LR @ 3.7 vs. Std. @ 5v. Any 5v device/mod recommendations?

[rickard]

Hey all. I took advantage of Liberty-Flights' Riva sale a while ago. I figured they would be good for spare parts, but the kits also came with a LR 510 atomizer. One of my batteries died on me recently, so I opened a kit and decided to give the LR atomizer a try. I'm hooked. Huge clouds with short draws and hot hot vapor. It definitely makes me think I've been missing out on something wonderful.

This has gotten me interested in trying some higher voltage devices. 5 volts seems like a good starting point since I won't need to buy HV stuff (I've heard good things about cartos@5v too). What should I expect going from a normal 3.7v battery on a low res atty to a regulated 5 volt device with a standard atty?

I've also been looking at available mods. Variable voltage mods seem to be a bit out of my price range. Some of the box mods I've seen use small tactile switches, which I'm thinking might be a bit awkward to use compared to a larger switch. I'd put together my own, but I find myself short on free time these days. Any experiences with 5v box mods from suppliers? Anything else I should know, or other suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[capecodjim]

I can't help with commercial mods but the "puck" mod can be built in under an hour with parts from Radio Shack (except the atty), uses regular NiMH rechargeables and throws out great vapor. There's a great tutorial that walks you through it. The hardest thing is 3 or 4 solder connections. It can be made in about 20 mins with a little experience.

The Tekk mod is built around a $35 charge unit and has 5v regulated output. A few bucks in parts makes it a great inexpensive 5v mod. It takes a little more soldering skill to attach wires to a small pcb.

Welcome to MadVapes LLC has kits and parts also.

I got the eGo kit from LF and use those and 3.7v mods with the LR attys and they work very well too!

 

[rickard]

Heh, the puck mod makes pretty clever use of two 4-cell battery holders.

I'm definitely going to have to put together a Tekk mod in the future. Having an e-cig that doubles as a portable USB battery is just plain cool. The only drill I have is a generic hobby dremel that I use to drill pcbs. Looking at the puck mod guide, maybe a reamer would help.

Thanks for the suggestions. For now I think I might look in the mod supplier forum for something pre-made. I'll order some stuff from MadVapes and see what I can come up with on the breadboard.

 

[bubba2u]

i picked up a 5v mod from danlis
ihttp://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modder-accessories-supplier-forum/130523-5-vt-3-7-vt-box-mods-cheap.html

 

[cskent]

If you're looking for a 5v boxmod on the cheap, here's the lowest I've seen for an assembled unit 3xAA 5 Volt Boxmod. If you want something a bit more durable try Maxi Rough Stack. 3.7 or 6 volts! at 6v with a 3.2 to 3.5 ohm atty. At 3.7v with an LR atty I take about a 2 to 3 second draw to get a good hit. With the Maxi Roughstack at 6v and a 3.5 ohm atty I'm taking a 1 second draw for an even bigger hit. The only bad thing is that if you hold that button down too long you'll get the burned taste pretty quick. I'm thinking of trying a 4 ohm to see how that compares.

 

[capecodjim]

Heh, the puck mod makes pretty clever use of two 4-cell battery holders.

I'm definitely going to have to put together a Tekk mod in the future. Having an e-cig that doubles as a portable USB battery is just plain cool. The only drill I have is a generic hobby dremel that I use to drill pcbs. Looking at the puck mod guide, maybe a reamer would help.

Thanks for the suggestions. For now I think I might look in the mod supplier forum for something pre-made. I'll order some stuff from MadVapes and see what I can come up with on the breadboard.

Ya, the puck is a great mod and there are many variations on the basic model which make it flexible. The "Puck SD" can be built in one 4 x AAA box. The parts are easy to get and construction is straight forward. I just use one sharp blade of a pair of scissors to make holes in the soft plastic. I spin it around to make and enlarge the hole and kinda carve where needed as I go to get the hole the way I want it. With the reamer, if you're not dead center when you start, it can be hard to get it the way you want and keep it round.

The Trekk is a fun mod! I have an android phone and the apps make it a battery hog so I'm always going from charger to charger. Now I can charge my cell from the Trekk while vaping from it at the same time and am not tied down. The Trekk can power a USB pass through also. I want to add a juice pump to mine but can't get it working on one battery yet. USB charge and juicer are my top requirements!

Let us know what you decide to buy and feel free to ask or PM when it's time to build!

 

[flagreekguy]

If you are just testing the waters on what kind of voltage you prefer, i'd definately go with a 5v passthrough. they are cheap, so if you don't like the feeling of 5v's you can then understand you need to get a big bad 6v or variable volt mod. And if 5v is your sweet spot, you know you don't have to spend the money on a vari volt mod. they are only like 15.00 bucks and you can pick them up from electronicstix or happysmokers.com remember to make sure it's a 5v. I made the mistake of not double checking and accidentally ordered a 3.7v. that's okay though, i just gave it to my mother as a gift to weed her off smoking 8) Personally, i love 5v's and i think that's my sweet spot. the vape output is awesome and warmth of the vapor is significant in change from 3.7 to 5v

Try it out 8) the worst thing that could happen is your not a huge fan of 5v but you atleast have a backup passthrough after you buy a silver bullet or a pro vari.

Also, you can buy a box mod from one of the modders on ECF that is vari or 5v reg for next to nothing. they arent' pretty, but they def are cheap and easy.

 

[capecodjim]

Low Resistance (LR) attys give great vapor at 3.7v. Your mom might like to try them sometime!

 

[flagreekguy]

Low Resistance (LR) attys give great vapor at 3.7v. Your mom might like to try them sometime!

Oh she did LOL i gave her one of my low res atty's for the 510 kit i gave her (early christmas present so she could stop spending 7 bucks a day on smokes) and she coughed up a lung LOL.

I had to give her mine since i knew i'd pop the atty on my 5v pass through.

 

[rickard]

If you're looking for a 5v boxmod on the cheap, here's the lowest I've seen for an assembled unit 3xAA 5 Volt Boxmod. If you want something a bit more durable try Maxi Rough Stack. 3.7 or 6 volts!

One thing that would worry me about 6v is that I'd have to use higher resistance stuff. I wish the 5v box had a horn switch like the 3.7v ones.

I just use one sharp blade of a pair of scissors to make holes in the soft plastic.

Okay, now I have no excuse.

If you are just testing the waters on what kind of voltage you prefer, i'd definately go with a 5v passthrough.

Thanks. I read that performance on those is sub-standard unless you're connected to a proper power source (high-power AC). I'm going to start with a box mod, but I'll pick up a passthrough so I don't eat through batteries while I'm near the PC.

--

I checked out the mod supplier subforum and found someone (oldgoat) that makes neat white box mods that glow from LEDs in the inside. I figure if I hate 5v for some reason, I'll have four 900mah eGo mega equivalent batteries for a 3.7v box.

capecodjim, you've got me convinced. I'm also going to order a handful of connectors from MadVapes and a Tekkeon from Amazon. I'm not sure when I'll be able to put it together, but I'm definitely going to.

 

[capecodjim]

......

Okay, now I have no excuse.


capecodjim, you've got me convinced. I'm also going to order a handful of connectors from MadVapes and a Tekkeon from Amazon. I'm not sure when I'll be able to put it together, but I'm definitely going to.

I'm glad you have no more excuses!!!

The Tekk mod is a definite winner. Quick and easy 5v regulated vaping and the USB charge to boot! There's Parky's original build thread, jolly's video and I added some construction comments on the thread I started too. The top faces are very flimsy so I'd suggest using a switch that the atty connector can be soldered to so there's no stress on the top. I used a Radio Shack coax power jack size M (# 274-1582) as a 901 connector. Post on the Trekk thread or PM me if I can help when it's time to build!

 

[Vaping4Sanity]

I've had the Big Kazoo 5v box mod for about a week now and I love it. You can get the box mod itself for $34.99 or the kit which includes batteries and charger for $59.99. There are several reviews on youtube for the big kazoo if you care to take a look. It was definitely the best investment I've made for a PV so far. There are others, but the price was right for this one and it rocks! I didn't like cartos until I tried them on 5v, They seem to come alive at 5v, tons of vapor and heat which I never got at 3.7v.

https://www.kalamazoovaporshop.com/OurProducts/tabid/59/ctl/ProductDetails/mid/392/ProductID/70/Default.aspx

 

[flagreekguy]

Rick, not sure where the substandard is coming from.

I've got mine plugged into my cpu and i'm tooting on it right now at 5v's with hella vapor output and the vapor is MUCH warmer then a 3.7.

Also, i've got it plugged into the wall at my house with a adapter while i'm on the couch and it works incredibly well also.
only thing i'm missing is a car charger (girlfriend has it....grrrrr)

 

[rickard]

Rick, not sure where the substandard is coming from.

MadVapes says that their 5v passthrough draws about 1.5 amps. USB 2.0 hosts are only obligated to put out a maximum of 500 mA per port, so I wouldn't want to get a bad initial impression of 5V if my PC couldn't supply ample power.

I think I'm going to have to add USB port to my computer that's connected directly to the power supply and fused at two or three amps.