Battery/Mod problem

[opuscroakus]

I have an odd problem that I can't figure out. I have three 5v box mods with TI 5v regulators and a box mod with a 2xAA parallel TI booster. All were working fine earlier today until I switched out batteries. Now, the 5v regulator boxes only seem to pulse the atty but the 5v booster works just fine. I have tested the batteries in a 3.7v single AA box and they fire the atty just fine for as long as I dare hold the button. The volts are all 4.10 coming off the charger for all cells. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[mnealtx]

Check the batteries as you're using the box - I'll bet one of them is sagging badly under load.

 

[opuscroakus]

Check the batteries as you're using the box - I'll bet one of them is sagging badly under load.

I had that thought, but all the batteries are working fine in a 3.7v box. When connected serial for 5v is the load that much different? I guess I'll need to check that when I get home this afternoon. I think I need to grow another set of arms to get all the wires connected and button pressed.

Okay, I was able to test my 5v parallel box, and under load I am only getting 4v at the atty with 2 completely different sets of batteries. Now I'm really confused.

 

[kc0cmp]

I had that thought, but all the batteries are working fine in a 3.7v box. When connected serial for 5v is the load that much different? I guess I'll need to check that when I get home this afternoon. I think I need to grow another set of arms to get all the wires connected and button pressed.

Okay, I was able to test my 5v parallel box, and under load I am only getting 4v at the atty with 2 completely different sets of batteries. Now I'm really confused.

on a hunch i'd say the regulator is gone unless it's attached to related circuitry (resistors) in which case check solder connections and/or possible resistor failure

 

[opuscroakus]

on a hunch i'd say the regulator is gone unless it's attached to related circuitry (resistors) in which case check solder connections and/or possible resistor failure

I thought of this but all 3 5v regulators going at one time? And the 5v booster only putting out 4v? Something is weird with my batteries I think. I have some new TrustFires I am going to charge today and see if they work. The sets I am currently using are UltraFires and don't quite know how good their quality is. I may pull out some AW 14500's and give them a shot.

 

[kc0cmp]

I thought of this but all 3 5v regulators going at one time? And the 5v booster only putting out 4v? Something is weird with my batteries I think. I have some new TrustFires I am going to charge today and see if they work. The sets I am currently using are UltraFires and don't quite know how good their quality is. I may pull out some AW 14500's and give them a shot.

if your batteries work individually under load that cant be it. IE if theyre 3.7v li-ion and they vape properly individually, its another issue. (vaping is about as big of a load as you can put on a single battery and expect it to live lol..if it does that, its good)

if these are protected batteries, there's the possibility something in there is tripping or failed, but ive never heard of a voltage reduction due to protection circuit failure only *off*.. as prot circuits just break the circuit in the event of tripping, there's no middle ground that i'm aware of

 

[supertrkre2812]

This has me a little worried as i have just built my first box mod with a TI booster, but i have not had a chance to even try it out since i do not have a 510 adapter to use. I haven't ordered them yet. I hope it works.....

 

[opuscroakus]

Well, I think it is those cheap UltraFire batteries. The TrustFires and AW's are working fine in all my mods.

 

[mnealtx]

Interesting....glad you got it sorted out.

 

[smonomo]

opus, how many miles on the Ultrafires?

 

[opuscroakus]

Don't know that it is sorted out. Came home today and now all my batteries are working in all my mods. WTF!

 

[mnealtx]

You obviously weren't holding your mouth right, before!!

 

[opuscroakus]

You obviously weren't holding your mouth right, before!!

Yeah, now I need to figure out what the deal is with the booster. I think I'm going to get a resistor to boost it to 6.4v. If I am losing 20% with a load this might bring it back to ~5v at the atty.

 

[Dave Rickey]

If the TI 4050 booster is sagging under load, it's probably because the cells can't handle the current. 5V is well inside the envelope for the board itself, should be rock-solid (6V on a 510 atomizer would crowd the edge of the envelope, but at 5V only a partially shorted atomizer could hit 12 watts).

Check resistance on the atomizer, and check the batteries (AAA NiMH might have a problem with feeding 2-3A).

--Dave

 

[Nuck]

At 6.4v with a 510 you would be way over spec for that board both in terms of current and total watts (you'd be close to 18w)

Did you put the caps on the booster? Without them I found it impossible to get reliable performance.

5.2v with a 510 will bring you really close to the max for the board but at 5.2v with stable steady current it's a hell of vape.

 

[opuscroakus]

At 6.4v with a 510 you would be way over spec for that board both in terms of current and total watts (you'd be close to 18w)

Did you put the caps on the booster? Without them I found it impossible to get reliable performance.

5.2v with a 510 will bring you really close to the max for the board but at 5.2v with stable steady current it's a hell of vape.

Shamefully, no I haven't added the caps. Guess I need to get my order in to Digikey since Radio Shack doesn't have these and I can't find any locally. I shall go stand in the corner until they arrive.

 

[Dave Rickey]

Yeah, it appears that under 9W or so the 4050 board can do okay without the capacitors, but after that starts to oscillate badly (and since peak output power is clamped to 12W, it doesn't come out in the wash). Actually, it may be oscillating below that level as well, and it only becomes noticeable at higher power because of the clamping. Anyone tried to check one under load with an o-scope?

--Dave