Source of the burnt taste?

[nerdjuice32]

Hi guys. I've been making diy coils and juice for several years, however, I haven't been too active on forums or seeking much info. Once I knew how to do something I just did it and mostly figured things out on my own from there. I feel I've missed some foundational info in doing so, however.

So, I don't go too crazy with my builds. Dual coil claptons at .33 ohms, generally running around 40-50 watts. I would like to TC but have been having too many problems with it, so it's in a user control mode with a decreasing curve of power (if that makes sense). I change the wicking fairly regularly - the coils only once every few months (burn cleaning them when I change wicks, though).

My question is why I sometimes my juice vapes harsh. My recipes don't change too much, if at all. ~6mg nic. It's been very inconsistent when I notice it. Sometimes a bottle that is harsh when I first start using it is no longer harsh by the time I'm finishing it. Sometimes the opposite. (I am mixing them thoroughly) I'm usually vaping dessert flavors, which I know can gum up the coils faster, but even right after changing coils/wicks/and immediately after making juice, it's extremely harsh on the throat - particularly the exhale, whereas other times, the same exact juice recipe and setup will produce a creamy smooth experience. If I lower the wattage, it doesn't help - it just makes me feel I'm not getting a good hit and have to take a longer draw, negating the lower harshness.

Does nicotine, PG, VG or even the flavors have shelf lives? I do tend to buy bigger bottles that last a long while. ~6 months or so. Do they get harsh over time? I know juice is better when steeped, but I didn't expect that to affect the harshness so much as the flavor. Are there any other things I am not considering?

 

[bombastinator]

There is the steeping factor. Juices change flavor the longer they sit. Generally for the better though. Some juice flavors really demand long steeping times. Nicotine does have a shelf life. Nicotine degrades in the presence of heat and light. I solve this problem by keeping my nic base in the freezer.
As to the TC issue I experience this too, so I bought a mod with a dna75c chip and use replay, which drastically simplifies matters

 

[Anise]

It's gremlins messing with your juice. Actually I have no idea but gremlins seemed to work so I went for it.

 

[bombastinator]

It's gremlins messing with your juice. Actually I have no idea but gremlins seemed to work so I went for it.

 

[Fredman1]

I find the same thing. Sometimes its harsh on my throat and sometimes not. I put it down to my throat, cause all the other variables are the same. Sometimes my throat accepts and other times it protests...kinda like the wife

 

[nerdjuice32]

Thanks for the info, guys. I'm about to build a cabinet for extra storage and recently ordered a bunch off wizard labs, including a bunch of extra bottles, so I can make more than 1 or 2 at a time. I should be able to really churn them out and see what this whole 'steeping' thing is about. Idk why I always thought it was just to round out flavors. But like I said, the inconsistency was baffling to me - how it could sometimes be smooth after mixing and then later get harsh. Maybe you're right, Fredman. Maybe it's the throat. I can't comment on the wife portion, though.

I generally mix a large batch of flavorless base with my PG, VG, and nic together, so when I mix, all I have to do is add flavors to an empty bottle and then fill to the top with the base + shake. That base shouldn't have a problem in the freezer, should it? I can store my extra nic in there, in any case. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Fredman1]

Yep your base is safe and stable in the fridge. No need to freeze really...
I'm sure its not the flavors or base. They blend slowly over time. If you get a consistent harshness it can be that, but seeing yours isn't, all that's left is the throat.
I get it in the mornings when my throat is sensitive. I usually take a few sips of water to lubricate, or wait until I have my coffee.

 

[Jazzman]

Thanks for the info, guys. I'm about to build a cabinet for extra storage and recently ordered a bunch off wizard labs, including a bunch of extra bottles, so I can make more than 1 or 2 at a time. I should be able to really churn them out and see what this whole 'steeping' thing is about. Idk why I always thought it was just to round out flavors. But like I said, the inconsistency was baffling to me - how it could sometimes be smooth after mixing and then later get harsh. Maybe you're right, Fredman. Maybe it's the throat. I can't comment on the wife portion, though.

I generally mix a large batch of flavorless base with my PG, VG, and nic together, so when I mix, all I have to do is add flavors to an empty bottle and then fill to the top with the base + shake. That base shouldn't have a problem in the freezer, should it? I can store my extra nic in there, in any case. Thanks for the tip.

Part of the problem might be the way you're mixing. Pre-making your PG/VG/Nic base results in no way to know exactly what your final PG/VG ratio will be with the final mix. Since your flavorings you add later are going to be mostly PG (flavorings are predominately PG as the carrier liquid for the flavor compounds). Greater PG equals more throat hit and a harsher experience. This is especially true with higher flavoring ratios in your mix. It might not be very noticeable with mixes that have a low flavor percentage, like 5 or 6%, but will have a larger effect at higher flavoring percentages.

I would encourage you to start mixing without using a pre-made nic base and treat your nic base components (PG/VG/Nic) the same as your flavorings by adding as separate components of your juice during mixing. Get an ejuice calculator (or use one of the online versions) to see how that works. Using your method you will see the PG/VG ratios change as you add flavorings since you are adding PG with every flavor.

Get a cheap digital scale that can do 0.01gr measurements (about $20 on Amazon) and you will mix very quickly and very accurately. Doing your mixing this way will give you very consistent results form batch to batch, regardless of the size of ejuice mix you are making. It will also give you the ability to make very minor adjustments to your mixes to fine tune your recipes for the best flavor, throat hit, and nic level.

Accurate mixing will give you the repeatability you are missing now. And it's not hard, you just need a method of mixing that gives you accurate control over your mixes.