Storage of PG, VG, nic, flavoring

[vaperature]

OK, I'm all set. I have what can only be described as a lab kit, a variety of flavors and my nic solution.

I'm pretty clear about mixing. I'm not too bad at math.

My question is now this: storage.

I'm pretty sure the best way to store the nic solution is in dark glass bottle in the freezer.

How about the bottles of PG and VG? Seems VG is thick enough as it is. Storing the entire bottle in the freezer would require thawing and even heating each time to thin it enough to use a syringe on it. If I do this, will that harm the VG in any way. Should I even store it in the freezer, refrigerator? Or is there a better way?

I'm pretty sure I heard don't store the flavor concentrate in cold as it could diminish the flavor. True? What's the best way to store flavors? Will light affect flavors? Should they also be stored in a dark place?

Let me know how you do it and any advice will, as usual, be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Spazmelda]

Hmm, I don't know what the best way is. I store my stocks of nicotine in the freezer and keep about 2 months worth out in a smaller bottle.

I keep everything else at room temperature. The small bottles of flavor and the working nicotine bottle I keep in a locked cash box, so they are in the dark. The pg and vg I just keep in a closet in the bottles they came in. I also have a couple of bigger bottles of flavor that I keep in the closet in cardboard box.

I do know from previous lab work that subjecting some things to repeated freeze thaw cycles can be detrimental to them. So I don't keep my flavors and stuff in the freezer.

For the nic... I've got a couple of big bottles in the freezer and I just store them in the bottles they came in. When it comes time to open a new one, I take it out of the freezer and leave it capped until it comes to room temperature. Then I divide that out into smaller bottles (60 ml, I think) and put all but one back in the freezer in a cardboard box. I use that 60 ml bottle until its gone, and then work my way through the rest of them. When those are all gone I take out a new big bottle, and do the same thing to divide it up. That way each portion of nicotine only goes through 2 freeze thaws. I suppose it would be better to divide each big bottle up as soon as I get it, but I don't want to expose it to air, and it would take up more freezer space.

That's just how I do it.

 

[vaperature]

Hmm, I don't know what the best way is. I store my stocks of nicotine in the freezer and keep about 2 months worth out in a smaller bottle.

I keep everything else at room temperature. The small bottles of flavor and the working nicotine bottle I keep in a locked cash box, so they are in the dark. The pg and vg I just keep in a closet in the bottles they came in. I also have a couple of bigger bottles of flavor that I keep in the closet in cardboard box.

I do know from previous lab work that subjecting some things to repeated freeze thaw cycles can be detrimental to them. So I don't keep my flavors and stuff in the freezer.

For the nic... I've got a couple of big bottles in the freezer and I just store them in the bottles they came in. When it comes time to open a new one, I take it out of the freezer and leave it capped until it comes to room temperature. Then I divide that out into smaller bottles (60 ml, I think) and put all but one back in the freezer in a cardboard box. I use that 60 ml bottle until its gone, and then work my way through the rest of them. When those are all gone I take out a new big bottle, and do the same thing to divide it up. That way each portion of nicotine only goes through 2 freeze thaws. I suppose it would be better to divide each big bottle up as soon as I get it, but I don't want to expose it to air, and it would take up more freezer space.

That's just how I do it.

Thanks for sharing. Right now I've divided my 120ml of 100mg solution into two 60ml bottles and have them both in the freezer. According to you it may be more advisable to break them up into smaller bottles (I do have 30ml bottles) and to leave one of them out for usages and so that the others don't have to keep thawing and being exposed to air. And also there's no need to store the pg/vg in the freezer at all. Sounds like sound advice.

 

[Wingsfan0310]

I do basically the same thing Spazmelda does. I broke up my 500ml of 100mg Nic into 7-60ml amber glass bottles for freezing, kept out the remainder for working supply. Broke my gallon of PG and VG up into 4 quart glass canning jars (did that so I wasn't opening and closing gallon jars and the canning jars are wide mouth - makes it easier to work with). I store them in (the 3 each of PG and VG) in an unused cooler in my walk-in closet. I keep my working supplies (Nic, PG, VG, Flavorings, Syringes) in a covered box in the same closet.

PS If your interested, here's a link to a thread I started about Storage of PG and VG: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/500464-storage-pg-vg.html

 

[vaperature]

I do basically the same thing Spazmelda does. I broke up my 500ml of 100mg Nic into 7-60ml amber glass bottles for freezing, kept out the remainder for working supply. Broke my gallon of PG and VG up into 4 quart glass canning jars (did that so I wasn't opening and closing gallon jars and the canning jars are wide mouth - makes it easier to work with). I store them in (the 3 each of PG and VG) in an unused cooler in my walk-in closet. I keep my working supplies (Nic, PG, VG, Flavorings, Syringes) in a covered box in the same closet.

PS If your interested, here's a link to a thread I started about Storage of PG and VG: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/500464-storage-pg-vg.html

Thanks man. I'll check out your thread.

Here's another question because I just made a 12ml small batch of my first DIY and it came out really good, just basic 50/50 mix with 10% cola flavoring at 25mg (because that's easier to calculate than 24mg) and it seems the nic is a bit high. It's nothing unvapable, in fact rather good, but definitely seems like it's a bit higher than 25mg.

The question being, does the nic solution need to be shaken before usage? Will the nic settle in the solution (I'm using pg)? As far as storage, will freezing cause the nic in the solution to settle making it more concentrated in pockets. Or perhaps the nic is just so fresh that it's a bit more potent straight out of the bottle I got in the mail today? I'm assuming Wizard Labs mixes the solution well so that there is an even 100mg throughout the bottle from top to bottom and that it doesn't need further mixes but just curious about these things.

I'm pretty psyched because I just made 12ml of pretty darn good juice for what I calculate to be $1.20.

(by the way read your thread and the story about the broken freezer with the rotten food in it reminds me of a horror story of when a tenant had his power cut off for some weeks but never emptied the freezer. I had to go in there to clean it and I must have vomited five times. Had to actually take the thing apart to get all the maggots out of the crevices.)

 

[Wingsfan0310]

When I got mine, I shook it before opening and parting it out for freezing. I filled my bottles up to the top (left a very small space, it won't freeze and expand), trying to leave as little room as possible for oxygen, to prevent oxidation. As for shaking your working Nic before using there are 2 differing views:
1. Don't shake because it will introduce air into the Nic mixture that will oxidize the Nic.
2. Shake it, it's not really going to matter.

I shake mine just to be sure. I'm not sure if the Nic separates out of solution (I personally don't think it does), but I'm not taking any chances.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[vaperature]

Well I did mix it really well in a beaker with a glass rod for something like ten minutes and also shook it in the bottle that I put it in, but still, it could be that the juice itself isn't settled, not the nic solution. In any case, I really doubt I'll ever buy premade juice again unless it's something complicated like Voodoo. I figure I can make about 500 ml of juice with the stuff I have right now alone and I've only begun shopping around.

 

[Wingsfan0310]

I feel the same way about buying store bought juice. Good luck with your DIY. I also think when you create a juice you really like, it makes it seem just that much better. Happy Vaping!!!

 

[Steamix]

MSDS ( Material Safety Data Sheets ) advise storage in cool ( not necessarily freezing ) place. Brown glass bottles properly seald and that stuff will last for years, Nicbase might darken a bit 'cuz the nic reacts with the oxygen. No big deal. Jes' play it safe and store it where kids or other unsuspecting folk don't have access to avoid any mishaps.

 

[vaperature]

MSDS ( Material Safety Data Sheets ) advise storage in cool ( not necessarily freezing ) place. Brown glass bottles properly seald and that stuff will last for years, Nicbase might darken a bit 'cuz the nic reacts with the oxygen. No big deal. Jes' play it safe and store it where kids or other unsuspecting folk don't have access to avoid any mishaps.

Good advice. I've got my two bottles labled POISON inside a metal can also marked POISON in the freezer. This is very precautionary because I live alone so I'm not too worried but who knows what a snooping friend might get into or something. I'm brainstorming a storage technique that will allow me to make small batches whenever I want it, so dividing the nic up into smaller bottles seems like a sound plan.

 

[djdavies]

The question being, does the nic solution need to be shaken before usage? Will the nic settle in the solution (I'm using pg)? As far as storage, will freezing cause the nic in the solution to settle making it more concentrated in pockets. Or perhaps the nic is just so fresh that it's a bit more potent straight out of the bottle I got in the mail today? I'm assuming Wizard Labs mixes the solution well so that there is an even 100mg throughout the bottle from top to bottom and that it doesn't need further mixes but just curious about these things.

The label on a bottle of nic I just got from WL says right on it to "Shake Well Before First Use."

 

[vaperature]

The label on a bottle of nic I just got from WL says right on it to "Shake Well Before First Use."

Mine probably does too but I have a hard time reading small print. I'll look closer at it tomorrow.

 

[savagemann]

I store all my mixing stuff in this........



Have enough nic in there for a few months of mixing.
The rest is in the freezer in 120ml amber glass bottles with poly cone caps.



Top shelf is mostly my rebuildable supplies, wire, wick, tools etc.

Middle upper and middle sections are flavors, syringes, pre mixed 50/50vg/pg, additives etc and a space for cap off steeping.

Bottom section is bulk pg, vg, empty bottles and containers of mixed juice.


I always shake my nic well before use.
If I am breaking a large batch down for freezer storage, I will shake it a bit extra.
My train of thought is if there is any type of separation, I want everything from the original bottle thoroughly shaken before redistribution into smaller bottles.

 

[vaperature]

I store all my mixing stuff in this........

.

Wow. Now I want to see your hardware.

 

[Steamix]

Shaking it is always a good idea ... Specific gravity of nic and PG are pretty close, pure VG is much denser. So, if the bottle stands undisturbed for a long time it won't separate outright, but there will be a concentration gradient within the bottle. I never bothered quantifying it, I just give it a good shake rattle and roll

 

[Kurt]

Shaking it is always a good idea ... Specific gravity of nic and PG are pretty close, pure VG is much denser. So, if the bottle stands undisturbed for a long time it won't separate outright, but there will be a concentration gradient within the bottle. I never bothered quantifying it, I just give it a good shake rattle and roll

As far as I know, this concentration gradient you are referring to does not happen. Yes, nic is less dense than VG, but it is soluble in VG, and thus if the solution is fully mixed, it should not separate or have the nic rise up to the surface. I have discussed this with several manufacturers, and they have not experienced said gradient if the solution is fully mixed. But VG is very thick, and incomplete mixing is not hard to have, leading to "hot spots", so shaking or mixing is still a good idea. But I don't think there is a tendency for a nic solution to separate on its own after being fully mixed.