Idea for multi pack, with style?

[ichaya]

OK, first I have never built a mod, so if this is WAY outside of reality, please tell me.

I have attempted to draw something up, BUT:
A - I can't draw for diddle
B - Can't figure out how to post/attach something here.


OK, disclaimers over.

I have seen people here making mods that contain multiple batteries.

There are batteries available that are a AA li-ion in 3.7 volt. (From what I under stand that's the range the manufacturers use)

So here's the idea.

Take a 4 AA battery holder.
Switch the wiring around so that each battery is accessible by itself, AND so that all three are accessible at the same time. You might have to run 2 sets of wires to do that.

Install a 4 position slide switch. Preferably 1 that has a common out.
I think you know the kind 4 input, 1 output

Position 1 = Batt 1
pos 2 = batt 2
Pos 3 = batt 3
Pos 4 = ALL 3 batteries

You might want a separate led for each one of the connections.

Push button momentary switch.

The Plan.
Install a 3.7 V li-ION in each battery slot. this should be enough power to run an atomizer for a while.

When battery 1 dies, switch to battery 2, etc.

Position 4 is SPECIAL. If all three of your li-ion battery die.
Take them out, and drop in any old 3 AA batteries.
switch to position 4, and you’re pushing 4.5 V.

Position 4 is the oh crap, I’m in the middle of nowhere, and my batteries all died.
Stop at the local shop buy 3 AA, and your back vaping until you can recharge.

To REALLY make it special the whole thing could be wrapped up in a wooden box (Think wooden puzzle box, {if you can’t picture that, think hellraiser}).
That way you could hide the switches, led’s etc into the design.
For battery change just have the back slide open.

Like I said it might be WAY out there.

Let me know if anyone actually tries it.

[dedmonwakin]

Nice idea, Why not make a mod five and use all 3.7 batteries in parallel to increase the mAh!lol

There should be a safety precaution in mode 4.

Some one like myself would need to add a safety precaution should I forget that the switch is still in mode 4 when I install three 3.7 batteries back in the case. Like a voltage regulator.

[kinabaloo]

These batteries can already last at least a whole day, so not sure if this is a useful idea.

But I want to point out that it is not advisable to use batteries in parallel, even if they are 'identical' and treated identically. Might work, might be dangerous; I wouldn't risk it.

The only safe way to do this would be the multi-way switch so never more than one is selected. Otherwise to safely use batteries in parallel would require a low-drop power diode in series with each one so that current cannot flow into any battery, only out. This would provide a higher capacity pack, though with a slight voltage drop (about 0.3v with low-drop power diodes).

[ichaya]

These batteries can already last at least a whole day, so not sure if this is a useful idea.

But I want to point out that it is not advisable to use batteries in parallel, even if they are 'identical' and treated identically. Might work, might be dangerous; I wouldn't risk it.

The only safe way to do this would be the multi-way switch so never more than one is selected. Otherwise to safely use batteries in parallel would require a low-drop power diode in series with each one so that current cannot flow into any battery, only out. This would provide a higher capacity pack, though with a slight voltage drop (about 0.3v with low-drop power diodes).

I'm think multi-pack for vacation/road trip, etc.
Or if you are like me, and just never want to run out of vape.

I thought the 4 position switch would cover the batteries in parallel.

Are you saying with all 3 batteries connected through switch position 4, it would create a circuit between all three all the time?

Possible to have 3 smaller switches?

1 wired to each battery, and then the only way you could pull power from all three is if you actually turned on all 3? This would also then power all 3 led's so it would be kind of apparent that you had all 3 turned on.

Looking for a way to use the li-ion for normal use, but have a way to drop in 3 AA from your local handy store, and use for short term emergency.

[ichaya]

I did a little more looking around on the net.

I think I got some more of the concepts here.

If you wire batteries in Series you will add to their Voltage but NOT their Mah (potential/Longevity)

If you wire them in Parallel you will add their Mah, but not their Voltage.


Problem is:
For the Li-ION batteries you would want them as seperate batteries (not wired together).

For AA batteries (STD, or alkaline, 1.5 V) you would need them in series in order to produce 4.5 V. Course they probably won't last very long, have ing a low MAH.


Please tell me if I got that right.

[caesar]

If you really are looking into a multipack, then why not go for a 6000mAh pack?
Li-po can be used in parallel if matched and 6Amps should keep a mad vaper for a week.

SparkFun Electronics - Polymer Lithium Ion Batteries - 6Ah

The size is roughly the same of 4 AA batteries so it should fit your project, plus you're already getting the proper voltage for an atty.
Considering the low discharge rate, it can be a trusty backup device.

[nicowolf]

Here is another idea. This picture is one of my early mods. I built it to run on 3xAAA NiMH batteries. I was able to make it work with a 10440 li-ion battery with a jumper going from the positive of battery slot 1 to the positive of battery slot 3 (skipping over slot 2 altogether. The same thing could be done with a AA size, but the li-ion size would be 14500.



BTW, I was getting about a day and a half on a set of NiMH batteries on that thing before putting them on the charger just because I was starting to get nervous about being away from home and the battery going dead on me. I never managed to run them to the no vapor state. You could easily go on a week trip with just 2 sets of batteries and a USB charger with an adapter to the car cigarette lighter. Then again the charger for the li-ion can also be hooked up to a car cigarette lighter, so you could charge a battery or two while vaping down the road for 16 hours at a time.

I am sure your idea can be done; I just don't see the need for it.

[ichaya]

So Nic, you just ran a switch that was a straight Batt 1 positive to the Batt 3 positive, thereby skipping Battery 2 completely?

The ideas here are great.

That just simplified this wiring greatly!

I was going a little buggy trying to figure out how to do the 3 seperate batteries to a series connection switching.

Anyway, If take your changes, stuff them in a wooden box, maybe a little larger, I could put cartridge, and maybe some juice storage for a trip.

[nicowolf]

So Nic, you just ran a switch that was a straight Batt 1 positive to the Batt 3 positive, thereby skipping Battery 2 completely?

The ideas here are great.

That just simplified this wiring greatly!

I was going a little buggy trying to figure out how to do the 3 seperate batteries to a series connection switching.

Anyway, If take your changes, stuff them in a wooden box, maybe a little larger, I could put cartridge, and maybe some juice storage for a trip.

Not a switch, just a jumper wire. You put the jumper wire in and use li-ion (only 1 at a time). Take the jumper wire out and use NiMH. The wire was a very temporary thing to make sure it could be done. A piece of aluminum flashing cut to the right size and shape would be a better long term solution. This way you only ever use 1 lithium battery at a time and there is never any confusion over which setting the switch is on because you change the contact manually.

[kinabaloo]

Not a switch, just a jumper wire. You put the jumper wire in and use li-ion (only 1 at a time). Take the jumper wire out and use NiMH. The wire was a very temporary thing to make sure it could be done. A piece of aluminum flashing cut to the right size and shape would be a better long term solution. This way you only ever use 1 lithium battery at a time and there is never any confusion over which setting the switch is on because you change the contact manually.

Or: you can get slider switches, such as the familar on/off one, that are multi-way. You could employ one of these to do your jumper-wire from the outside of the box.

Elsewhere I showed my design for a battery level indicator circuit using 4 opamps to show 4 levels. Just a minor change and it could show the state (good/bad) for four separate batteries. Just an idea ...