HELLO! and question about LED cover

[bpaulette]

First of all, HELLO there! Been lurking here for a bit now. I'm VERY new to this, just started a week ago. LOVE IT.

After throwing away the overpriced (terrible) kit I bought from a gas station, I researched a ton of vendors, and decided to go with a vapor king from V4L. SO GLAD I DID.

Anyway... weird question. I'm curious if anyone has tried removing the little plastic cover over the LED light? For some reason, I'd love to see that LED shine a little more brightly. But will it make the whole battery fall apart, or just look like crap? Just curious

 

[skinny]

It will look like poop!
I guess if you want a sharper light you could take the cap of and drill a hole in it and put it back on, but still....
You could make a clear cap maybe?

 

[LowThudd]

Taking of the cap exposes a circut board, not a good idea could be easily damaged. The LED is a micro LED and you really can't see it except when lit. It looks awfull. I dropped my 510 and the cover fell off. Spent a good 15 min untill I found it. Was worried because it looks like crud, and the battery loses necessary protection.

 

[AmyLynne]

I lost off one of my 901 batteries - never found it. It still works but isn't very pretty. It is now for desparate use only LOL

 

[bpaulette]

Great to know!
Thanks
Won't be popping it off, like I was (reluctantly) considering.

 

[Adrenalynn]

Satisfy your curiosity:

That's the LED and board, with a ball-point (gel click-pen) tip on photo-left for scale.

 

[pm2006]

Funny you mentioned this. I just bought crystals 8mm/40ss (for an 808) from the fabric store today. Someone from another thread suggested this to replace the ash cap that I lost. Just pick a color and glue it in. I bought a bag of assorted sizes for different ecigs.

 

[BrockJ]

I've seen some people pop them off and replace them with rhinestones.

Still though.. There are times you'll want to vape in stealth mode (Movie theatre) and it's easier to cover the generic end.
When I used standard batts their were a few that I popped the end off of and sealed for stealth vaping. Even though it's technically *Not Smoking* there are places that don't permit it (American Airlines). And yes... Vaping will set off a smoke detector in the lav.

Also didn't want to be all *In your face* about it...

 

[sooperdrave]

I've seen some people pop them off and replace them with rhinestones.

Still though.. There are times you'll want to vape in stealth mode (Movie theatre) and it's easier to cover the generic end.
When I used standard batts their were a few that I popped the end off of and sealed for stealth vaping. Even though it's technically *Not Smoking* there are places that don't permit it (American Airlines). And yes... Vaping will set off a smoke detector in the lav.

Also didn't want to be all *In your face* about it...

how does vaping set off a smoke detector? that sucks! i was hoping i could use them on my flights to texas. what if i hold it in untill there is no vapor coming out?

 

[BrockJ]

it's something to do with the cloud. It somehow mimmicks the smoke.
The gas they use to test smoke detectors isn't real smoke. It's like a vapor..


I just point the air nozzle down across my face in my seat and vape there.
Most of the time I know the person next to me so it's not an issue.
I've also waited until the person next to me goes to sleep 8-o

Worst case, I just wait.

 

[Adrenalynn]

Particulate detection.

 

[sooperdrave]

i wonder why it doesnt set off the smoke alarms in the bathroom at school? would vaping set off sprinklers?

 

[Adrenalynn]

No and no.

If anyone cares: Sprinklers are set off by breaking a little glass vial. The vial is filled with something that boils easily. Typically alcohol. When the vial breaks, the pin drops opening the valve.

Typical cheap house detectors actually use a small source of alpha-particle emitting radiation, like Americium₂₄₁ and are really ionization detectors. Now we're going to simplify this a bit: The ionization chamber has two plates separated by a little air space. The power supply (typically battery) gives a little DC voltage to the plates, one plate charged positively and the other negative/ground potential. The alpha particles released by the decay of the Americium-241 knock some electrons off of the atoms in the air that is entering the detector, which ionizes [primarily] the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the ionization chamber. The positively-charged oxygen and nitrogen atoms are attracted to the negative plate while the electrons released are attracted by the positive plate, and that process generates a tiny electric current.

When smoke enters the ionization chamber, the smoke particles become bound or attached to the ions, thereby neutralizing them, and they aren't attracted to the plate, breaking the cycle. It's this drop in current between the plates which is sensed and ultimately triggers the alarm.

Most home detectors (and also those in the school) would also employ simple heat detection as well, since heat is the precursor to smoke and eventual fire. So they really detect with two modes.

This is why your home detector advises you to dispose of it as hazardous waste. It technically is radiological waste.

The type of detector used by the airlines, to my knowledge, is a photovoltaic device. They shoot a laser at an optical sensor split off in a "T" shape. The amount of voltage generated by the photovoltaic is compared in the clean-air channel of the T to the potentially dirty air channel of the open air sensor. When they are dissimilar by some sliding window, the alarm goes off. The water vapor reflects light in the same way that smoke does, so will trigger this alarm type in much the same way.

Of course, this is from the view of a physics-geek/electrical engineer. If Lonercom chimes in and differs with this assessment in any way - he's correct, I'm wrong. He is, AFAIK, the expert on fire detection here. And Jazzguy is laughing his .... off, being the nuclear physicist here - but I DID note that I simplified for my audience, so "bite me"...

 

[LowThudd]

Of course, this is from the view of a physics-geek/electrical engineer. If Lonercom chimes in and differs with this assessment in any way - he's correct, I'm wrong. He is, AFAIK, the expert on fire detection here. And Jazzguy is laughing his .... off, being the nuclear physicist here - but I DID note that I simplified for my audience, so "bite me"...

That "simplified" explaination was the coolest Anecdotal statement I've read on the web ever(and I've read some doozies). Awesome...and....LMFAO too.

 

[sooperdrave]

No and no.

If anyone cares: Sprinklers are set off by breaking a little glass vial. The vial is filled with something that boils easily. Typically alcohol. When the vial breaks, the pin drops opening the valve.

Typical cheap house detectors actually use a small source of alpha-particle emitting radiation, like Americium₂₄₁ and are really ionization detectors. Now we're going to simplify this a bit: The ionization chamber has two plates separated by a little air space. The power supply (typically battery) gives a little DC voltage to the plates, one plate charged positively and the other negative/ground potential. The alpha particles released by the decay of the Americium-241 knock some electrons off of the atoms in the air that is entering the detector, which ionizes [primarily] the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the ionization chamber. The positively-charged oxygen and nitrogen atoms are attracted to the negative plate while the electrons released are attracted by the positive plate, and that process generates a tiny electric current.

When smoke enters the ionization chamber, the smoke particles become bound or attached to the ions, thereby neutralizing them, and they aren't attracted to the plate, breaking the cycle. It's this drop in current between the plates which is sensed and ultimately triggers the alarm.

Most home detectors (and also those in the school) would also employ simple heat detection as well, since heat is the precursor to smoke and eventual fire. So they really detect with two modes.

This is why your home detector advises you to dispose of it as hazardous waste. It technically is radiological waste.

The type of detector used by the airlines, to my knowledge, is a photovoltaic device. They shoot a laser at an optical sensor split off in a "T" shape. The amount of voltage generated by the photovoltaic is compared in the clean-air channel of the T to the potentially dirty air channel of the open air sensor. When they are dissimilar by some sliding window, the alarm goes off. The water vapor reflects light in the same way that smoke does, so will trigger this alarm type in much the same way.

Of course, this is from the view of a physics-geek/electrical engineer. If Lonercom chimes in and differs with this assessment in any way - he's correct, I'm wrong. He is, AFAIK, the expert on fire detection here. And Jazzguy is laughing his .... off, being the nuclear physicist here - but I DID note that I simplified for my audience, so "bite me"...

i care! and even though i may seem dumb (due to my questions) im actually quite smart. 3.96 gpa, vice pres of Phi Theata Cappa. so you dont have to dumb it down for me. btw, my degree/s will be in land surveying and civil engineering with minors in GIS and small bizz admin. i love the technical stuff.

 

[Adrenalynn]

Thanks, I think, LowThudd!

Sooper - I wasn't necessarily dumbing it down [at] you. I get a fair number of stalkers. Half will take me apart for over-simplification - the other half will try to take me apart for "writing like I'm superior to them". I'm d@mned if I do, d@mned if I don't. Trying to walk a middle ground is nearly impossible, especially when it shifts under your feet constantly.

And incidentally - the two people I called out aren't in either of the two camps. The nuclear physicist will be impressed that I had the huevos enough to attempt to explain particle physics in a paragraph while the FireGuy will nod sagely even if he thinks I'm being over-simplistic - 'cause he's too polite by half.

If you disassemble a typical smoke detector, you'll find its little baby "reactor" (ionization chamber) - it's the big heavy metal tube in the middle. Probably an inch or so. It'll have a radiation warning sticker on it. DON'T BREAK IT OPEN. Practically, alpha particles are very low energy and can be stopped by even a piece of paper. Our skin is great at slowing them down, and water even better. But there's no need to poke at radiological materials just for fun... Nothing to see there anyway. Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Americium!

The photovoltaic-style will have a black plastic "T" in it. If you disassemble it, you'll find an IR emitter/detector pair that, bringing it back to the OP, looks remarkably like the photo of the LED in my earlier post above. <-- Woosh! Back on topic! Just like that!

And no, I won't detail how to defeat either style. I will tell you not to hang your clothing from the sprinklers in your room. I've seen _that_ mess once or twice [or ten times]. Always some buffoon has to do it.

 

[LowThudd]

I deffinately meant that as a compliment. I can surely say I understand the ins and outs of smoke/particulate/heat detectors like never before.

 

[Adrenalynn]

Oh, I know, I was just poking fun at myself.

 

[bones25]

You crack me up 'Lynn....no comments on Phi T. C.? By the way...I stealth vaped from DFW to Barcelona and back... in my seat with non-smoker relatives next to me sleeping....and I don't think they noticed.....used mint choc chip....so I could plead it was gum if needed.....just exhaled under my blanket and used shorty autos with short draws it was better than nothing!

and FABULOUS explanation, by the way!

 

[Adrenalynn]

I couldn't bring myself to comment on that, Bones...

Thanks, too!

I stealth-vaped all the way to LA and back 14hrs, with my militant anti-smoking business partner sitting next to me in the car. I would just lean over like I was leaning on the window. Hold my breath until it was absorbed, then slowly exhale. He never noticed.

P.S.