My 5v Mod (Nico Stick)

[Huffheinz]

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.

I'm glad I could help. I know that the EZ Duzit 5V regulator threads gave me the confidence to even try this mod.

I don't really want a bigger box. I think 3xAA is as big as I want to carry around in my pocket. My next mod will be a 3.7V 3xAA box with a recharging jack, a low resistance 510 atty and a place to store the atty and drip tip when I put it in my pocket.

I'm still not sure about the AW's. I've found that the protected 14500 ultrafires from batteryjunction.com fit much better than the ones that madvapes carries, so size isn't much of an issue. But I might be interested in the AW's superior discharge capabilities when I try out the low-resistance atties.

 

[jfdpl686]

I chain-vape. The AW with a LR atty is giving me around 5 hrs of heavy use; I calculate about 5ml of juice.
If not careful, I was burning the sides of my carts. With the 14500 batt, the LR get’s really hot and drains the cart quick and easily. I find that the LR atty die very fast witth this batteries.

In my experience and current testing with my LR attys; one first used in my Tornado 2 weeks then in my mod with 14500 battery 4 days and die. While another one in my V3 stick (10400 battery) is at the trid week and still going strong. I use more often the V3 than the tornado/3.7box.
The hit is not as strong in the V3 and battery life (with LR) not as with the box, but I’m guessing the 10400 give the best life on those attys. But it’s too early to really be certain.

 

[WillyB]

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


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.

???

Why would you say this has a 'resistor built in'. It appears to be a standard T-1 case style 3mm. Typical forward voltage range 1.7Vdc-2.2Vdc 15-25mA.

In my experience and current testing with my LR attys; one first used in my Tornado 2 weeks then in my mod with 14500 battery 4 days and die. While another one in my V3 stick (10400 battery) is at the trid week and still going strong. I use more often the V3 than the tornado/3.7box.
The hit is not as strong in the V3 and battery life (with LR) not as with the box, but I’m guessing the 10400 give the best life on those attys. But it’s too early to really be certain.

That's because the 10440's max discharge rating of about 600mA just can't keep up with the LR atties current demands of about 2.5A. In effect you are under powering the atty which probably accounts for it's longer life although the 10440's longevity will suffer, there may also be safety issues involved when running it so far over spec. Even a single 14500 is over matched by the LR atties.

As far as peak LR performance an 18650 delivers, without overtaxing the batt. If a smaller package is desired a pair of parallel 14500's in a 3xAA box is a decent approach.

 

[Huffheinz]

???

Why would you say this has a 'resistor built in'. It appears to be a standard T-1 case style 3mm. Typical forward voltage range 1.7Vdc-2.2Vdc 15-25mA.

This is my inexperience with electronics shining through. The description at madvapes said the following,"3mm Diffused Red LED. 470 ohm resistor included!" I had mistakenly thought that the resistor was built in to the LED. I now realize that "diffused" refers to the light being broken up and scattered in different directions and that madvapes just includes a 470-ohm resistor along side it.

Thank you for catching that. I feel horrible about spreading incorrect information. I am afraid that I cannot edit my original post or I would add a retraction note to it.

I'd better get a resistor soldered on to that LED before it burns out.

 

[jfdpl686]

Thanks to your explanation and some playing, finally I did my 5V box with juice bottle!
I simply followed your tutorial, I did pretty much the same I only modify the box differently, then solder the regulator and perforated board in an “L” shape; using a micro switch to get all the space possible and voila! I got my 5V box with juice feeder.

I finish it last night, let it dry and testing it today… It’s working perfectly. Now I need to get some transparent tubing and it’s good to go!

 

[Sgood1971]

Looks real good, those AW batteries are pretty nice I think.

 

[Huffheinz]

It looks great, Jorge! That's a pretty good trick to fit the juice bottle and all the electronics in there. Nice job.

 

[Sgood1971]

Yes Huff, it is. I would love to see a picture of how it all fits in there with the juice bottle out of it.

 

[jfdpl686]

Here it is. It is just to save most of the space for the bottle.
Having the set in an “L” shape saves most of the space; then using the tactile switches (round or button) help saving space.

Once you open the box, at the bottom; when removing the plastic cover of the master switch, to the left, all that space is open. So, having a 4x4 board soldered to the regulator, and placing it to the left corner it gets the required space. The regulator is parallel to the bottom of the box while the board is parallel to the left wall of the box. Placing the tactile switch at the open space of the “L” shape, will get all wiring above the switch, so you keep all the space for the bottle.

Here are the pics of the process.

Sgood, I got my first pair of AW batteries because nothing else was in stock, since then, I haven’t look back… those are double the price, but the life is great. But I really don’t believe AW should be your only batteries. I mostly have trustfire and ultrafire for my everyday use and some AW’s for when I know I’ll be out (not near a charger) for a long time.

When I was done after the testing, I glue everything. This helps to strengthen the system and to isolate electric contacts; just make sure the compound you’re using is not electrically conductive. I use the Devcon 2 ton epoxy because it’s hard, waterproof and clear.

If you need more info, let me know or sent me a PM.

 

[5cardstud]

That looks real nice. You did a good clean job on it.

 

[jfdpl686]

That looks real nice. You did a good clean job on it.

Thank you very much! You are really kind.
I'm just learning and still having tons of problems to solder. This is my 3rd mod. I started with a plain 3.7V box, then a "puffer" and now this.

My next project is to do this same setup in a double C or D box. I know it's big, but my idea is to place 2 "AA" battery holders there; say bank A and bank B, with a switch to use one at a time; 2 juice bottles and some space for extra atty and cart.
The idea is to have something that can last long time (everything, juice and batteries) for a night out witohut any worry at all.

 

[Sgood1971]

I'm impressed, nice work and thanks for the pictures.

I have trustfires too. but I really like my aw's because they are a little shorter and fit in the boxes better.