Heads up on NiZn batteries.

[Nobodyatall]

I think I am. May not be feasible for this payday, I've got one fancy mod (read: costume accessory) I'm trying really hard to get done by Halloween (looks like I may not get the parts from China in time to have it totally done, though)... After that these batts are on the top my list, and I would LOVE to try one of those attys. I think I could wire it. What gauge wire did you use? I'm assuming it's heavier duty then the USB wire I've been using? and the only switches I can find would be toggle switches, but that may be a good excuse to finally use one of these:

I'm thinking 2x 2aa boxes back to back or 1 2aa and 1 2aaa. I just think 1 2aa box might be hard for me to hang onto, as well as harder to fit everything in...

Hmmm... Sounds like we may have a potential plan here. I'll have to check the wire I'm using and *may* be able to scrape some up to send along. What I'm thinking to do is send you a new version of what I've been making. The diameter would be about 1/2"x1" long. It would be meant for use with a rubber mouthpiece from a pen as a drip tip and can mount almost completely internally.... and I should be able to plumb it for concealed dripping from an internal reservoir if you have any experience making a juicebox. If not, best stick with dripping... mind you, what I make you can drop 15 drops in without flooding.... and then you vape quite a while.

If you will, please post the specs on that switch.

 

[Nobodyatall]

oops... douple post.

 

[BobTheKlown]

From RatShack:(all the specs they had)
Your safe bet for switches.

Stay safe with this on/off safety switch. This SPST toggle switch includes a safety cover to prevent untimely switching. Rated 20A at 12VDC.

* Ideal for computer equipment
* 3-prong SPST

Tech Specs

General Features
Model 275-601
Product Type SPST
Enclosure Color RED
Body Material Multi
Fits What
Model 275-601
Miscellaneous Features
Supported Languages English
#per pack 1

 

[Nobodyatall]

Ohhhhh Yeaaaaaahhhhh, that'll do it! I've found switches rated 5A @ 125V hold up well too. They just tend to be too large for a 2 AA box.

Anyway, let me know via PM on the timetable, etc. I'll start construction on a few this Friday.

 

[johnny bobcat]

wierd, maybe i'm just lucky but i've never had a switch failure, and ive been running a 50ma tactile switch with no mosfet for the last two or three months with zero issues. I wonder how it is that people get switch failures with higher rated switches

 

[BobTheKlown]

I wonder how it is that people get switch failures with higher rated switches

In this case, it's the current:

...it will run @ 1.6V (and about 8A)...

Not even a 'bigger' 3A switch that most use/recommend would hold up to that, for very long....
I'll use a .5A switch for a 'normal' mod, knowing that it might not last forever (not that any switch will)... If it breaks, that's a good excuse to open it up and rewire it though...

In other cases, it could be a lot of other things.

 

[Sci]

I still drop in when I can. Too many irons in the fire. Anyway, here's my 2x NiZn box:

Not a whole lot of room in this box, but I'm liking it & still using it.

The wires are epoxied down to keep them from moving.

That a piece of brass tube. I used that because I had to put the connector on the outside of the box, no room inside.

I know the brass is crooked, but the carto is pretty straight. I hadn't planned on posting this, but what the heck...
I've used that switch on boosted boxes & have never had a problem. You can get them here, 100 for $5.00.
I'm working on a scaled down version of Nobodyatall's atty. Mine has a 4.5A current draw, but it produces clouds on a single NiZn. I don't know if I could handle the 9A setup. Seems like it would be close to the fog machines I used to work around.

Nobody, see ya on the other side.

 

[Nobodyatall]

I still drop in when I can. Too many irons in the fire. Anyway, here's my 2x NiZn box:

Not a whole lot of room in this box, but I'm liking it & still using it.

The wires are epoxied down to keep them from moving.

That a piece of brass tube. I used that because I had to put the connector on the outside of the box, no room inside.

I know the brass is crooked, but the carto is pretty straight. I hadn't planned on posting this, but what the heck...
I've used that switch on boosted boxes & have never had a problem. You can get them here, 100 for $5.00.
I'm working on a scaled down version of Nobodyatall's atty. Mine has a 4.5A current draw, but it produces clouds on a single NiZn. I don't know if I could handle the 9A setup. Seems like it would be close to the fog machines I used to work around.

Nobody, see ya on the other side.

LOL

Yeah, the coil I make is gigantic compared to a commercial model. Spreads the heat tho and is, indeed, a fog machine. I've gagged myself occasionally with the intensity of it.

Neat looking mod! Now if you just had that wired with 26ga NiCr.....

 

[BobTheKlown]

Sci: Thanks for sharing that! That is awesome man, idk why you didn't wanna post those, it's beauty and elegance is in it's simplicity... An awesome mod, even if it's not 'pretty' by some peoples standards....

Nobody: I can't wait to try my 'fog machine', sounds like I'll have to mix up some lower nic juice for it...

 

[Sci]

@Nobody, I dropped it off of my desk & knocked off the top. It still works, but now I have a reason to redo it. I need to change the wires, then,,, maybe this weekend.<fingers crossed> Actually, I could just re-glue it, but where's the fun in that???

@Bobtheklown, thanks. It works like a charm. I find myself metering it every few hours & thinking, it's gotta need a charge by now!

 

[48lowes]

Never mind sorry can't seem to delete this post.

 

[capecodjim]

Love where you are going w/ these. I will deffinately be buying some for my pentax K-X. That cammera HATES Nimhs

LowThudd... I saw a lot of talk about NiZN and Pentax while researching. Some Pentax flashes don't have proper over voltage protection and can have issues with NiZN's.

 

[LowThudd]

LowThudd... I saw a lot of talk about NiZN and Pentax while researching. Some Pentax flashes don't have proper over voltage protection and can have issues with NiZN's.

The only thing I found was of a flash gun being damaged. That is quite abit different since flash guns are specifically designed for 1.5v. The Pentax K-x comes shipped w/ Lithium AAs which register at 1.7v, pretty much the exact voltage of the NiZn. I don't use a flash gun, but if I do get a AA flash gun I have 16 supposedly 3600mAh NiMh that don't function in my K-x that I can use. lol Thanks though, I appreciate the heads up.

 

[outbackblackjack]

I was considering using PowerGenix batteries even before I read this post but now I am completely inspired to build a mod to use PowerGenix batteries

 

[Sci]

I've got a booster in a 5/8" brass tube & I use it with a pair of NiZns. I'm getting roughly a day out of the pair with a regular 510 carto. This setup is a vapor producing monster.

 

[addisdaddy07]

Sci, lets see it! very curious to see how that works out and how you did it. If it is a small form factor, I am sure a lot of people would be interested as well.

 

[TomCatt]

Nobody? Sci? Bob? How are the NiZn batts working?

 

[garyinco]

Nobody? Sci? Bob? How are the NiZn batts working?

I bought over a hundred of these for our office. They were used in keyboards and mice (not exactly hi-drain applications). After a year there are less than 10 left. The rest lost all their capacity.

 

[CraigHB]

I was reading up on these batts in a couple photography forums. I read of other complaints about that. I guess they aren't the end-all solution claimed to be. Stands to reason, NiZn batts have been around since electricity, but were never manufactured because the cathode degrades quickly. PowerGenix says they solved that problem, but I guess they didn't solve it completely. The batts still don't last that long based on other posts I've read.