First Mod - a V/V

[yo vapo]

Just your basic VV mod in an Altoids tin, but with a different skin.
Kind of a nod to the first e-cig I tried a little over two months ago, and what got me started on all this. It's a handful for sure, but not too big for me. Nice heft.

The board is a LM2596 step-down board bought off the 'bay after reading one of Mamu's posts. Battery holders also bought off the 'bay and then modified, as they were too tight as-is. Two 18650s.

I about lost my mind when the thing wouldn't work and wouldn't work... etc. etc. until I finally snapped and realized the battery holders must be for a flat-top battery. A little blob of solder in each + contact, and rock & roll.

Voltage set at 4.18 volts unloaded, which I'm assuming will get me real near 4.0 volts loaded with a 2 ohm carto. A decent amateur radio operator might be able to figure this out easily, but well... I'm guessing.

Next time: 1) Work on neatness, and 2) Yes, it's as top heavy as it looks.

Not much more to say, so... pix:

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[notsmoking]

Very nice clean job.... and I must admit.... I love that skin you put on there.

 

[Quigsworth]

Well if that's your first mod...a vv, in a box that conducts, then it looks like we got a new "playa'" on the modders forum...well done vapo, I'll be watching for your gear...

 

[Scottinboca]

Really awesome job on the mod! I don't mod, but I always am looking to see what's out there. I've seen other peoples first mods before, and I have to say yours looks really good. VV for a first mod I'm told is very difficult, but yours is working and looks great!

 

[yo vapo]

Thanks, y'all. I really appreciate it.

Notsmoking: Yeah, once the hankering to mod set in, I couldn't NOT use that box. It just seemed so right somehow, and it was just sitting there staring at me.

Quigsworth: I'm honored, sir. This time around all that's isolating the board is hot glue and the plastic flocking material. Proper standoffs in the future, no doubt. It was a good learning experience. I know what this means, though: I have the fever. I recognize the symptoms.

Scott: This mod uses a truly plug & play regulator board. Very easy. It even comes with the input & output wire leads that just plug in. Some light soldering, and the rest is purely mechanical. Yep, it's working, and really working well... so far. My first time at 4 volts. Next time I may have to wire up 3 batteries and try 5 volts. This mod will get me near 5 volts, but not quite there.

 

[jhonutz]

yep lm2596 it`s a good IC for what we need

 

[TomCatt]

Thanks, y'all. I really appreciate it.

Notsmoking: Yeah, once the hankering to mod set in, I couldn't NOT use that box. It just seemed so right somehow, and it was just sitting there staring at me.

Quigsworth: I'm honored, sir. This time around all that's isolating the board is hot glue and the plastic flocking material. Proper standoffs in the future, no doubt. It was a good learning experience. I know what this means, though: I have the fever. I recognize the symptoms.

Scott: This mod uses a truly plug & play regulator board. Very easy. It even comes with the input & output wire leads that just plug in. Some light soldering, and the rest is purely mechanical. Yep, it's working, and really working well... so far. My first time at 4 volts. Next time I may have to wire up 3 batteries and try 5 volts. This mod will get me near 5 volts, but not quite there.

Just curious, have you checked the set voltage with a multimeter? Unloaded voltage on my LM2596 mods using 14500s will easily go up to 7V (loaded w/ 3ohm carto maxes out at 5.5V [TF batts]). Do you have your batteries wired in series or parallel?
Series - voltages add for 8.4V; parallel - mAhs add, voltage is the same as 1 batt, ~4.2V.

I really like the layout and the skin. Where did you get the skin?

 

[yo vapo]

Tom, yes I set it at 4.18 volts using a meter. I had read somewhere that loading dropped voltage ~0.2 volts (as soon as I dig out the book I need I'll do the math and adjust accordingly). I have the 18650s wired in series for a max (fully charged) voltage of 8.4. But since the batts will wear down I'm figuring for 7 volts, and the seller of the LM2596 board says it has a 2.5 volt delta, for a final output of 4.5 volts @ 7v input.

Thanks. The skin is the box my first e-cig came in. I bought it at the grocery store.

EDIT: Reread your post. Hmmm I'll check it to see how high it'll go, thanks.

 

[yo vapo]

yep lm2596 it`s a good IC for what we need

I'm looking for one that only has ~1.5 voltage delta between input/output instead of 2.5 volts. I wonder if the 2.5 volt difference is a design limitation of the LM2596 or if it can be tweaked?

 

[jhonutz]

i can`t answer of your question.you may use mp2307 module, it`s much better, have great efficiency.

Will slap me @tomcatt but this is the true, mp2307 beat lm2596

 

[Quigsworth]

Poor Tomcatt, relegated to the sole crusader of the 2596, I've got 4 of them, 2 being used, mind you both are being used in PSU pwrd PT's...I recently made a .7 ohm dual coil set up in my Ody (because I can) running at 4.2v...I can't even use it on any batt mod without running at least an IMR 18650, even then it's scary...I'm pounding 4+amps through my 2596's without any complaints... are they inefficient?, pretty much (but on a PSU PT who cares?), do they get hot? yup...drill more holes, does that adjustment screw P&&# you off, most definitely...are they pretty much bullet proof, you betcha'...best $4.00 I ever spent...

btw, a +16 watt vape is an experience ...just wanted to see what it was like...

 

[TomCatt]

Poor Tomcatt, relegated to the sole crusader of the 2596, I've got 4 of them, 2 being used, mind you both are being used in PSU pwrd PT's...I recently made a .7 ohm dual coil set up in my Ody (because I can) running at 4.2v...I can't even use it on any batt mod without running at least an IMR 18650, even then it's scary...I'm pounding 4+amps through my 2596's without any complaints... are they inefficient?, pretty much (but on a PSU PT who cares?), do they get hot? yup...drill more holes, does that adjustment screw P&&# you off, most definitely...are they pretty much bullet proof, you betcha'...best $4.00 I ever spent...

btw, a +16 watt vape is an experience ...just wanted to see what it was like...

Hmmm...Q, you paid $4? That much huh?
I don't even get to 2A on my vaping, that high and my nicquid in my beloved CE2 is just bleh. I haven't had any heat show up on the LM2596 at my vaping level. My 14500s (TF) last me all day and with the ACDC concept (a big THANKS to BJ43!) if they run out at the end of the day I just plug in.

 

[Quigsworth]

If you factor in shipping, more like $14 each...ah buying things from China on Ebay

Believe me, a .7 ohm dual coil @ 4.2v was (to me at least) ridicules, makes me wonder though, you read some peeps saying they like to vape at that kind of wattage, I didn't really get any flavour it was just hot with a TH that was mostly painful...not pleasant experience however to each his own I guess. It's just my nature to push everything to it's extremes just to see what'll happen...never put me in front of that big red button that says "Do not push"

I was actually prepared to see that little reg to just start to smoke, the meter flicker then just go out...when it didn't, I just didn't have the heart to wantonly drive it to failure...it passed the torture test as far as I'm concerned

 

[jhonutz]

Hmmm...Q, you paid $4? That much huh?
I don't even get to 2A on my vaping, that high and my nicquid in my beloved CE2 is just bleh. I haven't had any heat show up on the LM2596 at my vaping level. My 14500s (TF) last me all day and with the ACDC concept (a big THANKS to BJ43!) if they run out at the end of the day I just plug in.

A day 14500 TF, 7 hours for me that kind of batts.I vappe 4-5ml per day

 

[yo vapo]

It's just my nature to push everything to it's extremes just to see what'll happen...never put me in front of that big red button that says "Do not push"

Me, I take sh** apart. Sometimes I can put it back together.

 

[TomCatt]

A day 14500 TF, 7 hours for me that kind of batts.I vappe 4-5ml per day

I'm vaping ~3mL a day.

 

[BJ43]

I vape at least 6ml a day, spill at least 1ml a day, buy VG in gallon jugs and DIY juice. Use batteries about 3 hours a month. Three mods with LM2596. Have an A2, Line, G-Tank-US, all in a drawer as my favorite are my four DIY Cheap Line. Life is good!!! lol On Jan 4 reached 3 years without an analog and 2yrs 9 months without nic...

 

[notsmoking]

Congrats BJ43 I am almost a yr without analog and still trying to drop the nic level

 

[Quigsworth]

Gratz notsmoking and BJ...I'm still a short timer and I'm just now starting to know what's good/what's bad (for me) as far as attys/cartos go but my ml/day is all over the map...if I pack my Reo mini+1.5 XL DCC (and a "handful" of batts) I only go through a 3ml bottle and a night time top up/day...If I take my vv mod that'll take a eGo Mega 1.5 DCC I can go through 5ml/day no problem..and if I run my PT at the office with my Odysseus, pfft, all bets are off, my Dads motor home gets better gas mileage and I know I'm hovering on the line of nic OD...I dyi my own juice, I have from about the beginning, and I have some fav's that I make...I'm now thinking about making custom juice (nic +/-) to match which device I choose for the day/night, thankfully my juice now is only 10+/-mg though making a 6mg Ody juice is really only a push as I'll just vape way more...

 

[BJ43]

Great guys, good luck on staying off analogs, I smoked over two packs a day for more than 5o years and if this old man can give you one advice get off anything with silica or fiberglass wick, try stainless steel wick, better flavor, healthier. The "Line" type atty is the best IMO...

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modding-forum/243494-my-cheap-version-line.html