What would you experienced modders consider a better set up, a regulated dual battery mod or a boosted single battery set up? Is there any safety issues that may come to mind using a single boosted battery mod? I have made dual battery regulated mods, but seen some clean VV single battery boosted mods out there and seems to be able to fit more in a single box since taking out space for the extra battery. Info is much appreciated, thanks everyone.
Boosted vs Regulated
- Thread starter Kirbysmusclecar
- Start date
- th_trl_thread_readers 0
-
- Tags
- lavatube
- Status
With 2 batteries something is easier: less current from batteries (cheap and available accumulators), cheaper converter, less current via switch (important if it is mechanical). But difficult to charge batteries and control their discharge without removing, in common more weight and dimensions.
If you use a booster with 1 battery, also there are pros and cons. Cons: Expensive converter, much more input current (expensive battery and powerful switch). Pros: much easier to control battery discharge and make a mod with a charger on board. In general the power supply is less weighted and more compact.
If you use a booster with 1 battery, also there are pros and cons. Cons: Expensive converter, much more input current (expensive battery and powerful switch). Pros: much easier to control battery discharge and make a mod with a charger on board. In general the power supply is less weighted and more compact.
Slimest, thank you for the very detailed response, that really made a lot of sense.
regulated dual batt`s series connected it`s the best.Huge power, long life of batt`s between recharging..but dimension is a little higher of this kind of mod, compared with booster.
High current delivery is needed for a boost converter, i.e. a 'high drain' battery. You can think of it as the boost converter using the current to produce a larger voltage. If you don't have enough current delivered to the converter, you won't get much of a boost.
Best setup is series batts with a step-down switching regulator. The exception is if you really want to add USB charging. Then boost is better since a single cell makes USB charging easy to do.
No safety issues with protected cells in series.
As already mentioned, boost needs high drain which usually means an unprotected cell. Add a fuse if using an unprotected Li-Ion like an IMR or LiPo cell. Resettable PTC fuses are small, inexpensive, and easy to add in-line.
No safety issues with protected cells in series.
As already mentioned, boost needs high drain which usually means an unprotected cell. Add a fuse if using an unprotected Li-Ion like an IMR or LiPo cell. Resettable PTC fuses are small, inexpensive, and easy to add in-line.
what he say @CraigHB it`s wright, i fell the fact you have experience in electronics 
, please listen to him everytime say true.
, please listen to him everytime say true.Ya probably going to stick with regulated, seems to be sensible for mod safety. Probably big concern would be battery life, I like how I can use a single 5v box for over a day or close to a day of heavy vaping.
Anyway you can use a bigger accumulator, say, 26650, or use two smaller batteries in parallel, depends on a box you want...
If want to use 2 batteries in parallel, it's very important to "balance" them when connect together first time. The simplest way to do that - connect them via a resistor, say, 10-100 ohm and keep approx half an hour. Then you can remove resistor and connect them directly.
If want to use 2 batteries in parallel, it's very important to "balance" them when connect together first time. The simplest way to do that - connect them via a resistor, say, 10-100 ohm and keep approx half an hour. Then you can remove resistor and connect them directly.
Last edited:
What ratings would you recommend for a ptc resetable fuse? operating amps:trip amps
imo there are only 2 benefits to regulated vs boosted:
- regulators (buck) are more available than boosters
- regulators (buck) are cheaper than booster
- smaller mod
- less parts
- no need to worry about 1 battery getting more drained than the other from pwm
- simpler onboard charging
- safer than regulated
Thats' correct, since boost and buck have similar efficiencies, you'll get similar run times between two cells in parallel with boost and the same two cells in series with buck. Good point actually. There are advantages to boost other than simplicity of charging, but you're limited on the regulator modules available for boost.
As far as fuses, something like this would work well for a booster driven with an IMR 14500. I'd use something like this with an IMR 18650, parallel IMR 14500s, or a LiPo 10C and above.
Buck regulators and linear regulators usually have input current limiting which is not the case for boost converters. You can probably go without a fuse if using an unprotected cell with those, but I would consider adding one anyway as a backup. For unregulated or boost, you definitely need a fuse with an unprotected cell. The PTN04050C data sheet even tells you to add one.
As far as fuses, something like this would work well for a booster driven with an IMR 14500. I'd use something like this with an IMR 18650, parallel IMR 14500s, or a LiPo 10C and above.
Buck regulators and linear regulators usually have input current limiting which is not the case for boost converters. You can probably go without a fuse if using an unprotected cell with those, but I would consider adding one anyway as a backup. For unregulated or boost, you definitely need a fuse with an unprotected cell. The PTN04050C data sheet even tells you to add one.
Last edited:
oops i think i forgot to include that in describtion above, so for boost there is need to add fuse as compensation for lack of natural ability to limit current, for buck there is generally inbuilt protection in circuit, but allso more volatile situation from pwm+batteries in series ?
would be cool if there was ready made board with lavatube chip or similar, maybe without digital pot and display
I use canadian eGo booster and it has everything on board: overcurrent protection, discharge protection, wrong polarity protection. Great device, very compact and powerful, but expensive...
Volatility is not really any different between series or parallel. For series, the voltage is double, but the total internal cell resistance is also double since the cells are stacked. The over-current condition for each cell would be the same in either configuration.
Boost can't shut off input current since it can only add to output voltage not reduce it. Buck can shut off input current since it reduces output voltage to begin with. If you look at the way the switch, inductor, and rectifier is layed out for each converter type (its topology), it becomes fairly obvious why that's the case.
The problem with the eGo booster (at least the one I'm thinking of) is that it's limited by the eGo battery. They're not particularly high drain batteries and can not gracefully handle high outputs. It's sort of a kludge anyway. First, the eGo outputs PWM, then it's sent to a booster. It's like putting two regulators in series which is something you normally try to avoid. The inefficiencies multiply in that case. I'm not a big fan of eGo batteries anyway. My wife uses them and I find they're pretty much crap. They fail a lot and don't last very long. Though, she likes them so I keep buying them. They're cheap enough.
I'm not familiar with any other type of eGo booster. If the one you mention is something different and built as a booster from the ground up, then it should be a lot nicer.
Boost can't shut off input current since it can only add to output voltage not reduce it. Buck can shut off input current since it reduces output voltage to begin with. If you look at the way the switch, inductor, and rectifier is layed out for each converter type (its topology), it becomes fairly obvious why that's the case.
The problem with the eGo booster (at least the one I'm thinking of) is that it's limited by the eGo battery. They're not particularly high drain batteries and can not gracefully handle high outputs. It's sort of a kludge anyway. First, the eGo outputs PWM, then it's sent to a booster. It's like putting two regulators in series which is something you normally try to avoid. The inefficiencies multiply in that case. I'm not a big fan of eGo batteries anyway. My wife uses them and I find they're pretty much crap. They fail a lot and don't last very long. Though, she likes them so I keep buying them. They're cheap enough.
I'm not familiar with any other type of eGo booster. If the one you mention is something different and built as a booster from the ground up, then it should be a lot nicer.
I used the eGo booster to make my own power supply: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ck-boost-stick-based-happy-vaper-booster.html
yeah but in parallel they get drained and charged equally, in series the drain is different from the pwm nature of the power draw, so if you put them in bad quality charger or charge incorrectly much strain is put on battery
cool idea about ego booster, how does it look inside ?
Last edited:
srolesen, I did not disassemble it This thing is very good and reliably made, it has just analog voltage adjustment without these stupid menus. Works on 2.4 Mhz, so very powerful, having a small size.
This thing is very good and reliably made, it has just analog voltage adjustment without these stupid menus. Works on 2.4 Mhz, so very powerful, having a small size.Don't rule out looking at different battery types.
There is some interesting stuff out there these days in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Just to get the creative juice flowing:
12v Lithium Polymer Battery-12v Lithium Polymer Battery Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.com
It might be easy to buck a 12v battery, easily stay in a 5 to 6 amp area of max operation (You probably won't need more than 4), AND have something that's not too big/heavy, has plenty of mah, and is easier to charge?
There is some interesting stuff out there these days in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Just to get the creative juice flowing:
12v Lithium Polymer Battery-12v Lithium Polymer Battery Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.com
It might be easy to buck a 12v battery, easily stay in a 5 to 6 amp area of max operation (You probably won't need more than 4), AND have something that's not too big/heavy, has plenty of mah, and is easier to charge?
Last edited:
- Status
