at room temp that has never been frozen? Did it change color more, less, or the same as the frozen bottles?

The Vapers Tek room temperature samples have never been frozen, at least by me. Of course I do not know how VT themselves store their inventory, so I can't preclude it entirely.

 

[KentA]

Rossum, I'm enjoying your nic pictures. It's funny that I have had my two liters of MyFreedomSmokes nic on a shelf in the laundry room (inside the house in A/C) now for about 10 months (procrastinating on transferring to my brown Boston Rounds bottles for storage).

In all that time my nic is still water clear. I'm not complaining, just wondering why. Did you keep any out at room temp that has never been frozen? Did it change color more, less, or the same as the frozen bottles? Maybe mine isn't old enough to show color change at room temp.

Ahh. Just as a pattern was beginning to develop, new evidence emerges.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Ahh. Just as a pattern was beginning to develop, new evidence emerges.

The only thing certain is...uncertainty.

 

[r77r7r]

.

 

[DaveP]

Let's get some more data here. What kind of bottles is it in? Have they been opened, or are they "factory sealed"?

One is still factory sealed in a white plastic liter bottle. Of course, I can't see inside without breaking the seal. The other is still in the white plastic bottle and has been opened only during DIY sessions once a month. I open the bottle, measure out Nic into my mix bottles for six 50ml batches and close it up again to limit air exposure. Then, I add the PG and VG and flavorings.

For reference, this is what I have. It's 75pg/25vg 100mg/ml. Since I vape 70pg/30vg I ordered it in a mix that's closest to my final mix.
UnFlavored Nicotine E-Liquid Base - 1-Liter Container

****
There may be one caveat. I'm judging it mainly on the 1.5mg amount that I dispense into the clear glass Boston Rounds bottle. That's a thin layer in the bottle that I've been tilting to make it run to the side for viewing. That's not a lot of depth for judging color.

I got the open bottle out and opened the cap. I've only broken the top seal in the center to get a dropper or pipette in to draw out small amounts for mixing so I can't really see down into the top.

It's a bright morning, so I put it onto the window sill to try and view color through the white plastic bottle. I can see a very pale orange tint through the white plastic when it's backlighted. It's similar to pale apple juice.

That solves it for me. It's oxidizing. I just couldn't see that well into the thick white plastic bottle through the small hole in the top seal. When I draw it out to mix it's water clear in the dropper's glass tube. That's what fooled me.

 

[Rossum]

One is still factory sealed in a white plastic liter bottle. Of course, I can't see inside without breaking the seal. The other is still in the white plastic bottle and has been opened only during DIY sessions once a month. I open the bottle, measure out Nic into my mix bottles for six 50ml batches and close it up again to limit air exposure. Then, I add the PG and VG and flavorings.

Please look at the bottom of the bottle for the recycling symbol and let us know what type of plastic it is. I'm guessing it's #2.

Also, I'm curious how you measure out your nic?

 

[DaveP]

Please look at the bottom of the bottle for the recycling symbol and let us know what type of plastic it is. I'm guessing it's #2.

Also, I'm curious how you measure out your nic?

The triangle symbol has a 2 in it. It's HDPE. That's molded into the plastic next to the triangle.

I've been measuring my nic on my LB-501 scale using a dropper to transfer into the bottle on the scale. I have pipettes, but the dropper feels more controllable for nic. For PG and VG I use clear condiment bottles.

 

[Rossum]

I've been measuring my nic on my LB-501 scale using a dropper to transfer into the bottle on the scale. I have pipettes, but the dropper feels more controllable for nic. For PG and VG I use clear condiment bottles.

I wonder if some of the nic that has a very noticeable color change in the bottles I've been taking pictures of would still look "water clear" in a dropper due to the dropper having a much smaller cross-section of liquid in it than my clear bottles?

Unfortunately, I would have to open at least one of the bottles to find out, and that would ruin the design of the experiment I'm conducting.

Have you looked down in the bottle using a bright light?