Since I have been summoned from a winter's nap, I will chime in on these questions that come up from time to time and attempt to answer from my perspective as a smoke fluid manufacturer. My comments are relating to JT's Mega-Steam and although I test other smoke fluids frequently for comparison, my comments and suggestions are geared towards our product since we proudly make it right here in the U.S.A. and have high quality standards in our manufacturing process and we choose to not use any foreign chemicals or ingredients.
1.) Shelf Life: That is a very subjective term since it depends on many factors involving proper storage, etc. We specify 2-3 years as a normal shelf life although many test control bottles that we have are going on 8-9 years and still are considered good. Shelf life is like the expiration sell date on milk. That date is a sell date and most milk products are good for several days beyond the date...but it all depends on how the milk is stored. So it is with smoke fluid. 2-3 years is an average shelf life. Fresh is always better when it comes to chemicals so just purchase new after a few years. That will give you the best performance.
2.) Storage is important. Store in a cool, dark place away from light to extend the life of the fluid. We also suggest squeezing out the fluid from the eye dropper before storing. That extends the life of the rubber bulb. (We are constantly looking at replacing the rubber bulbs with a synthetic ones, but cost factors would cause our smoke fluid to be $2-3.00 more per bottle and we don't want to out-price our product.)
3.) When is it going bad? The first indicator of smoke fluid going bad is loss of scent or discoloration. The chemical composition does tend to break down after a while and that usually occurs after 3 years time frame. But, again, it all depends on how the fluid is stored. Many of our customers report their fluid is 6+ years old and still as good as new...so it all depends on how you care for the product.
4.) "Shake well before using." That is the basic rule and appears on all of our labels.
Sometimes ingredient settling or separation can occur, shaking just keeps everything fresh and mixed correctly.
5.) As mentioned above, fresh is always better. Common sense is a good guide.
If your smoke fluid is old, looks old, or smells strange, just throw it out. If you experience the burned rubber smell, that probably indicates that the rubber in the eye dropper may have started to react with the fluid...giving you the smell of burned tires. We keep our costs as low as possible so that you all can enjoy fresh smoke fluid as needed.
6.) Any harm from using old fluid? Why would you want to use old fluid? Just as you wouldn't consider using old oil in your automobile, why risk the possibility of causing mischief to the internal parts of your smoke unit. These parts are sensitive and always work better with fresh smoke fluid.
Hopefully, this will answer most of the questions here in this thread.
All the best to everyone for a great and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Jeb Kriigel
JT's Mega-Steam
"World's Finest Smoke Fluid!"
