DIY Regulated Box Mod

[naiser]

Hello, all! I've been vaping for about 10 months now, and I'm getting itch to tinker around, albeit safely. I'm wondering if any of you out there may be able to help me with a regulated mod idea I've got, because I would love to try my hand at building a DIY box that's safe and regulated. I want it to be able to get into sub ohm tanks as well, but I know the board can take it.

I want to have it so the 2 LiPo battery packs are together to provide 4400mAh and take the tactile switch off the vamo board (if safe and/or possible) and change it to a SPST switch as shown in the pic attached. Other than that, I'm just wondering if there's a need for any MOSFETs, and what type I should get for it and a basic idea of wiring needed.

 

[drmarble]

You won't need a mosfet. That usb charger looks like a mini-usb which is not as common a cable. You can get micro usb chargers on ebay (10 for $7 us shipped from china). Since you already have to mount the board to access the up/down buttons and screen you could just use the built in switch but any normally open switch should work. It doesn't need any high specs, 250ma is plenty.
Just wire the batteries to the correct plus and minus to the red and black input wires on the vamo v8 board. Connect the charger wires there too. Connect the 510 ground (body) to the battery - and the 510 plus (pin) to that thing sticking out of the end opposite the battery wires (at least, I think that is the 510 + out). You should use 18 gauge stranded wire for the battery and 510 connectors. The usb charger wires can be very thin.
I think this should work. Good luck.
edit: Lots of good information here: Keep that mod open!

 

[Mooch]

Whichever charger board you use, I would recommend checking the voltage the first time you use it. LiPo's don't react well to being charged at too high a voltage and you want to make sure there are no problems with the board. It should peak at 4.20V but some go a touch over, 4.22V-4.23V. Personally, I charge to 4.10V-4.15V. Good luck with your mod!

 

[Mooch]

edit: Lots of good information here: Keep that mod open!

Thanks for posting that link! I hadn't heard of the OpenPV subreddit before.

 

[naiser]

So, basically setting it up wired like this will be okay?

 

[naiser]

Another thing I was wondering, if anybody knows, the best way to get buttons for the tactile switches embedded in a project box for this purpose

 

[Mooch]

Another thing I was wondering, if anybody knows, the best way to get buttons for the tactile switches embedded in a project box for this purpose

Someone else may have some specific button suggestions but you can always try Digikey, Mouser, Jameco. If you can take a good close-up picture of the switches, and measure the button stem's diameter, I might be able find something that will work.

 

[naiser]

Someone else may have some specific button suggestions but you can always try Digikey, Mouser, Jameco. If you can take a good close-up picture of the switches, and measure the button stem's diameter, I might be able find something that will work.

2 of them are about 2mm and one is about 4mm in diameter and they'll be mounted in behind the plastic of a project box. I know the buttons can sit flush on the switches, but I'm just trying to figure out how to mount them so they won't rattle or fall out by maybe adding some sort of stem in front of them

 

[Mooch]

Hmm...not sure if I'm picturing your setup correctly (pictures would help tremendously) but if the buttons fit snugly in the box holes you could just use a hot knife to smear out the plastic at the base of the buttons so that they don't fall forward out of the box. If the buttons still have way too much in/out movement you could super-glue a ring of wire around the outside of the button, just inside the box wall. This would prevent any movement out of the box of the button while still allowing you to press it in.

You're not using the square red button shown in your original post?

 

[naiser]

Hmm...not sure if I'm picturing your setup correctly (pictures would help tremendously) but if the buttons fit snugly in the box holes you could just use a hot knife to smear out the plastic at the base of the buttons so that they don't fall forward out of the box. If the buttons still have way too much in/out movement you could super-glue a ring of wire around the outside of the button, just inside the box wall. This would prevent any movement out of the box of the button while still allowing you to press it in.

You're not using the square red button shown in your original post?

No, I figured I'd just use the buttons on board to save myself some hassle, so the button layout is just the Vamo board's original tact switches, which don't seem to be able to take tact switch caps, or I'd look into those.

I have no pics of the setup yet because I have yet to purchase the parts, I'm just getting the info I need before I make the orders necessary. This is the project box I'll be using for the mod: Plastic Electronic DIY Project Case Junction Box White 140x82x38mm: Amazon.ca: Electronics

 

[drmarble]

An early prototype made by evolv to demonstrate their dna chip used cut off nails to contact the onboard switches. I haven't found any good buttons to use to push on onboard switches. Maybe you could just glue short dowels to the buttons to reach outside the case. Good luck.
That case sounds huge. Can you really hold that in your hand? I can barely comfortably hold a Hammon B box which is 110 x 60 x 30.

 

[naiser]

An early prototype made by evolv to demonstrate their dna chip used cut off nails to contact the onboard switches. I haven't found any good buttons to use to push on onboard switches. Maybe you could just glue short dowels to the buttons to reach outside the case. Good luck.
That case sounds huge. Can you really hold that in your hand? I can barely comfortably hold a Hammon B box which is 110 x 60 x 30.

Actually, it's not bad. It's 5 inches tall and just over 3 inches wide, where I'd be holding it in hand, then an inch and a half thick, so it's not too big. I would have never thought about the dowels. I may use white plastic rods and even engrave a plus and minus sign and perhaps a little power symbol on the firing button if I go that route. Not sure about gluing them on though.

 

[Mooch]

Ahhh, OK, I understand now. I would think that just about anything you can stretch or glue around the outside of the caps could be used as a stop to keep them from moving too much or falling out of the case....o-rings or even a faucet washer (or equivalent) with the center cut out with an exacto knife.

If you can find a rubber (silicone) keypad button array you could cut out one of pads with a ring of rubber still around the pad. Just glue the ring to the inside of the case and the button will behave itself if the Vamo board is close behind it. You might have to deal with a number or letter being on the button pads though.

Something like one of these: VIT Group | Membrane Switches, Graphic Overlays, Rubber Keypads

 

[Mooch]

Square buttons but there should be round ones out there somewhere...

Silicone Keyboard Skin Cover for Apple MacBook Pro Air Mac Retina 13 3 Hottest | eBay

5 Buttons Rubber Pad for GM GMC Buick Keyless Entry Fob Remote Key Shell Case 5B | eBay

 

[naiser]

Ahhh, OK, I understand now. I would think that just about anything you can stretch or glue around the outside of the caps could be used as a stop to keep them from moving too much or falling out of the case....o-rings or even a faucet washer (or equivalent) with the center cut out with an exacto knife.

If you can find a rubber (silicone) keypad button array you could cut out one of pads with a ring of rubber still around the pad. Just glue the ring to the inside of the case and the button will behave itself if the Vamo board is close behind it. You might have to deal with a number or letter being on the button pads though.

Something like one of these: VIT Group | Membrane Switches, Graphic Overlays, Rubber Keypads

I can't believe I didn't even consider this. I could repurpose an old TV remote to do this, it's probably give me the symbols I want, too. Up, down and power. lol, thanks! I'd just have to drill holes for them and glue them to the plastic from the inside so it rests over the buttons and I'd be set!

 

[Mooch]

Excellent!
Post pictures when you're done.

 

[BlueridgeDog]

So, basically setting it up wired like this will be okay?
View attachment 456973

You have power and charging going to the output of the board. I assume you drew this that way for simplicity, but they are not the same. Additionally, you MUST have fuses for lipo setups. I recommend two LF700 fuses per battery.

 

[naiser]

You have power and charging going to the output of the board. I assume you drew this that way for simplicity, but they are not the same. Additionally, you MUST have fuses for lipo setups. I recommend two LF700 fuses per battery.

Thanks for letting me know this, that was drawn for simplicity, but I wasn't sure on the fuses. Do you recommend I go for the LF700-530 or 300?

 

[BlueridgeDog]

For dual Lipos, I have used four of these, two in parallel on each battery.

2920L700SLPR Littelfuse | Mouser

However, that is for a DNA 40 and based on its maximum current draw. What is the data sheet for the vamo board say is the max?

 

[naiser]

For dual Lipos, I have used four of these, two in parallel on each battery.

2920L700SLPR Littelfuse | Mouser

However, that is for a DNA 40 and based on its maximum current draw. What is the data sheet for the vamo board say is the max?

Works with 0.3~3.0 ohm atomizers; Input voltage: 3.2~4.3V; Input current: 1.5~12A; Output voltage: 4V~9V; Output current: 10A (Max.)