I Think I Have Found The Vessel For My First Mod (Tin Box)

[WillieB69]

Unless I find something more interesting at the craft fair, I think I found my first mod attempt.

Anything I should know about working with a tin box? Do I need to insulate the connector or anything from the box it's self to keep things from shorting out?

Also, need to find a diagram for 5V, master on off, intermittent switch and 2 LEDs. (One for power and one for vape when the button is pushed.)

 

[Nobodyatall]

Looks pretty interesting. I've been thinking about doing something with an engraved cigarette case, but haven't found anything that cries out to be altered yet.

Looks like you could simply use the tin as a conductive element by itself. Like grounding the body of a car to the neg lead of the battery. Might simplify some of the wiring. Or not, it's just a thought I couldn't avoid looking at it.

 

[WillieB69]

Looks pretty interesting. I've been thinking about doing something with an engraved cigarette case, but haven't found anything that cries out to be altered yet.

Looks like you could simply use the tin as a conductive element by itself. Like grounding the body of a car to the neg lead of the battery. Might simplify some of the wiring. Or not, it's just a thought I couldn't avoid looking at it.

I don't know if I could or not.
I'm really more concerned with the metal box shorting out the connector if they come in contact with each other. If that's not an issue and I can find a schematic I can understand, then I'm off to the races. I think I might be getting a little ahead of myself with the two LED thing......

Plus I need to find my soldering iron that I haven't used in about five years.....

 

[Nobodyatall]

On the attys I have seen, the outer side is one side of the input to the atty, so if you don't insulate your adapter it is liable to be connected anyway. Of course you would want to doublecheck with your ohmeter rather than take my word for it. I've only seen 2 different types in the flesh. You would just need to keep the inner connection isolated. And there is always that odd chance of pinching wires against the case & shorting your batteries out. *shrugs* If I do a metal case anytime soon, I'll do it that way anyway. Probably without LEDs. I just don't care about eye candy.

Someone has an altoids case e-cig in their signature. Looking at your case makes me wonder if it was a mockup or real. That actually looked pretty cool.

 

[5cardstud]

Look for the altoids can mod in the modders section, I think it has a how to tutorial.

 

[jj2]

It is like the Altoids box, but prettier!!!!

 

[Nobodyatall]

Look for the altoids can mod in the modders section, I think it has a how to tutorial.

HA! Thank you! Looking at the thing I had thought it was just a joke. Nice to know it's not. I will look that one up! It's just too neat.

Found it!

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/61001-monster-altoid-curiously-strong-vape.html

Thanks again 5Card!

 

[BobTheKlown]

That's a really, really nice box (looks like a playing card box?).

I plan on mounting my 5v mod in this:

The DarthVaper! (sorry, couldn't resist) It was a mint box that I originally purchased to carry dice for a Star Wars d20 rpg (yes, I know, I am a geek). Altoids tin shown for size comparison. Plenty of room for 2 18650s with space left over, just have to devise and build a holder for them that takes up no room vertically (it's slightly shorter then an Altoids tin)... I'll be building this as soon as my batts come in from China...

 

[WillieB69]

Look for the altoids can mod in the modders section, I think it has a how to tutorial.

HA! Thank you! Looking at the thing I had thought it was just a joke. Nice to know it's not. I will look that one up! It's just too neat.

Found it!

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/61001-monster-altoid-curiously-strong-vape.html

Thanks again 5Card!

I've looked at both j0ker's and planetofthevapes' threads about their Altoid boxes but neither one mentions insulating the atty connector from the tin.
I would assume that means it's not an issue but we all know what happens when one assumes. 8-o

In the meantime, I know there are dozen's of schematics on the forum but I had to draw one up myself just to be sure I understood what was going on. I would appreciate everyone taking a look to see if there is any flaws here. The one thing I'm not sure of is which way the pos and neg on the LED should go.

 

[WillieB69]

That's a really, really nice box (looks like a playing card box?).

It's described on eBay as a "Bug Box"

I plan on mounting my 5v mod in this:

That is awesome. DV rules.

 

[classwife]

Very nice design on the box.
Are you going to put a protective coating on it so it won't get scratched ?

 

[asdaq]

I've looked at both j0ker's and planetofthevapes' threads about their Altoid boxes but neither one mentions insulating the atty connector from the tin.
I would assume that means it's not an issue but we all know what happens when one assumes. 8-o

In the meantime, I know there are dozen's of schematics on the forum but I had to draw one up myself just to be sure I understood what was going on. I would appreciate everyone taking a look to see if there is any flaws here. The one thing I'm not sure of is which way the pos and neg on the LED should go.

The ground can be the tin itself or be shared with the tin, as long as the positive leads are all insulated. structurally the connector is a tight fit in the tin (directly touching) and then reinforced with some (quite a bit) adhesive/ other material. The longer leg on a LED is positive and should have an inline 470k resistor to keep it from blowing on that positive.

 

[WillieB69]

The longer leg on a LED is positive and should have an inline 470k resistor to keep it from blowing on that positive.

OK, I knew the longer one was the pos but I'm still not sure I get where it should tie into the regulator? I thought that's why the 480 resistor was in there?

 

[WillieB69]

Very nice design on the box.
Are you going to put a protective coating on it so it won't get scratched ?

I doubt it. I figure even with a protective coating, eventually it would still get scratched so I will just let it age naturally.

 

[asdaq]

The regulator's resistor (470k) is for use with the control pin (control pin to ground pin) and the other resistor is for the LED pos leg. Where you put the LED in the circuit depends on what you want it for: fire= parallel to the atty, power on= parallel to the master switch.

 

[WillieB69]

The regulator's resistor (470k) is for use with the control pin (control pin to ground pin) and the other resistor is for the LED pos leg. Where you put the LED in the circuit depends on what you want it for: fire= parallel to the atty, power on= parallel to the master switch.

OK... so I've seen a couple of schematics without the extra resistor for the LED and a couple with.... what's the deal there? Not questioning your statement so much as why they're not included on some of the schematics I've seen. Also, I want it to be fire- parallel to the atty...... so where should it go?

I really thought I had this figured out from what I've been reading on the forums.

 

[asdaq]

Pretty much a common LED should be powered by 3v, so ecig applications increase the voltage some, which increases the current a lot, hence the use of a current limiting resistor. For fire, the neg can go anywhere there is neg, and the positive can tap in anywhere there is power from activating the switch. If you are going to use a pcb, it would be easy to add to the v-out pin of the regulator. Hope this helps!

 

[WillieB69]

If you are going to use a pcb, it would be easy to add to the v-out pin of the regulator. Hope this helps!

If by PCB, you are referring to the little electronic boards I've seen in some of them, I don't know yet. I was honestly thinking of soldering the wiring directly to the regulator.
Oh.... and while we're on this subject, why do the TI regs only have 3 prongs while the ones from places like Mad Vapes have 4? Are one or the other easier to work with?

I honestly think I'm done with the LED part. Without seeing it drawn out clearly, I'm just not getting it. The schematics I've found that make sense to me all have it wired in like I did on mine. If that's wrong, then somebody really needs to do a clear and correct version.

 

[WillieB69]

FWIW, these are the two schematics I've been following:

The first is the one I mostly followed but it doesn't give the ohms for the resistor on the LED and the second doesn't use a resistor at all.

Appologies to Huffheinz and DenniZ for swiping their images.

 

[WillyB]

FWIW, these are the two schematics I've been following:

The first is the one I mostly followed but it doesn't give the ohms for the resistor on the LED and the second doesn't use a resistor at all.

Appologies to Huffheinz and DenniZ for swiping their images.

If you had read DenniZ's entire thread you would have seen where his missing LED resistor was mentioned, and he responded.

I haven't had an LED burn out yet but I have noticed that they get REALLY hot, I was hoping to find a fix for that problem so thanks a million.

As is usually the case members often comment and changes/improvements are sometimes mentioned. And the resistor doesn't have to be 470Ω, anything over 200Ω will protect the LED. And the resistor can go on either leg. If you want brighter use a lower value, dimmer a higher value.

It's kinda like Playboy, the pictures are nice but the articles are also worth reading.