How to: Build the Puck

[ThePuck]

There has been a few that have asked for a step-by-step tutorial on building the Puck, a battery mod I came up that use 2 chambers for the unit, one for the batteries, one for the electronics and controls.

The Puck uses 4 AAA batteries which are rechargable NiMH and utilizes a 901 atomizer which has proved over 7 months of testing to be one very combinations going. The batteries will last for 24 hours or more with fairly constant vaping.

I have been solely using the protoype for this for over 7 months and it has allowed me to throw analogs out the door the day I started using it and have not looked back.

Features:
1. Based on a 901 atty.
2. Go to any store, anytime to buy your batteries like walmart, Kmart, grocery store, hardware store and more. You can buy rechargeable NiMH batteries anywhere.
3. Very, very small and lightweight.
4. Batteries typically last over 24 hours with fairly constant vaping.
5. Batteries can be charged in 15 minutes with a 15 minute charger.
6. Batteries are very easy to change to put in a freshly charged group.

There are more features but for more info visit the discussion thread...
and now... the Puck... Cheap and easy

The Following posts are the tutorial.

 

[ThePuck]

Here are the parts and such you will need...

Once you have all of your parts and tools, let's continue on.

Remove the little phillips screws from the backs of your battery boxes.

I am going to refer to each box differently even though right now they are the same thing... but they won't be soon.

One box is going to become the battery box that houses the batteries.

The other will be the control box. This will house the atomizer, on-off switch, push button switch and LED.

Let's start modding.

Okay, that covers some of the basic setup we need to do before drilling and installing parts. Next we start drilling holes.

 

[ThePuck]

Let start drilling our box and covers.

Notch the walls like in the photo with a pair of side cutters and drill a 5/32 " hole from the battery box side all the way through the battery cover of the control box. Cover and battery box should be lined up properly when doing this. See the next two photos.

You can glue your sides together like I do or you can bolt it with a very small bolt and nut. Insert the bolt through the battery side. The next photos are for gluing...

Okay, that got the two boxes connected physically bonded together. Let's drill some more holes.

 

[ThePuck]

Now we're going to drill the holes for the led, push button and atomizer.

*Note, you may want to start your atomizer hole just a millimeter lower than I did. I started it a wee bit high but it worked out okay.

Try to use a bad or old atomizer if you have one else be careful when usng a good one. Also, when reaming the hole, do a little at a time and keep checking your progress otherwise you may end up with a hole that is way too large and you'll have to scrap the box.

Time to make the hole for the push button.

Ream the LED hole big enough for the LED holder to sit in the hole then...

You can take a vaping break. Next we're building the atomizer connector out of a power jack.

 

[ThePuck]

Now it's time to build the atomizer connector...

You can use any connector you like with this mod but I'm using what you see next because I have found that the 901 atomizer works great with this mod. Others may work, I just haven't tested them but you can try it yourself.

The directions below are for the connector for a 901 atomizer (which just happens to be a power jack you buy at Radio Shack. You can't buy any other connectors for any other type of atomizer at Radio Shack as far as I know. Only the power jacks they have work for the 901.

The Atomizer Connector is built and ready. Next we'll start to install the stuff.

 

[ThePuck]

Lets start installing some parts...

We'll start with the LED.

*** Make sure you pay close attention to the polarity of the LED. It has a positive and a negative lead. The LEDs I have, have a long lead and a short lead. The long lead on mine is the positive lead and the short lead is the negative lead. Yours may be different.

LEDs also have a flat spot on the LED body. This is usually where the negative lead is (at least on most). Just make sure you know what is the positive + and the negative - leads before you hook it up and solder it or you could blow it when you press the push button.

Now we're going to test fit the atomizer and connector. Make sure you notch the walls as in the photo before trying to put the connector in there. Notch the walls with a pair of diagnal side cutters.

Let's glue it together.

Before you begin, you may want to put a little glue at the threads near the solder bridge you made. There is a hole there in the threads and it could leak juice out of it. Remove the atomizer first then put the glue on. Epoxy putty may work better here. After gluing the hole screw on the atomizer to clear the threads then remove it until the glue setups or you will glue your atomizer to the connector.

Let the epoxy setup and then we'll get started on the wiring next.

 

[ThePuck]

Let's start wiring.

Okay, that concludes the wiring. Now let's put it all together.

 

[ThePuck]

Time to put it all together...

Put the case together now

Congratulations! You have your very own Puck!

 

[ThePuck]

I just want to add that after you have built your Puck, you may want to let it sit for 24 hours before using it. This gives the JB KWIK some time to fully cure. If you use it right after building it, you'll get a small taste of the smell of the JB KWIK which isn't very bad at all but you will notice it a bit.

If you wait 24 hours, there will be no "taste" at all. If it doesn't bother you, then start vaping away. The smell is not a strong glue smell. It's just a bit of a small nasty taste you barely notice. But after 24 hours, it's completely gone.

It doesn't bother me so I use my MODs right away that I use JB KWIK on (which is most). If it bothers you, just wait until the next day and it will be fine.

 

[JustMeAgain]

Very nice tutorial with great pictures!

 

[AttyPops]

Very nice! I like the compact size, easy portability. I built a AA sized (single box) NiMh 510 connector box and it is, of course, bigger. I may have to try this one too....

How many watts are going through the atty?

 

[ThePuck]

Very nice! I like the compact size, easy portability. I built a AA sized (single box) NiMh 510 connector box and it is, of course, bigger. I may have to try this one too....

How many watts are going through the atty?

According to my calculations, about 1.5 amps or about 7.2 watts.

4.8 volts, 3.2 ohm atty

Ohms law says... voltage 4.8v / resistance of 3.2 ohms = 1.5 Amps

or

Voltage 4.8v squared (23.04) / resistance of 3.2 ohms = 7.2 watts

I think I remembered my ohms law correctly. Please correct me if my mind has slipped.

 

[ThePuck]

Very nice! I like the compact size, easy portability. I built a AA sized (single box) NiMh 510 connector box and it is, of course, bigger. I may have to try this one too....

How many watts are going through the atty?

If you build one with a 510 atty, please let us know how it works out. A lot of people are asking if this would work with a 510 atty but I don't have a 510 atty or connector at this moment.

I know a 510 atty has a lower resistance value than the 901 atty so I'm concerned about battery life with a 510 atty.

I'd appreciate it

 

[AttyPops]

Puck, Yeah, it's still the law... P=VI , but atty's vary. LOL.

I may get around to it... but my budget this month is gone.

I know that an in-line resistor with the AA 4-pack of batteries is needed. (4 batts about 5.v is too harsh, 3 batts are lite/about right with my attys) - I hear in other threads that 6-8 watts is the sweet spot for a standard 510 atty and that the stock is about 4.5 watts. I'm a little concerned about the output of the batts... maybe some NiMHs are better than others. Anyway, I'd like to keep it near the 6 watt range. Trying not to over-heat the atty.

So that "sweet spot" (6-8 watts) is about the same load as your setup. 510 attys ohm ratings vary depending on the maker.

I'm new to modding/e-cigs so I hope that someone out there can verify this.

 

[ThePuck]

Puck, Yeah, it's still the law... P=VI , but atty's vary. LOL.

I may get around to it... but my budget this month is gone.

I know that an in-line resistor with the AA 4-pack of batteries is needed/necessary. I hear in other threads that 6-8 watts is the sweet spot for a standard 510 atty and that the stock is about 4.5 watts.

So that "sweet spot" (6-8 watts) is about the same load as your setup. 510 attys ohm ratings vary depending on the maker.

I'm new to modding/e-cigs so I hope that someone out there can verify this.

Everything you said makes since. I believe this mod with the 901 is running the sweet spot as you said because if I use 3 AAA (3.6) it works but is not good enough. With 4 AAAs it works fantastic. I had tried 5 batteries (6.0v) and it was way too harsh.

With my 4 NiMh AAAs and the 901 it only takes a 3 second or less hit to get a good hit to the throat. The flavor is also best at this configuration. I get great flavor with this setup until the cart goes dry then i just reload (until I get the juicer part completed in next model).

At 7.2 watts, looks like it is running at the middle/upper end of the sweet spot. Sweet!

 

[mistinthewoods]

Great job on the tutorial Puck! This is a nice little mod. Waydago.

 

[ThePuck]

Great job on the tutorial Puck! This is a nice little mod. Waydago.

Thanks. It's what I've been vaping for the past 7 months exclusively and just thought I'd release it out to the vaping community.

 

[48lowes]

Puck
I've read through your thread http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/105465-now-puck-cheap-parts-easy.html
and now your tutorial
very informative I pretty much have everything needed so the expense will be negligible
just when I was pretty well set with parallel 14500 bats
So it's back to my workroom in the basement. I love it! thanks again

 

[omgitsthr33]

Great tutorial, very detailed and great pictures.

 

[cos]

Thanks. It's what I've been vaping for the past 7 months exclusively and just thought I'd release it out to the vaping community.

.Puck really nice tutoral and you really went deep into detail. Thanks for doing this. i must say if your directions are followed just the way you said it i can do this.
Question? did you say that you are making a juice feeder or adding a juice feeder in the next Puck version? Thanks again for the great tutoral.

Cos