Building a Homemade Atomizer

[Minus Sign]

I sent a request for information asking if PTCs can reach our assumed temperatures with either AC or a AAA battery doing the job. I hope to hear from them soon with information on which elements they have in stock that we can purchase. I am confident, since many devices that use PTC use AC, that at the very least, there is a PTC element that we can plug into a wall socket that will serve our purposes.

In other words, even if e-cigs may not be doable, we can still get our hookah.

EDIT for update: I've shattered 2 candy bowls trying to drill holes in the glass. I'ma try to get a .... instead (snicker all you want) since it has the holes we need, and just seal them after purchase for the purpose of creating the smoke chamber and container for the atomizer.

Not pretty, but I believe it'll work.

 

[NerdyCinderella]

Anyone,
What are PTCs?

PS Just filled with questions tonite.

 

[RatInDaHat]

re talking about Positive Temperature Coefficient Ceramic heaters.

discussed on a previous page

 

[NerdyCinderella]

Thanks Dusty

 

[RatInDaHat]

not a problem.

 

[Minus Sign]

I got a reply

thank you for your mail and your interest in our products.

In order to recommend the best suitable PTC heater we require more information about your application. Below are some comments and questions:

1. A PTC can be set to any given maximum surface temperature between 40 degree C and 280 degree C with a surface temperature tolerance of +/- 7 degree C. We can set the temperature to for example 150 degree C +/- 7 degree, and once energized the PTC will always try to reach the maximum defined surface temperature. Once it has reached that temperature it will go into the self limiting mode, it’s resistance will go up, the current draw will go down. The PTC will provide instant heat, but it will depend on the ambient conditions e.g the heat sink environment how quickly it will reach that temperature.
2. PTC’s can be designed in any shape (round, rectangular, doughnut stile) and dimension can be less than 1 square centimeter (both sides of the PTC are conductive and need to be contacted).
3. The supply voltage will determine the thickness of the PTC, for example a 12 V PTC can be 1.1 or 1.4 mm thick, while a 115 V PTC will be 2.1 mm thick. Thickness, surface area, max. surface temperature, heat sink and ambient conditions will determine the power output of the heater.



So in order to answer your questions we need to know the following:

-Details on the application

-Supply voltage

-Dimensions

-Power requirements

-Heat up time requirements

-Inrush current limitations (if any)

-Type of electrical connection

-Type of agency approvals required (if any)

-Volumes



Please contact me in case there are any open questions or if I can be of further assistance.





Best regards

I'm figuring a 3cm circular active surface for the hookah, and a 3 mm active surface area for the e-cig. The units can be as deep as they are wide, but cannot exceed surface area dimensions to noticeable levels. They can be slightly larger or slightly smaller than these estimates, within a 1 cm range for the AC hookah and a 1 mm range for the e-cig.

Liquid contact for both would be direct to the element, no steel wool, via a drip feed for the hookah (I am leaving an references to hookahs, bongs or even e-cigs out of application descriptions) or a spray mister for the e-cig.

I'll hammer out power requirements in the meantime and request price estimates for single unit and in 100 unit volumes.

EDIT: question: would anyone have trouble with a 9V square batery running their e-cig?

 

[jdrancor]

I wouldn't have a problem with a 9v square battery. Perhaps after your prototype is worked out, maybe working it out to look more like a pipe than a cigarette, as there's more room to work with in a pipe.

I don't know. Thinking about the form right now is putting the cart before the horse. I'm anxious to see what you build!

 

[Minus Sign]

This is my initial reply. I haven't sent it yet. I may decide to separate the unit descriptions. If you see a hole, lemme know:

-Details on the application I need two heating elements that can be configured to run on either AC power or battery power without potential overheating issues. The heating element must be able to reach and sustain a temperature of 104 degrees Celsius to a maximum 150C within a 1 second time frame for 10 seconds. It must be able to heat 1/3rd of a milliliter (1 drop) of 85% propylene glycol/10% glycerol/5% nicotine or a 95% glycerol/5% nicotine solution to vapor 1,000 times per day without developing stress fractures or otherwise damaging the element. The device will be fed this liquid via a drip feed for the AC unit or a spray mister for the AA, AAA, or 9V powered unit. Units must be able to operate in both a moist and dry environment and reach temperatures quickly in both. Units must be able to operate within a convection chamber and in the open air.
-Supply voltage Range between 1.5 V and 9 V for battery power, 12V to 120V for AC power.
-Dimensions test surface area for the units: a min 3cm/max 5cm circular (preferably) plate for the AC run element; min 3mm/max 5mm circular plate or strip for the battery unit. The elements can be as thick or thin as necessary to acquire said temperatures under the voltage requirements.
-Power requirements Approximately 1.5 V if a 3mm element can be heated to temperature ranges with a AAA or AA battery powered PTC; if not, a 9V battery can also serve the purpose but is the maximum range for the 3mm unit. AC specs can go considerably higher.
-Heat up time requirements Range between 1 second to 3 seconds heat up time is required and maintain maximum temperature until the circuit is broken (maximum 10 seconds per experiment). It must be able to sustain these temperatures for at least 10 seconds.
-Inrush current limitations (if any) None known at this time
-Type of electrical connection AC current from a wall socket or battery power supplied by AAA, AA or 9V.
-Type of agency approvals required (if any) This is private experimentation. No known agencies require involvement in the US.
-Volumes 1 of each for the moment. Price estimates per unit and per 100 unit lots would be appreciated.

If a converter or capacitor is required to reach and maintain said temperatures with your product for any of these power sources, please advise.

If any vendors are lurking, I added the 100 unit estimate request for their benefit.

One of the reasons I decided on the .... is that I had trouble drilling holes in glass. If I had trouble keeping my bit wet enough, others will. This isn't just about me building this thing. I honestly believe that if its hard or too ugly for other people to build, they won't bother. But if its easy to make, then everyone might be inclined to try when the FDA decides to stomp in here and shut the vendors down.

 

[Nazareth]

Hey folks- got this site talkign about Vaporizers- is a Pot site, but these also vaporize tobacco juices as well http://www.marijuanavaporizer.com/

 

[dnakr]

A couple of weeks ago I was asking Leaford what he thought of the herbal vaporizers

Here is his response to my question:

Great for herbs, but too cumbersome and difficult for tobacco. You spend too much time loading and reloading, and get a TON of dried, used up tobacco to dispose of. And it's easy to overheat it and get smoke anyway.

I wanted to try this one - but didn't see where any liquid could be used other than adding it to the tobacco:

http://www.vaporizergiant.com/oxygen_vaporizer.html

 

[Nazareth]

I wonder if the Carts could be placed in the vaporizers inplace of the tobacco, wouldn't matter if they dried up as they can constantly be rewet with smokin juice

 

[dnakr]

by Nazareth wrote

I wonder if the Carts could be placed in the vaporizers inplace of the tobacco, wouldn't matter if they dried up as they can constantly be rewet with smokin juice

I never thought of that - it might work. Do you think the fibres might burn?

 

[leaford]

It works. I tried it. But I worried about the liquid seeping down into the works, so I didn't do much.

But on mine, the chamber is seperated from the heating element. I wouldn't do it on one where the fibers could contact the heting element.

 

[Nazareth]

You have a voprizer Leoford? If so, what model? I've been tryign to think of soem way to heat up a soaked wool piece to just below the burn level to produce vapor, but am coming up empty on ideas. Don't really want ot use a lighter-driven device- would rather have a smalluish battery device in the form of a conventional smoking pipe if possible- just gotta figure out a way to heat hte ceramic with a robust heating element.

 

[Nazareth]

Here's somethign I hadn't htought about- electric ceramic Extract vaporizers- that use a few drops of extract to create vapor - there are even cheaper ones in supermarkets in hte 'scent' isles that vaporize room scents- would just have to figure a way to capture the vapor ofr inhalation- but that shouldn't be too hard- just a dome with a tube- making a sort of hookah- Would be nice to have an 'on demand switch' of some sort htough instead of continuous vaporizing- I spose you could just plu it in until it vapes, take 10-15 drags, then unplug, but it woudl take a few minutes for it to keep heatign back up- but I spose once the ceramic gets hot, it will cool down slowly and heat up more quickly the next time- But I'd stil llike ot find somethign more portable and battery operated as well as plugin. anyweay- here;s the link http://www.extracts.co.nz/index.php?cPath=38_39

 

[leaford]

You have a voprizer Leoford? If so, what model? I've been tryign to think of soem way to heat up a soaked wool piece to just below the burn level to produce vapor, but am coming up empty on ideas. Don't really want ot use a lighter-driven device- would rather have a smalluish battery device in the form of a conventional smoking pipe if possible- just gotta figure out a way to heat hte ceramic with a robust heating element.

I've got several models; my favorites are the HerbalAire and the VaporGenie. BUt what you're describing doesn't exist, and would be unnecessary anyway. You don't need to get a liquid nicotine solution anywhere near as hot as herbal vaporizers operate. Our little devices get plenty hot enough for the purpose. The problem is reliability and endurance.

Now, if you want something that can vaporize herbal extracts, yeah, what you describe would be nice, but the closest things to it are still bigger and use exterior battery packs.

 

[Nazareth]

Our little devices get plenty hot enough for the purpose. The problem is reliability and endurance.

Yep- that's the problem I was hopingto overcome- the unreliability of hte devices- Was thinking abotu gettign a vaporizer for at home use, and just takign hte pens with me on the road when I'm out- to save on the E-Ciggs length of use-

 

[Mihai]

Hello I see what you are trying to do here with the e-hookah, but it looks to me like reinventing the wheel I think it might be easier to tinker with a fog machine than to build from scratch. There are plenty of small ones (400W) on the net for 20-30USD. I would post some links but I'm not yet allowed, use google (for "Lighting 400W Fog Machine", for example) These being said, nice to meet you guys, I still don't have a e-cig but I'm waiting for deliveries from 2 suppliers. I hope I'll like e-cig smoking

 

[dnakr]

Hello I see what you are trying to do here with the e-hookah, but it looks to me like reinventing the wheel I think it might be easier to tinker with a fog machine than to build from scratch. There are plenty of small ones (400W) on the net for 20-30USD. I would post some links but I'm not yet allowed, use google (for "Lighting 400W Fog Machine", for example) These being said, nice to meet you guys, I still don't have a e-cig but I'm waiting for deliveries from 2 suppliers. I hope I'll like e-cig smoking

Welcome Mihai - great ideal, now wondering if anyone is willing to try it. LOL

Here is one link: 400 Watt Fog Machine - SALE - $24

Could you imagine putting a hose at the end and pouring in 50ml of your e-liquid. I wonder if it would work??? Where's leaford?

 

[TropicalBob]

I'd like to connect that hose to an air conditioning vent leading into the room where Tobacco-Free Kids would be holding its annual convention.

"All in favor of reinstating smoke breaks, say aye..."