Beginners guide?

[Thardmann]

Hello all!

First of all. Thank you for this great forum

Well, i have been vaping for about 9 months now, and i have decided that i want to make my own ecig! Therefor, i really need some basic advice.

What i want to do, is make a "box" with 3-4 normal AA batteries, a button, (a led maybe), and an master ON/OFF switch. I want to use 510 LR atty's on this ecig.

What do i need? And where to buy? (im from Denmark, so shops in EU is preferible).

Hope somebody can help me out there

 

[USinchains]

I would use a AA battery box that already has the spaces and contacts in, for something simple like that the most you may need to do is drill a couple holes and epoxy some connectors in, solder the circuit in. These boxes come in 2x to 4x configuration if I'm not mistaken.

Besides the box that already has battery contacts, you would need to find a switch and button at some electronics place, 510 battery connector from an ecig vendor, a soldering iron with solder, some type of epoxy like loctite or jb weld, a step drill bit helps to make proper holes, also a dremel (hand held rotary tool) for that or to clean up unnecessary guts in the box.

 

[Thardmann]

I would use a AA battery box, already has the spaces and contacts in, for something simple like that the most you may need to do is drill a couple holes and epoxy some connectors in, solder the circuit in. These boxes come in 2x to 4x configuration if I'm not mistaken.

Besides the box that already has battery contacts, you would need to find a switch and button at some electronics place, 510 battery connector from an ecig vendor, a soldering iron with solder, some type of epoxy like loctite or jb weld, a step drill bit helps to make proper holes, also a dremel (hand held rotary tool) for that or to clean up unnecessary guts in the box.

Thank you for that info That helped..
Well, does any online shop sell those? I also need to know what i need specificly for the circuit?

And am a bit confused about what parts i need from the vapour vendor, what concerns the connection to the 510 atty?

 

[USinchains]

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/105465-now-puck-cheap-parts-easy.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/109145-couldnt-sleep.html

aa battery box items - Get great deals on Electronics, Business Industrial items on eBay.com!

 

[USinchains]

And am a bit confused about what parts i need from the vapour vendor, what concerns the connection to the 510 atty?

I will look around for you, I'm bored. Maybe someone knows an overseas vendor, but I get all mine at Madvapes. Forgot you will probably need a resistor for the LED...

Kill switch would fit between the "+" and "switch"

 

[Sci]

What US said & also, if you are going to use an LR atty, you don't want to get over 4.2v(a fully charged 3.7v battery). Any higher & you may ruin your LR atty.
Here are some great how-to's that have a lot of pics & info: MadVapes e-Cig 'How To' Tutorials. That is the forum for Mad Vapes. They use 3.7v batteries, but you can ask Mark(Mad Vapes owner) about shipping or maybe he can point you to an EU supplier. He's a great guy & will help.

 

[USinchains]

Well I thought heaven-gifts had the connectors but they only have adapters, they would work but are not ideal. I'm stumped as to where to get them overseas, there are a lot of UK members here who can probably help. Or you can steal one out of the top of a 510 battery, gut it, cut the casing down, and peel the excess casing off the connector like you're opening a sardine can. Or clamp it and cut the casing off with a rotary cutting disc.

The button and switch should be available at electronics store where soldering guns are sold, possibly even a box, led and resistor, all basic electronic components. A 3 amp button will be most reliable over time.

 

[USinchains]

This box looks nice, 3x with a kill switch already installed, and looks like it has room at one end to hide the connector and button. Seems pricey to me (edit: for 6 boxes it's a good price) but I have seen it around at other places. Free shipping though.

6, 3X AA 4.5V Battery Case Box Holder Switch Cover,UM9 - eBay (item 120602805084 end time Aug-07-10 02:18:07 PDT)

 

[Thardmann]

Great guide! That helped alot!
The circuit isnt that hard to make i see

Wouldt a box like this due?
cgi.ebay.com/10-pcs-2-X-AA-BATTERY-HOLDER-CASE-8-LEADS-SWITCH-/120599093102?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c14441f6e

 

[Thardmann]

Then:

box:
madvapes.com/2-x-AAA-Battery-Box-with-switch_p_2075.html
connector:
madvapes.com/510-Battery-Connector-Gold_p_2153.html
switch:
madvapes.com/8mm-x-8mm-Sealed-Tactile-Switch_p_2394.html
LED (470 ohm resistor included)
madvapes.com/470-Ohm-Resistor_p_2027.html
battery:
madvapes.com/Protected-Trustfire-14500-Battery-900-mAH_p_2471.html

Anything els?

 

[Sci]

This one is in the UK Mods - Batteries & Chargers, Mods - E-Cig Battery Connectors. A note, 14500 batteries are just a little longer than a AA battery & can be used in AA battery boxes.

 

[USinchains]

Are you currently happy at 3.7v? What e cig are you using at the moment? If it is a standard e cig, then one 14500 Li-Ion should be sufficient for you. Your first post suggested you may want to use "3-4 normal(Alkaline) AA batteries" which would obviously require a bigger box, but it will probably vape a lot harder than what you're used to with a standard e cig.

Those small tact switches need extra protection, they are not rated very high, some folks use a mosfet and resistor for this but it's usually easier to buy a button rated at 3 amps. Depends on your goal.

Edit: the smaller buttons are nice for certain applications which are small and still allow for added protection for the switch, but in general I find the larger buttons more ergonomic and comfortable to find/ push.

Then:

box:
madvapes.com/2-x-AAA-Battery-Box-with-switch_p_2075.html
connector:
madvapes.com/510-Battery-Connector-Gold_p_2153.html
switch:
madvapes.com/8mm-x-8mm-Sealed-Tactile-Switch_p_2394.html
LED (470 ohm resistor included)
madvapes.com/470-Ohm-Resistor_p_2027.html
battery:
madvapes.com/Protected-Trustfire-14500-Battery-900-mAH_p_2471.html

Anything els?

 

[USinchains]

There's more talk about switches here, http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modders-forum/101439-switches.html

I've used the .5" buttons @ 3 amps, as well as the mini push button switches which are underrated but sometimes worked fine for me at 3.7v. There's a 2 amp push button switch that is probably a better choice than the mini. You could even build a strong mechanical switch with a metal screw and spring.

 

[Thardmann]

Are you currently happy at 3.7v? What e cig are you using at the moment? If it is a standard e cig, then one 14500 Li-Ion should be sufficient for you. Your first post suggested you may want to use "3-4 normal(Alkaline) AA batteries" which would obviously require a bigger box, but it will probably vape a lot harder than what you're used to with a standard e cig.

Those small tact switches need extra protection, they are not rated very high, some folks use a mosfet and resistor for this but it's usually easier to buy a button rated at 3 amps. Depends on your goal.

Edit: the smaller buttons are nice for certain applications which are small and still allow for added protection for the switch, but in general I find the larger buttons more ergonomic and comfortable to find/ push.

Im on a Tornado/eGo at the moment, with a 510 LR atty, and im dripping.
I am happy about 3.7 volt yes
What about 10400 batteries? Are they better or worse?

I have decided that a 2 battery box (with 1 batteri in), should do for the first mod. I might buy some other boxes with more battery spaces in with this first order as well though.. I just want to be absolutly sure, that i have what i need, so i dont need to order again cuz i forgot something

 

[Thardmann]

And i would really like some of these switches, but i dont know what that 4 pin thing is about?
madvapes.com/Tactile-Switch-with-Round-actuator-300g_p_2208.html

And an other thing.. What does it mean that these connectors are assembled? Does it mean the the wires are connected to them?
madvapes.com/510-Battery-Connector-Assembled_p_2128.html

 

[USinchains]

I personally don't like 10440's, they don't last long. Two in series for ~8v regulated down to 5v, I like that alot. But just one 10440 alone no I won't ever bother again.

18650's are best IMO for 3.7, 14500 are good when they're fresh but tend to drop off for a long time before actually dying. Those are the only three Li-Ion's I've used singly so not sure about performance of the other sizes in between. A higher mAh rating will last longer. You can wire two 14500 in parallel and get the same voltage but double the mAh.

Edit: I use a single 16340 in my vapestack. I like that a lot with LR, close to 5v in comparison. I think I can sometimes get 6hrs out of it.

 

[USinchains]

And i would really like some of these switches, but i dont know what that 4 pin thing is about?
madvapes.com/Tactile-Switch-with-Round-actuator-300g_p_2208.html

That is something to do with mosfet switches, I never got into that stuff so don't know. There are 5v regulators that have an extra leg which can be used as a control to protect the tact switch, but those regs would be used in a higher voltage application (two 3v or 3.7v in series) to bring it down to 5v.

 

[Thardmann]

I personally don't like 10440's, they don't last long. Two in series for ~8v regulated down to 5v, I like that alot. But just one 10440 alone no I won't ever bother again.

18650's are best IMO for 3.7, 14500 are good when they're fresh but tend to drop off for a long time before actually dying. Those are the only three Li-Ion's I've used singly so not sure about performance of the other sizes in between. A higher mAh rating will last longer. You can wire two 14500 in parallel and get the same voltage but double the mAh.

But does those 14500 fit in the battery boxes? They are a little longer right?

 

[USinchains]

But does those 14500 fit in the battery boxes? They are a little longer right?

As long as the box uses springs for contacts then you have some room there for a few mm difference.

Edit for my earlier post: I use a single 16340 in my mini vapestack. I like that a lot with LR, close to 5v in comparison. I think I can sometimes get 6hrs out of it.

 

[Thardmann]

As long as the box uses springs for contacts then you have some room there for a few mm difference.

Edit for my earlier post: I use a single 16340 in my mini vapestack. I like that a lot with LR, close to 5v in comparison. I think I can sometimes get 6hrs out of it.

oh cool are that a box with just 1 battery in it?

And an other thing.. What does it mean that these connectors are assembled? Does it mean the the wires are connected to them?
madvapes.com/510-Battery-Connector-Assembled_p_2128.html