My 5v Mod (Nico Stick)

[Huffheinz]

I finished up my first 5v mod and thought I'd share some pics. It's nothing fancy. Just a standard 5v nicostick.

Bill of Materials:
3xAA battery box w/ master switch
5v regulator with control pin
2x 14500 protected lipo batteries
510 Atty connector
480-ohm resistor
10 uf 10v Multi layer capacitor
Perforated circuit board
Micro momentary switch

I got all the parts from madvapes.com except for the perf board and switch.

The switch had a nut and lockwasher on the threaded nose, but I just drilled the hole in the box a little undersized and screwed it in like it was self-tapping.

Here's a good shot of the wiring:

I used the wiring diagram from the madvapes website, except I left the master switch on the ground instead of the positive.

I found out that the top tab on the regulator fits nice and snug in the battery contact mount and holds it nicely in place.

I used some perf board that had 3 holes connected by copper so I didn't have to run a bunch of jumpers or try to twist the little wires together.

Here's a shot of my my pigeon poop soldering on the perf board:

It fits my hand pretty well and the 2 batteries give it a nice weight:

It vapes much hotter than my 5v passthrough and I was burning a lot of juice when I first started using it. But it seems to have mellowed out a little, or I'm getting the hang of vaping with this much wattage.

It was an interesting challenge because I've never soldered to perf board before but it was a lot of fun to build.

 

[mwa102464]

how much did it cost you to make and how much time spent ???

 

[Sci]

Nice job!

 

[quasimod]

[...] Here's a shot of my my pigeon poop soldering on the perf board: [...]

Dang, Huff! I was just about to compliment you on how tidy everything looked.

 

[Huffheinz]

how much did it cost you to make and how much time spent ???

I don't know how much it cost exactly but here's my best guess:
$2.50 - 3xAA battery box w/ master switch
$2.50 - 5v regulator with control pin
$10.00 - 2x 14500 protected lipo batteries
$2.50 - 510 Atty connector
$0.20 - 480-ohm resistor
$0.75 - 10 uf 10v Multi layer capacitor
$2.00 - Perforated circuit board
$3.00 - Micro momentary switch (sold in pairs)

So you could build the box itself for just under $25 (+ super-cheap shipping from madvapes). You would also need a charger at around $8. So the whole thing would cost about $35.

I used the wire from the battery box, existing solder, soldering iron, crazy glue, drill bits, cordless drill, combination square w/ scribe, wire cutters, needle nose, helping hands, coping saw and file.

I probably spent about 3 hours on it, but most of that time was spent figuring out how to lay it out. If I had to do it again, and had all the materials handy, I could probably crank one out in about an hour and a half.

I need to sketch up the wiring layout, I'll post it here if you're interested.

 

[Huffheinz]

Dang, Huff! I was just about to compliment you on how tidy everything looked.

Thanks, Quasi. I wish my workbench was tidy right now.

I think everything it pretty tidy except for the perf board. The coping saw was not the neatest way to cut out the piece I needed and I didn't sped as much time with the file to clean it up as I probably should have. I guarantee the next one I make will look like it came from a factory.

On a side note: I really don't like using epoxy, it's too messy. If you drill your holes correctly, the atty connector and switch will fit snug and you just need some super-thin CA (crazy glue) to hold everything in place.

 

[Erik_Bear]

well, a question for you, or anyone reading, because right now I'm just trying to completely(or generally) understand how wiring and electricity works before I start modding.

but my question is, doesn't the resistor and the regulator do the same thing? one pulls the voltage down(to 5v), one regulates what passes through to 5v? or did you do it as an additive?

I'm so effing confused on how all of this works still =[


edit: where the heck did any of you learn all of this electrician-ing? Just reading all about this modding makes me want to learn so much more about it

 

[Huffheinz]

well, a question for you, or anyone reading, because right now I'm just trying to completely(or generally) understand how wiring and electricity works before I start modding.

but my question is, doesn't the resistor and the regulator do the same thing? one pulls the voltage down(to 5v), one regulates what passes through to 5v? or did you do it as an additive?

I'm so effing confused on how all of this works still =[


edit: where the heck did any of you learn all of this electrician-ing? Just reading all about this modding makes me want to learn so much more about it

Hey, Erik. My advice to you is to start simple, that's what I did. I started with a straightforward, 2xAA battery box with a switch, battery and atty connector.

No frills. Nothing complicated. I got my feet wet, learned how to solder, learned how to drill and carve out the plastic box to my liking and had a ball doing it.

Don't get confused with the resistor hooked up to the regulator in my 5v pics above. I only put it there because the wiring diagram told me to. I later figured out that the resistor is placed next to the regulator to limit the current flowing through the micro control switch. But that's a little more than what you need to worry about at the moment.

Anyone who has a soldering iron and some basic tools who has thought about making a mod should try their hand at making a little single-battery box (nico-stick). I think it's the perfect way to get started.

 

[jfdpl686]

I need to sketch up the wiring layout, I'll post it here if you're interested.

Yes please! I finished my first mode last night, the plain simple 3.7 in a 2AA battery with led and switch.
I got the parts for the 5V but I first want to do a second 3.7 to proactice but I'm deeply interested if you could sketch a wiring diagram for yours.

If it's not much to ask, could you have two? one with led and one without it?

Thank you very much! This posts are the biggest help.

 

[nicotime]

That is the cleanest mod I have seen yet Huff...excellent job!

 

[Huffheinz]

Yes please! I finished my first mode last night, the plain simple 3.7 in a 2AA battery with led and switch.
I got the parts for the 5V but I first want to do a second 3.7 to proactice but I'm deeply interested if you could sketch a wiring diagram for yours.

If it's not much to ask, could you have two? one with led and one without it?

Thank you very much! This posts are the biggest help.

Cool! I'd love to see a pic of your first mod box.

I'll see if I can work up the layout tonight and get it posted. I didn't use an LED on my 5v, but I can show you how I'd probably do it.

 

[Sgood1971]

Nice and clean Huff. Good work.

 

[jfdpl686]

Cool! I'd love to see a pic of your first mod box.

I'll see if I can work up the layout tonight and get it posted. I didn't use an LED on my 5v, but I can show you how I'd probably do it.

Thank you!
Sure, here’s mine, a plain, simple vanilla 3.7V following the instructions of madvapers to the tooth.
I’m not good at soldering, but I’m learning…

 

[Huffheinz]

Thank you!
Sure, here’s mine, a plain, simple vanilla 3.7V following the instructions of madvapers to the tooth.
I’m not good at soldering, but I’m learning…

It looks good to me. Nice job! Thanks for sharing. I always like to see everyone's handiwork.

Sporting the AW battery I see. How do you like it? I've been wondering if it's worth the extra money.

I'm putting the finishing touches on the wiring layout, should have it up soon.

 

[jfdpl686]

It looks good to me. Nice job! Thanks for sharing. I always like to see everyone's handiwork.

Sporting the AW battery I see. How do you like it? I've been wondering if it's worth the extra money.

I'm putting the finishing touches on the wiring layout, should have it up soon.

Thank you. Very kind words for the job... not that good but it works!
Well, once I wanted trustfire but were sold out, in my hurry, I paid the extra and got the AWs; since then I haven't look back. I abuse them in a flashlight with great results and now in mods are the same. I couldn't do a straight comparison, but I truly feel the AW's last longer and hold better the charge.

Now, I’m not really sure for mods, because even if we abuse them, we do not have the button pressed all the time (as with the flashlights)… so I’m not sure if the extra cost is worth.

Don’t worry for the sketch, there’s time… ha, ha.. once you built the first mod, you want more and more… I was talking to my wife about it… think twice, building this 3.7 mod, cost between $12-$15 plus you need the charger… getting an ego/tornado (I believe it’s the same battery) is $22; so our labor is tagged in no more than $10…. But the feeling of “do it yourself” is priceless!

 

[Huffheinz]

Here's the wiring layout I drew up on paint.net:

I just realized that I forgot to label the capacitor and resistors, but I think it's easy enough to figure out.

I didn't put an LED on mine (I don't think they're really necessary), but I drew it in the layout anyway. The LED could mount where I drew it, or between the switch and atty connector, I just put it there for clarity to keep from having too many overlapping wires.

On a side note: I used a diffused LED (resistor built in) on another box and it was super easy.

I hope this helps.

 

[Sgood1971]

Sporting the AW battery I see. How do you like it? I've been wondering if it's worth the extra money.

I know this question wasn't to me, but I wanted to chime in.
They are worth the extra money. They last every bit as long as my other 14500's and they are slightly smaller so they fit in your mods better.

 

[5cardstud]

Well you sure did a nice job on it. I like them with the batteries to the side instead of the connector in the middle.

 

[jfdpl686]

Huff.... It didn't help. IT COMPLETELY clarified all my doubts!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I was so confused about many little things and now I have a clear understanding... this will be my next project; forget 3.7V... later on, I have in mind a bigger juice box.

Picture this, a bigger box, say about the size of a 2xC but plain. Using a 2AA battery holder for the batteries, will make easy to replace them. In the extra space, an 8ml bottle and the extra space to carry an extra atty. Or perhaps, a slightly bigger box to fit one of those 4xAA battery holders, modifying it, so you will use either bank of batteries (yeah! Spare batteries there) so when you’re out for so long and keep on chain vaping.

 

[Shortstuff116]

To the OP and others who have posted their pics - Outstanding work! My next mod (waiting for new switches to arrive) is going to be a 3.7 version in an Altoids tin (someone else has already made them) with an 18650 batt and room for a spare batt, atty and a couple of carts (if I do it right).

Nice mods!