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MTL, RDL or DL: Which Draw Style Suits You?
MTL, RDL or DL: ohm, watts, airflow, e-liquid and nicotine strength compared by draw style, and which pod system or tank suits your draw.
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PG and VG explained: 50/50 base or 70/30?
50/50 often suits MTL pods, 70VG/30PG suits more powerful DL atomisers. PG is thinner, VG is thicker. Always read the letters on the label as well: 70PG/30VG is a different mix. What matters is the recommendation for your pod or coil.
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What are PG and VG?
PG stands for propylene glycol. It is clear, thin and often serves as a flavour carrier. PG can strengthen the feeling in the throat, the throat hit. Form of nicotine, amount of nicotine and power also affect it. VG stands for vegetable glycerine. It is clear, noticeably thicker and slightly sweet. A higher VG content favours denser visible vapour. PG vaporises too; the amount of vapour also depends on the coil, the power and the airflow.
The ratio is printed as a percentage on the bottle. 50/50 means half PG, half VG. Both ways of writing it exist: 30PG/70VG and 70VG/30PG mean the same VG-rich mix. 70PG/30VG, on the other hand, contains more PG. A bare figure such as 70/30 is therefore not enough. Read PG and VG on the label or in the product description as well. In this article, pairs of numbers without letters give PG first.
What changes with the ratio?
More VG makes a typical PG/VG mix thicker; more PG lets it flow back more easily. The proportion alone determines neither flavour nor the amount of vapour. Recipe, flavouring, power and type of puff all count too.
| 70/30 (PG-rich) | 50/50 | 30/70 (VG-rich) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consistency | thin | medium | thick |
| Flavour carrier | high PG content | equal PG and VG content | higher VG content of its own, slightly sweet |
| Feeling in the throat | PG can contribute more | depends on the recipe | lower PG content; nicotine counts too |
| Visible vapour | tends to be less dense | depends on the setup | tends to be denser |
| Typical device | tight MTL atomisers | Pods, MTL | Sub-ohm, DL |
The table compares tendencies with a similar setup. The e-liquid composition approved for your coil takes precedence over a blanket MTL or DL assignment.
Which base suits pods and MTL?
Many MTL pods have small e-liquid openings. If a thick mix flows back too slowly, the cotton can run dry and burn. 50/50 is usual for many of these systems. RDL pods with a different coil design can also use more VG-rich e-liquids.
Check the recommendation for the pod you are using, not just the device name. 50/50 is not a universal fit. Further causes of burnt taste are explained in Pod tastes burnt.
Which base suits sub-ohm?
Many DL tanks with larger e-liquid openings are used with 70VG/30PG. Thinner e-liquid can encourage a flooded coil and leaking there. But more VG fixes neither defective seals nor a wrongly fitted coil. Sub-ohm initially only means a resistance below one ohm; no fixed mixing ratio follows from it.
Base 50/50
Equal parts PG and VG; often used in MTL pods.
Base 30/70
30 per cent PG, 70 per cent VG; thicker than 50/50.
MTL coil
Uwell Caliburn G2 with 1.2 ohms as an MTL example.
Sub-ohm coil
Vaporesso GTX Mesh with 0.3 ohms as a DL example.
Devices and type of puff
The differences between MTL and DL are explained in MTL or DTL. You can find matching coils under Atomiser coils, and the devices under Pod devices and Box mods and mod kits.
How do flavouring and shot change the ratio?
The ratio on the base is not the ratio of your finished e-liquid. Many flavourings are PG-based, and nicotine shots have their own ratio. When mixing, you therefore add up the PG and VG of all the parts. For the worked example, the 10 ml of flavouring counts entirely towards the PG content; 60 ml is mixed in total. If your flavouring has a different composition, use that instead.
| What you mix | PG | VG | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ml flavouring, 40 ml base 30/70, 10 ml shot 30/70 | 25 ml | 35 ml | around 42/58 |
| 10 ml flavouring, 40 ml base 50/50, 10 ml shot 50/50 | 35 ml | 25 ml | around 58/42 |
| 10 ml flavouring, 50 ml base 30/70, no shot | 25 ml | 35 ml | around 42/58 |
A 30PG/70VG shot preserves the VG content of a base with the same composition. It does not compensate for the additional PG content of the flavouring. For a different final ratio, you recalculate all the components. Flavouring is only used at the intended dilution. How to calculate shots and base for the right nicotine strength is explained in Mixing your own e-liquid. The e-liquid calculator takes care of the rest.
E-liquid too thick or too thin: how can you tell?
- Too thick: The wicking can be too slow and the cotton can run dry. A full tank does not rule this out.
- Too thin: In some tanks too much e-liquid can reach the coil: gurgling, spitting or leaking are possible consequences.
These symptoms do not prove a wrong ratio. First check the coil seating, the seals, the filling and the intended power range. A new coil needs time to soak fully. If the taste stays burnt, replace the affected coil. When you next mix, choose the suitable ratio. Base added afterwards dilutes both flavouring and nicotine; so you recalculate the mix.
How do you store a base?
You store base like e-liquid: sealed, dark, at room temperature and out of the reach of children. In the cold, VG-rich base becomes even thicker. Let a cold, closed bottle come up to room temperature before mixing, and shake it afterwards. In warmth the mix becomes thinner. Direct sun and a hot car are therefore unsuitable places to store it. For shelf life, the date on the bottle applies.
You can find the selection under Bases; matching components are under Nicotine shots. PG/VG does not describe the form of nicotine. The difference is explained in Nicotine salt or freebase.
Frequently asked questions
What does 50/50 mean for e-liquid?
50/50 means the base consists of half PG and half VG. A 50/50 e-liquid is medium-thin, carries flavour well and suits most pods and MTL atomisers.
Is 70/30 the same as 30/70?
Without letters, the figures are ambiguous. 30PG/70VG and 70VG/30PG mean the same mix. 70PG/30VG, on the other hand, contains a lot of PG. The order of the letters decides.
Can I vape 30/70 in a pod?
Check the e-liquid recommendation for your pod. 30PG/70VG is too thick for some MTL pods, while other pods can work with it. Resistance alone does not decide this.
Which base should I use for sub-ohm?
Many DL tanks use 70VG/30PG. The specification for the coil remains decisive. Below one ohm there are also MTL and RDL coils; they do not automatically need a lot of VG.
Why is my e-liquid thinner than the base?
Many flavourings bring additional PG with them. In the example with 10 ml of PG-based flavouring and 50 ml of a 30PG/70VG mix, the result is 25 ml PG and 35 ml VG: around 42PG/58VG.
Is a base nicotine-free?
The Overvape bases linked here are nicotine-free. A nicotine shot, on the other hand, contains nicotine and also has a PG/VG ratio. The ratio alone says nothing about the nicotine content.
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Philip
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