Steeping Times and an Ultrasonic Cleaner Part III
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I just picked up that small Harbor Freight UC, item # 03305. Anticipating my DIY order, I started playing around with steeping some Halo juice that does not taste quite right yet- The Longhorn and the Midnight Apple. I put the bottles in, filled with warm water, jammed the power button on and closed the lid. I put a towel over it to quiet the noise..... About a half an hour later, the water was actually almost hot. Is this from closing the lid and covering it? I know that too hot is a bad thing and could ruin the juice, right?
{The rubber band and dog food kibble cheat works wonderfully for keeping this thing running, by the way!}
{The rubber band and dog food kibble cheat works wonderfully for keeping this thing running, by the way!}
I would keep it from getting over 120F. I just use an insulated coffee mug with 120F water, unfortunately no UC atm
Cheers,
Steve
Cheers,
Steve
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The ultrasonic waves will generate heat so If the water does get to hot run it uncovered. Up to 120F is ok above that not so good.
I just picked up that small Harbor Freight UC, item # 03305. Anticipating my DIY order, I started playing around with steeping some Halo juice that does not taste quite right yet- The Longhorn and the Midnight Apple. I put the bottles in, filled with warm water, jammed the power button on and closed the lid. I put a towel over it to quiet the noise..... About a half an hour later, the water was actually almost hot. Is this from closing the lid and covering it? I know that too hot is a bad thing and could ruin the juice, right?
{The rubber band and dog food kibble cheat works wonderfully for keeping this thing running, by the way!}
Mine gets hot in 30-45 minutes. I just unplug it for an hour and repeat a few times.
Heat is OK as long as you don't go above 120F. Have you monitored how hot your's gets. As it may not be nessessary to wait so long in between cycles. I usually don't wait more then 5 minutes between cycles. I just let it rest to let the mechanics cool down so it don't burn out.
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My unit has 2 strong transducers and generates a lot of heat. I have used a handful of ice, or even just replaced some of the water with cold, to cool the bath down.
Found a tiny little thing in the Christmas gift clearance section at Walmart for $7
Not exactly much for settings, but hey, it'll do while I try to find something to order =p
(At which point I can just take it apart)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Not exactly much for settings, but hey, it'll do while I try to find something to order =p
(At which point I can just take it apart)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
My cool down rest periods are probably why it's still kicking.
I let it get barely too hot for comfort. I have over a liter of juice steeped for myself so there's no hurry there.
I keep at it when my buddy Nate reminds me on Thusday night that I promised him some juice on Saturday.
oops.
I don't give people juice unless it's at least damn close to ready-to-vape.
It'll be ready tomorrow.
I drop a few small cubes in sometimes. I usually use a turkey baster to replace hot with cold
I assume (I know ... I know ...) the condensate is just ... juice. A quick shake and all better.
I have reason to believe its water which would dilute the juice. I think I'll leave the caps off overnight. I assume the water would evaporate faster than the pg/vg
I spent an extra $10 for the two year warranty on my little Harbor Freight unit. I do not expect it to last that long but you never know. With the 25% coupon, this thing was dirt cheap and it works well enough to perforate a piece of aluminum foil as well as making the foil break down. (This is a test to see if your UC is working)
With the power button jammed on, I tried a mechanical timer setup: 15 min on, 15 min off, back and forth for over four hours. This works excellent and then I don't have to tend to it so much. Set it and forget it. It never gets too hot this way. As far as my test juice- an unloved Halo Longhorn sample, it drove the "Sharpie marker" and perfume notes right out of it. Now it tastes like Halo says it should- sort of like a Cavendish pipe tobacco. Not my favorite, but now it is at least vapable with my menthol drops. -So I give the Harbor Freight unit high marks as far as value and function. The DIY vapemail cannot get here soon enough!
With the power button jammed on, I tried a mechanical timer setup: 15 min on, 15 min off, back and forth for over four hours. This works excellent and then I don't have to tend to it so much. Set it and forget it. It never gets too hot this way. As far as my test juice- an unloved Halo Longhorn sample, it drove the "Sharpie marker" and perfume notes right out of it. Now it tastes like Halo says it should- sort of like a Cavendish pipe tobacco. Not my favorite, but now it is at least vapable with my menthol drops. -So I give the Harbor Freight unit high marks as far as value and function. The DIY vapemail cannot get here soon enough!
In the middle of winter I doubt that it's water condensation from an outside source and even if it was it's not enough to spoil a batch. Condensation is a normal part of the steep process when the water heats the liquid in the bottle heats and thus produces what you are seeing. No need to worry. Just shake it up.
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I read this thread and initially tried uc fast steep method. Didn't seem to work for me. Really following the directions, I tried with glass bottles only and suspended them from the top rather than having that plastic basket in there. I don't know if it works immediately, but after 5 hours in the uc and then a 2 day steep, everything is as it should be. Works for me. This process really takes the waiting hassle out of experiments. Which is nice for the new DIYer who doesn't have his "go to" recipes available yet. Thanks all.
I have some temperature probe measurements from two hours of 30 minute on, 30 minute off cycling from the Harbor Freight UC # 03305. With the tank full, two 30ml bottles and starting with tepid water {in a 73 degree room,} the solution maxed at about 115 F degrees when it shut down and it cooled down to about 103 F degrees when it turned on again. I suppose a few ice cubes in there can keep it all in check if it gets any warmer. Or do this in the back room where it is way cooler! 
I'm just playing with some juice that already tastes great. Come on, vapemail!
I'm just playing with some juice that already tastes great. Come on, vapemail!
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Funny thing is once I took out the basket and did suspension from above, my temps never became so hot I was concerned about them. I could also watch the water in the UC, and man did it show cavitation. So a lesson I seem hesitant to abide, follow directions, is once again reinforced. Happy vaping.
If it makes a difference to suspend the bottles and not sit them directly in the tank, I will try this!
If you sit them in a basket that is slightly elevated off the UC floor it will achive the same thing. Most UC's come with this type of basket. It's never a good idea to sit bottles directly on the metal UC floor. UC waves don't disperse through the water correctly when items are directly in contact with the floor.
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