AAA 3.6v (4.2v fully charged) Battery Box mod with a twist!

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Sun Vaporer

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I bought those, but haven't used them yet because the wiring diagram is sketchy and cryptic. It has me unsure how to wire it. I have been using the mini pushbutton switch, also from RS (part number 275-1547).

Nicowolf--there are 2 prongs on each side--you go in on the top of one side and out diagonal on the other side--so it is the same as a 2 prong--just ignore the other 2 prongs you do not use--Sun
 

opusMorian

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I noticed that the battery is an unprotected model so there is nothing to keep it from over discharging. Is that going to be a problem? I'm no expert but struck me as a possible problem.

Love the idea BTW

I been reading up on the issue of protected/unprocted li-ions. I am a bit concerned but not too worry about it. But the next sets of rechargable will be protected for sure. Thanks for the heads up.
 

nicowolf

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I been reading up on the issue of protected/unprocted li-ions. I am a bit concerned but not too worry about it. But the next sets of rechargable will be protected for sure. Thanks for the heads up.

Opus, the real difference these days is the overdischarge. Most of the chargers will not overcharge anymore. This really means that you need to charge as often as you can to avoid overdischarge. The worst that happens is you ruin the battery. It will not hurt anything else, just the batt.
 

opusMorian

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Opus, the real difference these days is the overdischarge. Most of the chargers will not overcharge anymore. This really means that you need to charge as often as you can to avoid overdischarge. The worst that happens is you ruin the battery. It will not hurt anything else, just the batt.

Cool, thanks. I google this issue few weeks and ago and read a cases of cr123a batteries causing small fires. But I think out of millions of cr123a, I was only able to find 1 case of this on the net. So that is why I was not too concerned about it.

So you are saying it would be the best for these li-ions if I just charge often? What happens in a over-discharge scenario? It just dumps like 5+ volts on a 3.6v voltage?
 

nicowolf

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Nah. If you let the battery get to low (overdischarge), the battery will not take a charge anymore. It renders the battery useless. The fires and explosions were from overcharging li-ion batteries. That is why they started putting limitations on the chargers, to limit charging so it won't charge above 4.2 volts. The protected batteries have protection also against going past 4.2 volts, but they also protect against going below 2.75 volts. Going above 4.2 volts increases risk of fire and explosion - chargers are now built to only allow 4.2 volts. Using the battery once it has dropped below like 2.5 volts causes the battery to be unable to accept a charge and therefore unable to be used again - protected batteries have circuitry to avoid both extremes instead of just the violent extreme.
 

Vape

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I have a question I've been meaning to ask since that forum member started that whole debate. I guess it's time to bite the bullet and ask. Does it make a difference that we are working with 3-6 volts in our mods and the ratings for these switches are always done @125 volts AC and/or 12 volts DC? I mean if it's rated, say .5amp at 12 volts DC, wouldn't that be 1 amp at 6 volts and 2 amps at 3 volts? I am not sure how that works, but it might explain why we have so little problems using these.

Switches should only be used for what voltage/current they are rated for.
I've been an electronic technician for over 12 years now.....
I haven't tried any mods as of yet so I don't have any "practical" info to base this on except just general techie rules of thumb.
The current rating is maximum expected working current within the AC/DC voltages given.
Too much current can cause the contacts to "weld" together.
Too much voltage and it may arc across the contacts, enough voltage and the arc would be constant across the contacts until something broke, melted, fried or what have you.
DC carries a higher chance of switch failure than AC.
The DC is always "on", AC is switching "on" and "off" about 50-60 times a second. So if it started to arc across terminals that switching on and off action of the AC gives it more of a chance to break the arc.
Also, assuming the main load in the atomizer is a coil it might be more of an inductive load, which wants a constant current supply. So an over current condition might be more probable.
Of course there is practice vs. theory, so if people are using 500ma switches at around 3-5 volts with success, right on!
Using a lower voltage vs. more current than rated, along with the fact that it is only on for 3-7 seconds at a time, it is just might be OK.
There is always a chance for it to fail, but that chance is always there no matter what.
Oh well, don't know if that makes any sense, it's way late and I babble.
I believe if it works and it's practical, people are already having success with it.......why the hell not!
 
Just an idea: telescopic version. Allow the atomizer/cart assembly to be retractable by hot-gluing a shorter length of slightly larger tubing inside the case to allow the sliding in and out. Slide it out to vape, slide it in for carrying. When fully slid in, it could operate a push-to-open button that cut's off the power.

Another simpler idea: there is space enough to fit the atomizer within the case so that the mouthpiece end just pokes through the case. The battery connector would be hot-glued into position inside the case at the appropriate place and the atty is still changeable. Only the mouthpiece/cart would be on the outside.
 

kender

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Vape is correct there. The voltage rating is how far apart the contacts open in the switch to prevent arcing and the amp rating is the size of the contacts.

Normally a .5 amp switch would not last long pulling 1 amp. I dont know why those are lasting so long.
It could be because the atomizers are resistant and inductive. The inductive part will slow the first power surge.

Its been too long for me to remember so maybe someone else will know for sure.
 

Vince1

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In regards to overdischarge. If you do kill a battery by doing this you can save it but it will take a special made charger and they are very expensive.
Extreme low voltage must also be prevented. The safety circuit is designed to cut off the current path if the battery is inadvertently discharged below 2.50V/cell. At this voltage, most circuits render the battery unserviceable and a recharge on a regular charger is not possible.
There are several safeguards to prevent excessive discharge. The equipment protects the battery by cutting off when the cell reaches 2.7 to 3.0V/cell. Battery manufacturers ship the batteries with a 40% charge to allow some self-discharge during storage. Advanced batteries contain a wake-up feature in which the protection circuit only starts to draw current after the battery has been activated with a brief charge. This allows prolonged storage.

In spite of these preventive measures, over-discharge does occur. Advanced battery analyzers (Cadex C7000 series) feature a 'boost' function that provides a gentle charge current to activate the safety circuit and re-energize the cells if discharged too deeply. A full charge and analysis follows.

If the cells have dwelled at 1.5V/cell and lower for a few days, however, a recharge should be avoided. Copper shunts may have formed inside the cells, leading a partial or total electrical short. The cell becomes unstable. Charging such a battery would cause excessive heat and safety could not be assured.
 

opusMorian

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Switches should only be used for what voltage/current they are rated for.
I've been an electronic technician for over 12 years now.....
I haven't tried any mods as of yet so I don't have any "practical" info to base this on except just general techie rules of thumb.
The current rating is maximum expected working current within the AC/DC voltages given.
Too much current can cause the contacts to "weld" together.
Too much voltage and it may arc across the contacts, enough voltage and the arc would be constant across the contacts until something broke, melted, fried or what have you.
DC carries a higher chance of switch failure than AC.
The DC is always "on", AC is switching "on" and "off" about 50-60 times a second. So if it started to arc across terminals that switching on and off action of the AC gives it more of a chance to break the arc.
Also, assuming the main load in the atomizer is a coil it might be more of an inductive load, which wants a constant current supply. So an over current condition might be more probable.
Of course there is practice vs. theory, so if people are using 500ma switches at around 3-5 volts with success, right on!
Using a lower voltage vs. more current than rated, along with the fact that it is only on for 3-7 seconds at a time, it is just might be OK.
There is always a chance for it to fail, but that chance is always there no matter what.
Oh well, don't know if that makes any sense, it's way late and I babble.
I believe if it works and it's practical, people are already having success with it.......why the hell not!

Thanks Vape! For taking your time to school us :D!
 

opusMorian

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Feb 14, 2009
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Just an idea: telescopic version. Allow the atomizer/cart assembly to be retractable by hot-gluing a shorter length of slightly larger tubing inside the case to allow the sliding in and out. Slide it out to vape, slide it in for carrying. When fully slid in, it could operate a push-to-open button that cut's off the power.

Another simpler idea: there is space enough to fit the atomizer within the case so that the mouthpiece end just pokes through the case. The battery connector would be hot-glued into position inside the case at the appropriate place and the atty is still changeable. Only the mouthpiece/cart would be on the outside.

Good idea! Maybe I'll try that on my next box.
 
I've been using the .5 amp switch daily for over a month now on 3 different power sources, 1 amp PCUSA power pack, usb car adapter rated at 1 amp and my pc, which is probably less. I use the power pack about 85% of the time.

I don't know what all this means other than it works to date.

Paul
 

Sun Vaporer

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I've been using the .5 amp switch daily for over a month now on 3 different power sources, 1 amp PCUSA power pack, usb car adapter rated at 1 amp and my pc, which is probably less. I use the power pack about 85% of the time.

I don't know what all this means other than it works to date.

Paul

Paul--I would concur as I have been using one of these .5's for over a month as I have said without issue--Sun
 

Misty

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I doubt any of these ratings are exact.
It also depends on the manufacturer and the brand, and simply the overall quality of a particular brand. This could explain why Sun, and others who use that switch have no problems.
Another factor to consider could be the type of battery being used, NimH or Lithium .
The switches we have been using however, are rated 0.5A as well, and do not last longer than a week with Lithium batts. We now are using 3A switches, (as we couldn't find 1A in a small size as of yet ) and have not had to change them yet after three weeks.
 
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