I.A., This is the results you are looking for. Now to learn to program with an MCU and shrink it.
YouTube - Digital volt meter arduino
YouTube - Digital volt meter arduino
Miniature Digital Voltmeter/Multimeter
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That's actually a really great idea! Check out this link: Arduino - AnalogReadSerial It certainly sounds do-able!
They have smaller boards. Like Arduino - ArduinoMini
Check the pin counts to your needs, of course.
Also, note that others have used an in-line voltmeter display and not needed an MCU at all. I don't have the link, but have some fun with the search feature and you'll find it.
Oh, and speaking of videos:
http://www.eevblog.com/2010/02/22/eevblog-63-microchip-pic-vs-atmel-avr/
lol.
Check the pin counts to your needs, of course.
Also, note that others have used an in-line voltmeter display and not needed an MCU at all. I don't have the link, but have some fun with the search feature and you'll find it.
Oh, and speaking of videos:
http://www.eevblog.com/2010/02/22/eevblog-63-microchip-pic-vs-atmel-avr/
lol.
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That LED is small enough, but it is just the LED you would have to design a circuit and have a Chip that can drive the LED to show voltage.
I was looking at the Arduino Mini and the Pro Mini a few weeks ago and was thinking about learning programming and hooking it to an LCD display. Unfortunately the LCD displays are not as small as I would like. Product line: YouTube - Arduino Microcontroller Feature & Size Comparison by RobotShop.com
my bad I thought they just needed to find the smallest led display available in the US
I'll say it again just for reference... and it is just IMHO so take it with a grain of salt, but putting a LED/LCD display in an e-cig is overkill. Many like to do it, but since atties vary anyway, and the vaping experience is highly subjective, a simple thumb wheel with colors or numbers on it would solve the whole issue and keep it dirt simple. Dial-it-till-you-like-it is easiest.
If I may repeat my analogy from another thread.... how many decibels is your TV volume set to right now, exactly, to a 10th of a decimal point? Do you even care? Do you really need a digital readout? Do you count all those little lines on the bar-graph? Or do you go by experience? Higher. Lower. Depending on how far away you are, ambient noise, etc. Same with e-cigs. A color wheel, or numbered wheel will get you in the ball park. Just adjust based on experience from there.
Another analogy is the faucet. Want warm water to wash with? Need it warmer, need it cooler? Just adjust as needed. Do you know, within a 10th of a degree, how warm it actually is? Do you care as long as it doesn't scald? Just adjust in an experiential manner.
Now, there are some compelling reasons to use a smart e-cig.
1) Atty ohm readout (yes... could also include voltage). Because they are not marked like they should be. Also, tells you that an atty is dead. No multi-meter needed.
2) Auto wattage adjustment
3) Recording history, monitoring usage, failsafe checks, regulating usage to a quit plan, etc.
4) Smart PWM voltage control
But to use an MCU just to get a digital readout of voltage... bah, humbug. PITA for not much gain. If you must have a readout, just incorporate a voltage readout directly then. Example:
http://www.madvapes.com/Battery-Voltage-Indicator_p_2835.html
I understand that many people like a digital readout for voltage. Cool. I'm not saying that you CAN'T do it, just that for me there is no compelling reason to do it. I already have the MCU and parts needed, but have not bothered to do it; and I won't unless I am implementing an MCU for features in addition to voltage readout.
To be fair, it is a fun project. If you want to do an e-cig project to learn about MCU programming, electronics, etc. by all means go ahead. If it is a personal challenge, or just fun, do it. However, if you are learning electronics, programming and e-cig modding all at the same time, I suggest that you take it in small steps.
2 cents.
If I may repeat my analogy from another thread.... how many decibels is your TV volume set to right now, exactly, to a 10th of a decimal point? Do you even care? Do you really need a digital readout? Do you count all those little lines on the bar-graph? Or do you go by experience? Higher. Lower. Depending on how far away you are, ambient noise, etc. Same with e-cigs. A color wheel, or numbered wheel will get you in the ball park. Just adjust based on experience from there.
Another analogy is the faucet. Want warm water to wash with? Need it warmer, need it cooler? Just adjust as needed. Do you know, within a 10th of a degree, how warm it actually is? Do you care as long as it doesn't scald? Just adjust in an experiential manner.
Now, there are some compelling reasons to use a smart e-cig.
1) Atty ohm readout (yes... could also include voltage). Because they are not marked like they should be. Also, tells you that an atty is dead. No multi-meter needed.
2) Auto wattage adjustment
3) Recording history, monitoring usage, failsafe checks, regulating usage to a quit plan, etc.
4) Smart PWM voltage control
But to use an MCU just to get a digital readout of voltage... bah, humbug. PITA for not much gain. If you must have a readout, just incorporate a voltage readout directly then. Example:
http://www.madvapes.com/Battery-Voltage-Indicator_p_2835.html
I understand that many people like a digital readout for voltage. Cool. I'm not saying that you CAN'T do it, just that for me there is no compelling reason to do it. I already have the MCU and parts needed, but have not bothered to do it; and I won't unless I am implementing an MCU for features in addition to voltage readout.
To be fair, it is a fun project. If you want to do an e-cig project to learn about MCU programming, electronics, etc. by all means go ahead. If it is a personal challenge, or just fun, do it. However, if you are learning electronics, programming and e-cig modding all at the same time, I suggest that you take it in small steps.
2 cents.
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Yeah But, AttyPops.........., it's so cool and I'm bored.
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Well they might need looks like this has gone to the topic of chips that would drive a LED.
I'm with you Atty and that's the plan for my mod. I'm still going to play around with the display for future ideas though.
I was editing... see the "cool part" there now. lol.
Don't let me stop ya.
People like Java_AZ incorporate them (voltage readouts) just because they'd be bored if they didn't. lol. An MCU is another issue tho. Get familiar with programming, ISRs, counting instruction cycles and timing things with millisecond interrupt counters, brown outs and sleep. It can be done. I can do it. But why?
Oh, and regarding LCD displays... some are great, others are a POS. Believe me. I spent good money on one that was a POS (IMO). 7-segment(s) LED displays are a bit more direct to implement. So, check the reviews/specs well.
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Thats is pretty cool. Overkill yes, so is a Lamborghini but i still want one
Yeah, I hope you get one too!
Just trying to keep it approachable and within a reasonable project scope. I was keying off the battery level indicator, voltage readout, and "secret features" post. lol. If you go with an MCU, you might as well just incorporate one of those small piezoelectric speakers and have it talk. It would be smaller and only uses 1 or 2 pins. lol.
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Yeah, I hope you get one too!
Just trying to keep it approachable and within a reasonable project scope. I was keying off the battery level indicator, voltage readout, and "secret features" post. lol. If you go with an MCU, you might as well just incorporate one of those small piezoelectric speakers and have it talk. It would be smaller and only uses 1 or 2 pins. lol.
LOL , make it say " Come on you know you want a puff " every thirty mins or so. Then when it detects no resistance have it say "atomizer dumbarse " or something like that. Hell yeah thats a pretty cool idea atty.
lol. Then there's the "evil e-cig".
"I'm sorry, your quitting plan specifies that you have 15 more minutes before your next vaping session. Please try again later. Oh, and watch that nic level!"
OK, add "talking" to the compelling reasons list above.
Of course, we're in for a bunch of "my e-cig won't shut up...." posts in the technical support section... lol.
Of course, we're in for a bunch of "my e-cig won't shut up...." posts in the technical support section... lol.
I don't see it as an overkill, I think the goal is to make it more convenient . I haven't been using variable voltage for very long and by that I mean one you can actually adjust on the fly in small increments. Before my choices of for being variable is to physically change battery setup and/or put a resistor in or out as in the case of my first mod the prodigy and there were only 3-4 voltage choices and would also depend on resistance of the atty. But then somewhere along the way someone got tired and wanted to eliminate the tedious way of changing battery configuration. 7-12 months ago variable voltage mods started to come out, and now you have a choice of using one or 2 batteries; and then still, they found ways to make it more efficient, to make the chips more efficient so you won't carry as much batteries as you used to and/or just change to better or bigger batteries.
And then there was the atty, before I used to take the sellers word that this atty will work for this battery, then someone got curious and started to investigate how an atty actually works and decided to measure it. Now I test my atty before I even use it and even my batteries which means I have to whip out the multimeter to before I start vaping. It was a tedious job but, I didn't mind it at all because I have the equipment and after burning hordes of atty's it put me at ease that I wasn't pushing it to the brink of destruction
Fast forward to the present now I have a variable voltage mod that incorporated every tedious thing I had to do before I even take that first drag. Set it then forget it, its easier and more convenient for me. Every family home have at least 2 cars, they usually swap cars over time for whatever reason and/or situation they might be in, then someone incorporated the his and hers remote feature that sets the seat, mirrors, steering wheel and the radio station preferences for each individual; it affords the individual less time to toggle with everything and just get in and drive.
PS: Please don't quote me on the timeline or evolution of ecigs and/or mods this is just a rough estimate based on my experience which may or may not be accurate. With that said please also consider that these are just based on my opinion and I am not targeting any individual or promoting any brand of ecig and battery mod. It is not my intention to enrage but rather to share my experience. If the OP feels that this reply is baseless and off topic please feel free to delete this post.
And then there was the atty, before I used to take the sellers word that this atty will work for this battery, then someone got curious and started to investigate how an atty actually works and decided to measure it. Now I test my atty before I even use it and even my batteries which means I have to whip out the multimeter to before I start vaping. It was a tedious job but, I didn't mind it at all because I have the equipment and after burning hordes of atty's it put me at ease that I wasn't pushing it to the brink of destruction
Fast forward to the present now I have a variable voltage mod that incorporated every tedious thing I had to do before I even take that first drag. Set it then forget it, its easier and more convenient for me. Every family home have at least 2 cars, they usually swap cars over time for whatever reason and/or situation they might be in, then someone incorporated the his and hers remote feature that sets the seat, mirrors, steering wheel and the radio station preferences for each individual; it affords the individual less time to toggle with everything and just get in and drive.
PS: Please don't quote me on the timeline or evolution of ecigs and/or mods this is just a rough estimate based on my experience which may or may not be accurate. With that said please also consider that these are just based on my opinion and I am not targeting any individual or promoting any brand of ecig and battery mod. It is not my intention to enrage but rather to share my experience. If the OP feels that this reply is baseless and off topic please feel free to delete this post.
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