Possible cause of VG flavor loss?

[Nikhil]

It seems that when I use VG it vaporizes slower, which in turn is giving me a smaller amount of flavor per puff. For example, it may take 3x 3 second drags to use 1 drop of VG, whereas it may take 2x 2 second drags to use 1 drop of PG. So each second with the VG is 1/9th of a drop, while each puff with the PG is 1/4th of a drop. That's more than double the flavor/second (hypothetically).

I tend to keep my personal mixes around 40% VG, so I haven't tested this theory much and wondered if anyone else feels they go through PG liquid faster than VG liquid (or they have to vape their VG more often/longer drags than their PG). This would probably be more noticeable with a lower powered setup, since the reason it's vaporizing slower is likely the higher vaporization point. PGA could balance this problem by reducing the vaporization point to near that of PG.

Thoughts?

 

[cozzicon]

I've had the same thought. I'm tending more towards a 50/50 mix in my new orders.

 

[Hoosier]

I have observed the same thing, but thought it was a wicking issue due to the increased viscosity.

I notice a hot flavor with my typical long draw when using higher concentrations of VG that turns to a burnt taste if I do not stop quickly and let the PV rest.

I think we are noticing the same end effect and I may have assumed the wrong cause?

PGA does help with it regardless.

 

[Nikhil]

I drip so I haven't really dealt with any wicking issues since I started vaping, but that's there too. The thing about adding PGA is it might just vaporize first and leave the VG behind instead of vaporizing together with a modified vaporization point.

 

[Hoosier]

It doesn't seem like PGA being evaporated out would be a huge concern. Sure, it's going to happen to a portion, but I always though the heat of the coil was so far over the boiling point of juice that it was more like water on red hot steel. The part in contact vaporizes nearly instantly and throws the rest away.

The part being thrown out by the rapid gas expansion would likely be the source of PGA evaporating out of the mix, but the vapor is coming from the part that was boiled quickly. The concept I have in my head of the process leads me to believe what I stated previously.

Obviously, my background is in mechanical & electrical, so I only learned enough chemistry to be dangerous. (I spent spare time in the lab with a dish of water and a bottle of sodium in the vent hood watching the tiny explosions as the pellet danced across the water which I found much more entertaining than quantitative analsis experiments.)

But maybe the quantity falling back into the heat doesn't mix readily with the surrounding juice and the PGA evaporation becomes more pronounced. Could be the evaporation is more pronounced due the the surrounding surfaces getting hot. If, so, it would seem that drippers would be more likely to notice as they don't have the heat sink that a cart of liquid could impart.

Just thinking out loud at this point...

 

[MaxUT]

Here's an experiment to try:

Get a metal plate (1/4" stainless steel would be great) and place it on a stove burner. Set the burner on high and heat the plate to 400 degrees or so. Use a syringe to place 0.1ml of pure PG on the plate and observe how long it takes to vaporize completely. Repeat with pure VG, VG mixed with DW, VG mixed with PGA. A stopwatch would be handy.

Maybe I can find a scrap of stainless at work that will fit in my lunchbox...

 

[AttyPops]

Maybe those that use PGA (I've not tried it yet) could explain if PGA seems to keep the atties cleaner than the same juice without PGA. If so, it may imply better vaporization of the juice, which implies a modified vaporization point...... or at least leans in that direction. I understand that it is a solvent too. Hoosier seemed to say this if I understood his post, but he was also talking about burnt taste, so I am unsure. Just a thought.

P.S. I'd hate for Hoosier to have to spend too much time in the lab:

I spent spare time in the lab with a dish of water and a bottle of sodium in the vent hood watching the tiny explosions as the pellet danced across the water which I found much more entertaining than quantitative analsis experiments.

ROFL

Maybe MaxUT's experiment will keep him out of the lab...

 

[Nikhil]

The problem with such an experiment is that it wouldn't tell you if the alcohol was vaporizing before the VG or with the VG. Either way the total time to vaporize would be about the same, and of course the VG diluted with alcohol would vaporize faster than the pure VG. Maybe a chemist can explain how the vaporization process occurs with PGA added to VG?

Here's an experiment to try:

Get a metal plate (1/4" stainless steel would be great) and place it on a stove burner. Set the burner on high and heat the plate to 400 degrees or so. Use a syringe to place 0.1ml of pure PG on the plate and observe how long it takes to vaporize completely. Repeat with pure VG, VG mixed with DW, VG mixed with PGA. A stopwatch would be handy.

Maybe I can find a scrap of stainless at work that will fit in my lunchbox...

 

[LynGBH]

Is it possible the issue might be that VG is a better humectant? If it attracts more moisture, wouldn't the moisture dilute both the taste and the nic?

I have no scientific background, I'm just throwing a common sense based theory out here.

 

[Hoosier]

Maybe MaxUT's experiment will keep him out of the lab...

Nah, the only scrap of metal I have sitting around that would be applicable is 1/4" thick aluminum and my stove was dragged out of a barn and can't be leveled. It would just be an experiment on how quickly the droplet would roll off.