Stocking up...storage in particular.

[AttyPops]

I don't plan on putting "plumber's anything" on my otherwise supposedly clean e-juice. I don't even like having to transfer it to other bottles. And I certainly won't cut it before storage.

Yes, I'm aware it's anti-bacterial and such. Still....

Since it won't freeze, IDK how much headroom I'd need in the bottle if any.

 

[Patrick.Quenga]

OK, so I was just skimming through as I'm getting ready to leave for work now. Wanted to post my own, because this is what I was exactly looking for "storage of raw materials"...

I see that a lot are saying store your nic base in the freezer. Just a few questions, so I can track my own post here...

1. Is it ok to store the nic base, PG, and VG in the fridge? Or does it have to be the freezer?

2. I get these shipped to me in plastic bottles (as I'm sure many of you order probably from the same places), do you guys transfer them from plastic bottles to glass bottles and store in fridge/freezer?

Thanks in advance! I have to run, already running late!!! BLAH!!!!!WORK!!!!

 

[Train2]

I'm not even into DIY yet, but I've got plan a, which is a slow accumulation of stuff, and plan b, which is "they've legislated us into a black market". That happens, I think I go with this: $5 extra, and it arrives in brown glass.

 

[GaryInTexas]

I have a liter of 100mg that I'm going to break up into 120's and seal with phenolic poly caps. Should I use plumbers tape on the threads or not worry about it because of the cap type? With the cone inside the cap, how close to the lip of the bottle can I get before I run the risk of pushing some out as I screw the cap?

I leave about a 1/4" of air in my bottles with the lid on. I wrap the bottom treads only a couple of times before filling and then once they are filled and lids are on I wrap the sides of the lid down to the bottom of the bottle neck with teflon tape. Feel like this will give me a pretty good tight seal.

 

[DVap]

I think the degradation wouldn't be as bad with a nic test kit as you might think.

Really, we're talking about oxidation, and one thing oxidation isn't going to do is destroy the pyridine ring or the pyrollidine ring in the nicotine molecule. Those nitrogens are still there and still basic. You have to understand that any nicotine test kit based on the titration method I posted here back in 2009 isn't actually specific for nicotine... but nicotine is simply assumed to be the responsible base. That's why it's cheap and relatively easy to do the test.

I could turn it around and ask you about vaping fresh clean nicotine liquid at 24 mg. Does it bother anyone that the actual nicotine concentration once vaporized in the atty might drop down considerably below 24 mg due to oxidation in the atty. Nope.. and it doesn't bother me. I suspect that the oxidation products will be similarly as active as nicotine, more or less.

That's a really good point DVap.

However, consider that also you're started with fresh nic in your example. So if after 3 years it's 90 mg/ml, and you cut it like it was really 100 mg, your juice is off.

So basically, you're saying people who do long term storage of nic would benefit from an accurate nic-test kit.

Me....After the 1st 30 ml bottle I mix isn't strong enough, I'll just mix it a bit stronger next time.

So I guess the question is ...."how degraded is degraded?"

 

[mrcoolbp]

Interesting stuff DVap, I'm sure very few (if any of us) even considered that. I guess your point (and what I was trying to back you up on) is that we can try to use best practices, but in the end it's all just up in smoke. Therefore, I don't worry too much about it. Don't get me wrong, my nic is in glass bottles in the freezer with poly-caps, but I sure as heck wouldn't purge the O₂ with some argon gas-syringe-balloon contraption for any reason other than it might be fun.

Also it's been stated many times that those test kits can give you an idea but they are not "very accurate." So take them with a grain of salt as well.

 

[Bob Chill]

I leave about a 1/4" of air in my bottles with the lid on. I wrap the bottom treads only a couple of times before filling and then once they are filled and lids are on I wrap the sides of the lid down to the bottom of the bottle neck with teflon tape. Feel like this will give me a pretty good tight seal.

I took care of it today and it went smoothly. I didn't use teflon tape or anything. Just a tight screw on the cap. I also vacuum sealed each bottle individually. Feeling pretty good about the effort. Now I have 1.75L in storage. Even if there's no doomsday I feel like I took out an insurance policy on my personal liberty and freedom.

 

[DVap]

Interesting stuff DVap, I'm sure very few (if any of us) even considered that. I guess your point (and what I was trying to back you up on) is that we can try to use best practices, but in the end it's all just up in smoke. Therefore, I don't worry too much about it. Don't get me wrong, my nic is in glass bottles in the freezer with poly-caps, but I sure as heck wouldn't purge the O₂ with some argon gas-syringe-balloon contraption for any reason other than it might be fun.

Also it's been stated many times that those test kits can give you an idea but they are not "very accurate." So take them with a grain of salt as well.

Actually, with very good technique, those kits can be quite accurate... perhaps to better than 5% in the right hands. Much depends on the liquid being tested. Nicotine concentrates give really good results.

 

[mrcoolbp]

Actually, with very good technique, those kits can be quite accurate... perhaps to better than 5% in the right hands. Much depends on the liquid being tested. Nicotine concentrates give really good results.

Right, but most of us aren't accomplished chemists using multiple titrations for accuracy, or using burettes or anything. Just sayin' people should know what their error margins are. Thank you DVap for making this test accessible for all of us!

 

[glasseye]

I just ordered more glass bottles. I've got blue for PG nic, ordered amber for VG nic. Everything is very well labeled, I just wanted the quick color differential. The price wasn't too bad either, depending on where shipping originated. I had 3 windows with 3 carts open to get the best final price. lol The thing about glass...I don't mind spending a bit more. It's reusable, recyclable, won't leach out into the contents (we're not using lead crystal here, they're soda lime).
Just to add to the fun, it's been recommended to store your flavorings in glass. Now, I'm not going to bother for the ones I use most of, but I did purchase 24 smaller glass bottles for transferring sporadically used flavorings.

 

[gmoney$]

What about mason or ball jars?

 

[Chas_L]

Here's something I want everybody to consider about storage of eliquids.

Let's say you bought some DIY nicotine at 100 mg/mL in PG, and let's also say that this is the cleanest nicotine you could get... clear, no color, absolutely pure. So you DIY mix it down to 12 mg/mL and vape it.

The moment you fire up that atty and vaporize that nice pure nicotine, it's going to oxidize considerably. You "age" that nicotine more than years of storage ever could before it ever hits your mouth.

I changed part of text to red .


So very true IMO. I mostly vape using Evods and can taste the juice changing in taste as well as seeing the clor change as I vape. A very clear new batch which may have a bit of a bite to it is often a light amber and a lot smoother by the time 1ml has been vaped.

 

[Chas_L]

If 100 mg per ml Nic degrades to 90 mg per ml in a frig or freezer in two to 5 years (just a WAG) does it really matter to an indivual who DIYs his or her's own juice?

Many who start with 18 to 24 mg. juice have posted that in a few months to a couple of years they have cut back to 6 to 12mg and some have gone to 0 nic.

I sometiimes make 100 ml or so of 60PG / 40 VG 18mg. Nic base (stock) and then just add flavoring. Some flavoring are only like 2 to 5% which does not change the PG,VCG or nic much however some of my flavor mixs are 40 to 50% PG based and this makes the PG a lot higher the VG lower and cuts the Nic nearly to one half. Do I really notice a great deal of difference, not really as I tend to vade these desert types as treats not all day and my body does not suffer Nic withdrawl.

If Nic get to weak in storage just up the amount. If it gets black listed then even 5 year ol was clear 100 mg but is now yellow and only 80 mg will still be great to have on hand.

 

[Poeia]

Pops, based on link you provided to Kent's post, you don't want caps with plastic in them. You want foam lined caps.

Wholesale Vials bottles are 20-400. The matching caps are $12 for a lifetime supply (144 caps)
20-400 PP 217 Foam Lined Caps

eBay has the combos. I searched for "boston round foam lined cap" They all charge shipping but, if you don't want a lot of them it's not much. For example, a dozen 1 oz bottles are $10.95 + $6.15 shipping = $17.10 which is just under $1.50 each.
Boston Round Amber Glass Bottles 1 oz w Caps 12 | eBay

 

[mrcoolbp]

Yeah I thought 500ml would suffice for a few years, then I realized I'm making juice for me, my wife, 5 friends, and whoever else I convert to the dark side. Next order might be 1.5 liters or more if I want it to last a few years....

 

[sidetrack]

I'm a 0mg DIY'er now but when I did use it(100mg/ml) I only put it in Cobalt Blue bottles for an added visual safety precaution. A Blue bottle meant slow down and watch what you're doing. I only kept enough room temp 100mg/ml for about 2 months worth of mixes and the rest was stored in cobalt bottles clearly marked and dated in the bottom back of the freezer. All flavors are stored in either glass vials or 15 or 30ml amber bottles with poly seal cone caps in a blacked-out box on my closet floor where it stays cool. I only drip about 1ml /day now so E-liquids are DIY'ed in 8ml glass vials with dropper tops...easy peezy for me.

 

[AttyPops]

Yeah, guess I'll investigate glass bottles with proper caps....

sigh.

 

[FACE MEAT]

I just ordered a 10.9 year supply (assuming I stay at 15mg/mL and consume 3mL per day) of 60mg/mL nicotine base.

I would have ordered 100mg/mL, but the 60mg/mL I ordered was cheaper (price per mg of nicotine) than any 100mg/mL I could find.

Now, my questions:

1. Do the storage methods for 100mg/mL apply to my 60mg/mL?

2. Does a liquid with a lower concentration of nicotine (60mg/mL) degrade any faster or slower that a liquid with a higher concentration of nicotine (100mg/mL)?

 

[keelalagirl55]

1. Yes.....same storage applies regardless of strength

2. Not 100% certain, but I wouldn't think so. The recommendation to not dilute the 100mg/ml before storage, I believe, has more to do with the extra exposure to oxygen during the dilution and transference of the nic to other bottles. Again, not 100% certain on this one.

 

[Moogle]

What about mason or ball jars?

I use mason jars (4oz) for PG and VG storage in the fridge. Also in a freezer bag. I use teflon tape on the threads. My fear was that they would take on the flavor of the food in the fridge but it hasn't. Sealed up nice and cool so it will last awile. If longer storage is desired put it in the freezer.

NIC sould be stored in amber small glass bottles with thin necks. That seems to be the consensus. Hope it helps.