If it can get explained in plain English exactly what the issue is and how it affects the device then I'll be happy to mention it.
Hcigar HB DNA 40 anticipation thread
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I get it now.. hcigar used them in reverse, and the battery negative pin is open.. I'll just run a wire from it, to the battery holder ground for the fix..Appreciate the info, and pardon my previous doubts..
Good deal!
Yeah, the soldering on the board had me a little confused at first. But now hearing that they have it soldered in reverse AND that it shouldn't matter which pin they used eases my mind. So the wire from the battery negative terminal to the unused negative pin should be an easy fix, barring horrible soldering skills (that means me).
As for how I like temp limiting: So far it's good. In the past I always worried about getting that extra hot vape when holding the fire button a little extra long(mostly metal drip tip getting too hot). This seems to alleviate it so far. I haven't read too many threads on the new temp control/limiting technology. But as of now, I'm feeling a little bit of remorse over buying the four other non-TC devices over the last month. And I'm guessing it should help when the wick starts to dry out, but I haven't let it get there so far, as I'm use to dripping often, usually over dripping, to avoid the dry wick. But so far so good. And if the DNA40 actually does proper Step Down, as I've heard(read), then this should be a huge plus.
And I remember someone had asked a while back regarding dimensions and I don't know if it was answered or not. (95mm x 50mm x 23mm)(3.74" x 1.97" x .90")
Found this thread earlier today and read thru it. Seems the wiring of the Hcigar is in need of modification to resolve issues.The following is just one of many ways that the issue can be resolved. From the way it appears to be wired in the pictures posted here I offer the following :
For the wiring to be the most error free from poor connectivity it should be wired so that there are no case grounds for anything. In simple wiring terms the current wiring from the battery tray should be removed from the screw used for case ground (black wire). That wire should be soldered to the Evolv board battery ground (B-). You can see in the picture where one through hole solder point was not used. Solder it there. Now remove the black wire from the other case ground screw and solder it to the 510 connector which gives you a solid ground at the connector. This gives you a solid connection between the boards GND to the 510 connector. This being completed you have removed the case as the main source of grounding for the board and 510 connector and removed three points where connectivity issues can occur and solved the other issue of current draw.
Here is the current way it is wired which is the issue.: Looking at the picture above you see 3 case ground connections (battery grounded to case, board grounded to case, and 510 grounded to case) each can have poor continuity/conductivity.Why not just wire from battery to the board and wire the board to the 510 connector thus removing the possibility of poor connections (case grounds). Even if the case grounds were sufficient a poorly pressed in 510 connector will cause issues.
Datasheet provided by Evolv on their web site gives detailed information and pinout for wiring the DNA40d: http://www.evolvapor.com/datasheet/dna40.pdf
For the wiring to be the most error free from poor connectivity it should be wired so that there are no case grounds for anything. In simple wiring terms the current wiring from the battery tray should be removed from the screw used for case ground (black wire). That wire should be soldered to the Evolv board battery ground (B-). You can see in the picture where one through hole solder point was not used. Solder it there. Now remove the black wire from the other case ground screw and solder it to the 510 connector which gives you a solid ground at the connector. This gives you a solid connection between the boards GND to the 510 connector. This being completed you have removed the case as the main source of grounding for the board and 510 connector and removed three points where connectivity issues can occur and solved the other issue of current draw.
Here is the current way it is wired which is the issue.: Looking at the picture above you see 3 case ground connections (battery grounded to case, board grounded to case, and 510 grounded to case) each can have poor continuity/conductivity.Why not just wire from battery to the board and wire the board to the 510 connector thus removing the possibility of poor connections (case grounds). Even if the case grounds were sufficient a poorly pressed in 510 connector will cause issues.
Datasheet provided by Evolv on their web site gives detailed information and pinout for wiring the DNA40d: http://www.evolvapor.com/datasheet/dna40.pdf
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First off the internals look very clean...very impressed. I am no expert but I have wired a DNA40 and will be again next weekend. It looks like they have used the battery ground for the charging board. If I remember correctly the charging board pad is smaller. Evolv recommends 18awg for the battery and its tight squeeze in the larger pad. They recomend 24awg for the charger and switches hence the smaller pad. I would think if you wanted to wire the battery directly to the board you would need to move the charger ground as well. Not a big deal but I would think you would have to remove the board to do it.
As for the 510 ground as long as it's making good contact with the case there won't be any benefit to changing that.
Hope some of this helps.
Mark Todd I really enjoy your reviews and will be looking forward to this one
As for the 510 ground as long as it's making good contact with the case there won't be any benefit to changing that.
Hope some of this helps.
Mark Todd I really enjoy your reviews and will be looking forward to this one
First off the internals look very clean...very impressed. I am no expert but I have wired a DNA40 and will be again next weekend. It looks like they have used the battery ground for the charging board. If I remember correctly the charging board pad is smaller. Evolv recommends 18awg for the battery and its tight squeeze in the larger pad. They recomend 24awg for the charger and switches hence the smaller pad. I would think if you wanted to wire the battery directly to the board you would need to move the charger ground as well. Not a big deal but I would think you would have to remove the board to do it.
As for the 510 ground as long as it's making good contact with the case there won't be any benefit to changing that.
Hope some of this helps.
Mark Todd I really enjoy your reviews and will be looking forward to this one
Thanks for the info.. It's a VERY big deal to remove the board for many of us who lack the skill.. We purchased completed devices, expecting them to be wired properly. I'm pretty confident that I could solder a wire from the board to the battery holder negative though..
This method appears to be working for the Canadian vendor who is fixing the devices. Interesting point regarding the appropriate wire gauge and pin hole sizes.. I'm not sure if the vendor is removing the reversed USB charging wire, and soldering it in the proper pin, or not.. It could present a problem for me if I cannot get the appropriate gauge wire for the battery negative into the charging pin hole...
Returning the device without even opening the package is looking better and better to me...
I've been reading all your comments and eventually I've started to get some grasp of the problem.... and its possible cause.
Regardless what common sense might dictate about a good electrical connection between screw, washer, wire and casing for the grounded parts, we are talking about anodized aluminium, and perhaps not ideally the best metal for the screw. I can think of some faulty connections, specially at high currents, in those grounding screws, if they are not made of brass or aluminium. They are probably just stainless steel or plated iron (with nickel). Coupled with the anodized treatment that could explain some 'less-than-perfect' groundings. Remember that aluminium is naturally protected from oxidation with a thin layer of its oxide, usually not enough to insulate anything, but that is because the attached metal parts which have to be connected one another break that layer. If not....and the layer is artificially thickened....
A tightened screw down several times, to ensure the threads of the screws bite on real metal (and they brake the oxide layer) and all metal parts are closely attached should fix the issue. That. or as you are suggesting, just put supplemental wires to do the same trick.
You all are focusing of the recommended wiring techniques by Evolv, and they let enough leeway about groundings with the continuous statement about internal wiring for the GND, CHG- and B- (which makes sense) and the small change form DNA30's, putting battery and USB soldering points together (each pole), they are electrically the same, they just change the diameter of the holes to accommodate different gauges. Any soldering point for GND, or B-, even CHG- (unless the gauge), really put to ground on the casing should work fine. The trick is the 'really', if the aluminium oxide layer is toying with some units....
Regardless what common sense might dictate about a good electrical connection between screw, washer, wire and casing for the grounded parts, we are talking about anodized aluminium, and perhaps not ideally the best metal for the screw. I can think of some faulty connections, specially at high currents, in those grounding screws, if they are not made of brass or aluminium. They are probably just stainless steel or plated iron (with nickel). Coupled with the anodized treatment that could explain some 'less-than-perfect' groundings. Remember that aluminium is naturally protected from oxidation with a thin layer of its oxide, usually not enough to insulate anything, but that is because the attached metal parts which have to be connected one another break that layer. If not....and the layer is artificially thickened....
A tightened screw down several times, to ensure the threads of the screws bite on real metal (and they brake the oxide layer) and all metal parts are closely attached should fix the issue. That. or as you are suggesting, just put supplemental wires to do the same trick.
You all are focusing of the recommended wiring techniques by Evolv, and they let enough leeway about groundings with the continuous statement about internal wiring for the GND, CHG- and B- (which makes sense) and the small change form DNA30's, putting battery and USB soldering points together (each pole), they are electrically the same, they just change the diameter of the holes to accommodate different gauges. Any soldering point for GND, or B-, even CHG- (unless the gauge), really put to ground on the casing should work fine. The trick is the 'really', if the aluminium oxide layer is toying with some units....
And one more thing that really goes without saying .....any anodized coating should be removed at the case ground attachment point (s)..
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I just heard from Brandon @ Evolv regarding warranty issues with the DNA 40 boards in these devices beyond the manufacturer's / vendor's warranties..
As long as they're genuine Evolv boards, Evolv will stand by their 1 year warranty. The board will need to be removed from the device before sending it in. I assume that Evolv's general RMA procedure would be followed.
As long as they're genuine Evolv boards, Evolv will stand by their 1 year warranty.
The board will need to be removed from the device before sending it in. I assume that Evolv's general RMA procedure would be followed.
I just heard from Brandon @ Evolv regarding warranty issues with the DNA 40 boards in these devices beyond the manufacturer's / vendor's warranties..
As long as they're genuine Evolv boards, Evolv will stand by their 1 year warranty.
So if it does need warranty replacement by Evolv during the vendors/Hcigar's warranty period the vendor or Hcigar will remove and replace the board? Or is it up to the customer to remove/replace? Thinkin' the customers need to know exactly how it's gonna work.. just curious....
I would imagine that the device would be simply replaced by the vendor or Hcigar within their respective warranty periods.. The vendor will more than likely ship the defective devices back to their distributor, or Hcigar.. It's up to the vendor or Hcigar in any case. It's nice to know that even after those warranties expire, Evolv will still honor an RMA for up to 1 year.
Mine is waiting for me at home ... I'll open 'er up when I get there and see what I'm/we're dealing with.
I asked Evolv about the wiring issue. Brandon replied, and stated that If Hcigar didn't wire the battery negative to the board, it will likely cause issues. Not necessarily all will have issues, but running the extra wire would be a good idea.
Nothing like right out of the horse's mouth..
Now, any suggestions about Evolv's specified wire gauge for this fix? Since Hcigar reversed pins, the 18 gauge will not fit into the empty charger pin opening. Anyone know if the smaller gauge wire would be adequate for this fix without needing to remove the charger negative, put it where it belongs, and then use the proper gauge wire to go from the board to the battery negative?
Nothing like right out of the horse's mouth..
Now, any suggestions about Evolv's specified wire gauge for this fix? Since Hcigar reversed pins, the 18 gauge will not fit into the empty charger pin opening. Anyone know if the smaller gauge wire would be adequate for this fix without needing to remove the charger negative, put it where it belongs, and then use the proper gauge wire to go from the board to the battery negative?
I asked Evolv about the wiring issue. Brandon replied, and stated that If Hcigar didn't wire the battery negative to the board, it will likely cause issues. Not necessarily all will have issues, but running the extra wire would be a good idea.
Nothing like right out of the horse's mouth..
Now, any suggestions about Evolv's specified wire gauge for this fix? Since Hcigar reversed pins, the 18 gauge will not fit into the empty charger pin opening. Anyone know if the smaller gauge wire would be adequate for this fix without needing to remove the charger negative, put it where it belongs, and then use the proper gauge wire to go from the board to the battery negative?
I'm probably going to swap the two. I've got some 16AWG that I'll be using for the negative battery connection, hoping I can jam all of the strands in the larger pad. I'm hoping there is enough room to work there without having to lift the board. We'll see ... time will tell!
It would be great to just jump from the screw, right over to the empty pin.
I know swapping wires would be proper, but for those with very limited skills, I wonder if the smaller gauge wire would work well enough. I did include the question to Evolv, but Brandon didn't answer that.. I'm kind of impressed that he answered directly TBH.. Has to be a VERY busy man..
It would be great to just jump from the screw, right over to the empty pin.
Why not just lay the wire over the empty pin and solder. You can check but I think you will find that the two pins are connected anyway...the wire doesn't have to go into the hole....and you could even bridge the two together...
Dunno if this help but recommended wire sizes within http://www.evolvapor.com/datasheet/dna40.pdf
Now, that's what I don't get.. If the two pins are connected, why wouldn't the existing negative going to the charger pin be enough? It's already a heavy gauge wire..
Thanks.. I was focusing on the recommended sizes.. The minimum for the battery negative is 22 gauge, and 26 for the charger.. The minimum size should do the trick..
I'm just going to jump a piece of 22 gauge from the screw to the empty pin.. It will be within specs, and should work..
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Thanks.. I was focusing on the recommended sizes.. The minimum for the battery negative is 22 gauge, and 26 for the charger.. The minimum size should do the trick..
That's exactly what Vape Triad is doing. They're using 22 gauge solid copper wire, laid on top of the solder pad, since it's more difficult and time consuming to fully remove the board to come up through the hole from behind.
This could work just as well. It's just a bit tidier to go direct to the battery negative terminal, but otherwise, jumping it the way you proposed is just as effective.
Vape Triad were originally going to solder directly to the existing solder blob that the USB charging board is attached to, but noticed that on a couple of units, the solder blob had some of the wire sticking up from the hole and it got in the way. It guess it may easier to just put down a fresh blob of solder on the empty pad, rather than to mess with the existing solder joints.
In any case, overall, I think the risk of a board burnout is low, and isn't likely to affect the majority of units out there. I've been scanning forums, but have seen no reports of it yet. This fix just puts the wiring back to Evolv spec, and it will also solve the weak battery error.
Here's a photo of mine:
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I'm working on creating the connection now.
Something else I found "interesting" ... if you spin an atomizer on, the entire bottom copper plate (inside the unit) spins with it when the atomizer bottoms out. Not sure what the lasting effects of this will be on the positive solder joint...
Something else I found "interesting" ... if you spin an atomizer on, the entire bottom copper plate (inside the unit) spins with it when the atomizer bottoms out. Not sure what the lasting effects of this will be on the positive solder joint...
Now, that's what I don't get.. If the two pins are connected, why wouldn't the existing negative going to the charger pin be enough? It's already a heavy gauge wire..
Thanks.. I was focusing on the recommended sizes.. The minimum for the battery negative is 22 gauge, and 26 for the charger.. The minimum size should do the trick..
I'm just going to jump a piece of 22 gauge from the screw to the empty pin.. It will be within specs, and should work..
The current wire from the board to the usb is for incoming current to charge the battery. It is not a grounding path. The board is currently being grounded with the black wire coming from the case screw nearest to the 510 connector.
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