First Li-Ion Battery Mod

[TomCatt]

I've made a few Puck-style mods, with Ni-MH batteries; but this is my first mod with li-ion.

Components:

- Altoids tin - Peppermint (hey, DIY peppermint is my all-day-vape )
- Adjustable voltage boost module - LM2577S DC-DC 4-35V Adjustable Step-up Power Supply Non-isolated Boost Module 3A | eBay
- Radioshack 3A switch - Mini SPDT 3-Amp Push On/Push Off Switch - RadioShack.com
- 1 18650 battery holder - Plastic Battery Storage Case Box Holder for 1 x 18650 Black with 6" Wire Leads | eBay
- 510 atty connector from MadVapes
- 3M epoxy / plumbers epoxy putty

Kapton tape


I lined the bottom and sides of the Altoids tin with Kapton tape to reduce the possibility of shorts (I'm sloppy, gotta go a little bit extra on the safety ). Put a layer of 3M epoxy down where I was putting the switch to raise the switch off the bottom of the tin. Also did this to test the adhesion of the epoxy to the Kapton tape, adheres pretty well. Then put the switch in:

Individual components:

Placed the parts to see how they fit:

Added the atty connector and used the plumbers putty to secure. Made a hole for the pot screw through the bottom of the tin, added a couple dollops of 3M epoxy to set the caps into and placed the boost module in:

The pot adjustment screw:

3M epoxied the batt holder in, connected everything together:

I set the voltage to 4.7, added my Cheapo Gummy Tank with DIY peppermint and ..... VAPED!


I'll update y'all on battery life after using for a few days.

 

[Stosh]

Nice, compact, neat, simple......ummm missing the circuit diagram..

I like it, but have destroyed 2 Altoids tins trying to drill for the atty connector...
and I'd rather vape my mints these days.

 

[TomCatt]

To make the holes for the atty connector and switch, I just took a push pin and made a starter hole. Then got a smaller screw driver to enlarge the hole and used larger screw drivers (or whatever else was lying around ) until the hole was big enough. Plus, the 'pushed in' edges gave a bit more support than a clean-cut hole.

I was going to use the Altoids tin for a Puck; but then I got a couple of 18650s and it fit soooo nicely in there

 

[WillyB]

Looks decent. The switch you linked to is not a momentary, was the link correct?

Just so folks know those eBay 18650 battery holders are too short for protected cells, assuming they are like the similar ones I got.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Battery-B...923?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a151331e3

 

[TomCatt]

Looks decent. The switch you linked to is not a momentary, was the link correct?

Just so folks know those eBay 18650 battery holders are too short for protected cells.

Link to the RS switch may be incorrect, just glanced through and picked what looked like the one I had. I'll check the part number and fix/repost the correct link.

 

[breaktru]

Very nice TomCatt.
and there is plenty of room for some mints too

 

[AzPlumber]

Nice job TomCatt, I haven't done one of these but always wondered if those little tins get hot if you hit on them very hard?

Two part epoxy putty is awesome stuff, but i wish they wouldn't call it Plumbers Epoxy Putty I've used it on Mods, to repair a chair, fix a cup handle, to mount Deer or Elk Antlers but I have never used it to repair plumbing. It should be called "Instead Of A Plumber Epoxy Putty".

 

[asdaq]

Nice box TomCatt, I'm also a fan of the putty. Here we have Poxilina which does sound better. I took my daughter and her cousin to Home Depot on a mission to look for "epoxy putty" and "knurled nuts" and they had a riot.

 

[lynch]

Looks decent. The switch you linked to is not a momentary, was the link correct?

Just so folks know those eBay 18650 battery holders are too short for protected cells, assuming they are like the similar ones I got.

1 Battery Box Holder Case 1 x 18650 with 6'' Leads | eBay

WillyB, I brought from 2 different sellers and there both short and one order was for a 10 pack of them .
Rather than toss them I cut the end off the -neg and super glued it to end of case and moved the remaining part up a little to fit good then with small screw attach it to case. It's a PITA but better than tossing or chewing up my bats.

 

[TomCatt]

Looks decent. The switch you linked to is not a momentary, was the link correct?

Just so folks know those eBay 18650 battery holders are too short for protected cells, assuming they are like the similar ones I got.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Battery-B...923?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a151331e3

Can't find the switch on RS website, but here is the actual switch used; which was purchased at my local RS:

http://www.sci.com.tw/PRODUCTS/switch/(R13) PUSH SWITCH/R13-24.htm


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[breaktru]

If you need more of those step up converters:
$4.16 w/ free shipping.....
http://www............com/product-fm/495554974-Wholesale-5pcs-lot-LM2577-DC-DC-Adjustable-Step-up-Power-Supply-Module-New-Free-shipping-10000019-wholesalers.html
and 5 for 20.96 w/ free shipping: http://www............com/product-fm/495554974-Wholesale-5pcs-lot-LM2577-DC-DC-Adjustable-Step-up-Power-Supply-Module-New-Free-shipping-10000019-wholesalers.html

 

[WillyB]

WillyB, I brought from 2 different sellers and there both short and one order was for a 10 pack of them .
Rather than toss them I cut the end off the -neg and super glued it to end of case and moved the remaining part up a little to fit good then with small screw attach it to case. It's a PITA but better than tossing or chewing up my bats.

I hear ya, the thing is even the expensive ones at Digi-key are too short. These things are basically made for un-protected cells.

Too bad these are so expensive, built in protection, ready for the Japanese/Korean cell of your choice.

1X Battery Holder Case for 18650 battery with PCM 1S2P | eBay

Can't find the switch on RS website, but here is the actual switch used; which was purchased at my local RS:

R13-24

Yea they sell those in the store, I think in like a 3 pack as a 3A momentary.

 

[lynch]

I hear ya, the thing is even the expensive ones at Digi-key are too short. These things are basically made for un-protected cells.

Too bad these are so expensive, built in protection, ready for the Japanese/Korean cell of your choice.

1X Battery Holder Case for 18650 battery with PCM 1S2P | eBay

I seen those expensive ones also, but for the simple mods that I make It dont make sense to buy them.

You ever see that protection kit for the 18650 bats ? also on e-bay, you attach it to the bats yourself ? Sorry dont have a link for them.

 

[TomCatt]

After using this for a couple of days, I've come to the conclusion that to really test it, I should get some high drain batteries I've seen some similar modules on ebay list the efficiency as 82% for 3.7Vin to 5Vout. The max Vout I've achieved with the fully charged GTL 18650 "3000mah" batteries I have is 4.9V.

Measuring current between Vin+ and Vout+ on the module I get 1.4A with 4.2V battery and 4.9Vout. With 82% efficiency, the battery is outputting 2A. Of course as the battery drains the Vout drops. I did vape ~2.5-3mL over ~15hrs (around average for me) with the GTL battery reading 3.5V and Vout was 3.9V (I = 1.1A).

At one point I made loaded/unloaded measurements. Loaded measurements were with 3.2ohm clearomizer.
Battery voltage - 3.56V
Unloaded voltage at module out: 6.67V
Loaded voltage at module out: 3.87V
Loaded current (IN+ / OUT+): 1.07A

With high drain batteries this may be a very workable module; otherwise it's ..... meh Definitely worth the $4 I got it for off of e-bay.

(Now I can stop obsessing over boost and go for buck; as usual, I do everything bass ackwards)

 

[MadmanMacguyver]

lol nice toy tomcatt and however you modd is your own style...don't let yourself be pushed in any direction but your own...We all have something to contribute...

 

[TomCatt]

This is why some chemists shouldn't mod . Popped the boost module off to flip around in order to see if adding a heat sink to the LM2577 chip would help any. And popped one of the caps off also And one of the cap's legs broke off. So what do I do? Solder a couple of wires to the cap and solder the wires to the PCB. Well...it works and hasn't blown up yet

Chances are a heat sink isn't gonna do much.....hmmm maybe a set-up like this?

Input: DC or AC 6V-30V ​

Output: Adjustable DC 4.5V-28V 5A​

Step-down converter
​

 

[breaktru]

How about strapping this bad boy on:

 

[TomCatt]

Perfect Break! Well....does is run on 4V DC?

 

[breaktru]

It's simple, add a 04050c with a fixed 12v output to power the fan for cooling your LM2577S step-up

 

[TomCatt]

It's simple, add a 04050c with a fixed 12v output to power the fan for cooling your LM2577S step-up

Why didn't I think of that??? Guess 'cause I ain't a Mod God!