My DIY - DSE901 - MAGNUM POWER

[Bastage]

Frankie - when you're ready to mod, the best way to remove the connector from the battery that I've seen is to take a pair of channel lock pliers and clamp down hard on the battery tubing just about 1/2" below where the connector is glued. it'll flatten the tube out, then turn the battery case where the flat side is vertical, and flatten it again. The connector will loosen right up and you can just pull it right out of the battery casing with a regular pair of pliers. Just be careful and grab the base of the connector, not the threads. It only takes about 10 seconds.

 

[nicowolf]

I would like to ask, if I may: My son bought a DX flashlight which would be perfect for a first test mode when my first battery dies, but it runs on 3xAAA like this:

It seems to me one of the big bad strong high mah batteries should be of the same size as the 3xAAA thingy, but I do not want to buy one after one just to try. Could you help me with this? Which of the big batteries has the same size?

The one thing the Chinese are consistent about, at least on DX are physical measurements - electrical measurements are not as accurate (batteries are cosistently overrated). There is a method to the numbers associated with the batteries. The first two digits are the diameter of the battery in millimeters - the 14500 is 14mm in diameter, the 18650 is 18mm in diameter. The next two digits in the number are the length of the battery, again in millimeters - the 14500 is 50mm long, the 18650 is 65mm long.

This gives you a number of options. You can use the existing 3AAA battery holder with the 10440(same size as AAA). You can measure the 3AAA battery holder and see if one of those batteries fits. You can measure the area you plan to use the battery in and use the nearest size battery to the size of the space. If you choose the last option, you can do all your soldering, then see how much space you have left, maybe you could use 2 batteries in a series like Madog did.

Hope this helps. It took me a while looking at the site to figure out the connection with how they named their batteries. I do have to say though that I like that system way better than the letter system we use for other batteries.

 

[nicowolf]

Ok, I just took the time to measure one of my 3AAA battery holders from just such a flashlight. It is 25mm in diameter and 50mm long. So it could be replaced with a 25500. This is also the size of a regular C size battery. You couldn't really use a regular C size battery though, because you would only get 1.5 volt maximum from it - not enough to do any good for your ecig. DX does carry a 25500, though. I only know because I have been to their site brainstorming a lot lately.

 

[bruor]

Doing the flashlight mod is interesting to say the least, but I have concerns about the implementation of a square wave input to the atomizer, switching current on and off might damage the atomizer quicker if it has any inductance to it. If it has enough inductance you would also probably find that the atomizer takes longer to heat up because it fights the flow of current.

If it is straight up resistance you would be ok with the wave and should end up with the same temperature you were getting wiht a contant draw if you tune the circuit properly. Ideally you might want to put a capacitor after the wave generator to keep the output voltage from fluctuating too much, but with limited space this may not be an option...

When you tested the aaa battery holder with the atmoizer did you happen to see how much current was actually making it out of the batteries? it might make sense to just find batteries that can supply the current needed to the atomizer to get a desired result. It might end up being cheaper if you can use 2 sets of rechargeable NiMH aaa batteries instead of alkalines if they are up for delivering the needed current. It would be even better if you could find a cell that is a little shorter than a C that puts out the needed current and voltage so you could build in a USB rechage circuit! but thats just super geeky

 

[nicowolf]

Ok, what I have done so far - and please keep in mind that I am a complete newb at this whole electric and soldering thing.

I had a broken wall charger, so I took that apart and salvaged the part where the battery connects. I took that part apart and found that the original problem was in there, but the board was too far gone at this point to repair the whole charger. At this point, I repaired the problem inside the little housing where the battery is supposed to connect to the charger, then connected this little housing to a 3AAA battery holder with some PVC electrical tape. It worked - it charged batteries, but I had to undo half my work every time I needed to change the AAA batteries. Next, I wired that same little housing to a USB male connector. After much frustration, I found that I had the polarity reversed on my wiring, fixed that problem, then my ugly USB charger worked. I was worried I might harm my computer using this thing, so I scrapped the idea.

Next project. One of my batteries died and I was dying to try this Magnum Mod. I played hell trying to get the fitting off the end of the battery - I think Madog must have a grip of steel. I took apart the little connector housing from that first project and salvaged the little nut that was serving as the negative terminal. I screwed this nut onto my dead battery, then used pliers to grip that nut and wiggle the connector free - the added leverage helped loads. I did manage to complete the Magnum Mod on one of them cheap little LED lights from the Dollar Tree, but my soldering skills are horrid and I have now broken one leg off my switch. I replaced the switch, but now have the same problem with another switch. I can't seem to get my little wire soldered on to the leg of the switch without making the switch leg very brittle. My plan is to mod my mini Maglite, but I don't want to sacrifice my Maglite until I can make it worthwhile.

 

[bruor]

ensure you aren't using way too much heat when you make the solder joint. overheating the legs on components can cause you a ton of issues. I have even melted switches by holding in on there for far too long in the past.

try tinning up (as minimal as possible) the leg and the wire. and then connecting them with as little heat as possible. hopefully you will get a better result. especially with a cheap iron that has no temp control.

I used to do xbox mods and soldering onto circuit boards with a cheap iron teaches you some handy cheat methods very quickly! also check your solders with a magnifier, don't pull on the wires

 

[madog]

My plan is to mod my mini Maglite, but I don't want to sacrifice my Maglite until I can make it worthwhile.

Nico - do you have a Harbor Freight in your area ? You could just grab a two pack of the alumminum ones I have used.

What do you have as a power source are you using the li-ion's from deal extreme or are you just using rechargables? You really need rechargable li-ion (They have a higher duty cycle) to apperciate this mod -

 

[jarvis]

whoops, mispost

 

[nicowolf]

So far, I am just using NiMh rechargeables and cheap aluminum flashlights from the Dollar Tree; trying to get better at the soldering skills before I destroy something more expensive.

I have some other ideas too, but at the moment I want this mod bad enough to attempt it myself. In time I want to do a mod with 2 14500 batteries - that seems to me to be about the right amount of voltage and mAh.

 

[Bastage]

So far, I am just using NiMh rechargeables and cheap aluminum flashlights from the Dollar Tree; trying to get better at the soldering skills before I destroy something more expensive.

I have some other ideas too, but at the moment I want this mod bad enough to attempt it myself. In time I want to do a mod with 2 14500 batteries - that seems to me to be about the right amount of voltage and mAh.

1 14500 battery will be fine. If you just have to run 2 of them, run them in parallel so you maintain 3.7v but double your capacity. IMO if you're concerned about capacity build off a single larger battery like the 18650 @ 2500Mah. a single 14500 or CR123 900mah will provide you with a full day worth of vaping, and it's small. If you build a larger battery source you'll probably get tired of lugging it around every day, they are not small enough to easily fit in your pocket. I'll give my 18650 mod one thing... it sure does last a long time.

 

[aldo]

MADOG....congratulations on showing us the "how to" video,
are you thinking of selling theese..and if so at what price range?
I am shure (hope) i am not the only one interested.

 

[nicowolf]

MADOG....congratulations on showing us the "how to" video,
are you thinking of selling theese..and if so at what price range?
I am shure (hope) i am not the only one interested.

You are sooooo not the only one interested.

 

[Frankie]

Exactly. This is an area with one monopoly vendor with one monopoly price. I would love to see competition - not just for the price, but also models, shapes: Many are nicer than the monopoly one.

 

[Grumpysanta]

Thanks to maddogs video I have made a similar model, have a look at the link below

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/5366-yet-another-torch-mod-dse901-atomiser.html

 

[spyderuk]

Nicowolf While you are building your soldering skills I will add a few pointers.

Tinning. The idea is to heat both the contact and solder together so the solder sticks to the connection. This is done to both parts that are to be soldered together. Then put them together and heat again. This way the solder melts on both connections and joins. Avoid the fresh joint moving while it cools. Have a practice on odd bit's of wire and your old charger.

If you are putting two connections together without tinning them 1st you will not have much luck.

My easiest way to remove battery connections from 901 batteries is to soak the connecter end in a little hot water for 20 seconds or so then proceed with Maddogs method off using an atomiser and wiggle it about. Comes out without a struggle.

 

[nicowolf]

Thanks, Spyder. I have not given up yet. Tinning the wires does help. I am wondering about soldering paste. I here there are some that have solder in the flux, so you could, theoretically use that on tinned wires? I have gotten quite good at tinning, but joining them once they're tinned, needs more practice.

 

[lintz69]

Well, a friend and I made the Magnum with only slight changes. One change we made was put a real small epice of electrical tape under the spring so as to not risk shorting it out. Another we tried(and wasn't too bad) was instead was used 3 AAA rechargeable batteries. Ni-MH AAA 1.2V 900mAh. Not too bad. Going to try the PVC tube and bigger battery to compare. But as not having that at the moment we made do. Everything else was pretty much the same. Getting the button in and glued was a HUGE pain in the you know what..

Thanks MadDog for the video. Was very helpful.

 

[equazcion]

Madog,

I'm really interested in atomizer longevity. You said you'd been using the same atomizer on your Magnum for 2 months with no cleaning -- I'd be interested to know, to what do you attribute that long atomizer life? Do you think the higher voltage produces a "cleaner" burn that leaves less residue?

 

[benjamin]

finally got around to making a flashlight mod. the flashlight i used is almost identical to the ones bastage used. been using it for a week and have been really happy with the 900mah 14500 batteries.
it definitely is more practical than my first (cordless telephone) mod. lol

thanks maddog, bastage, everyone who has been posting mods!

 

[youfillintheblank]

Good job! What's the blue stuff you have the battery connector mounted on?

finally got around to making a flashlight mod. the flashlight i used is almost identical to the ones bastage used. been using it for a week and have been really happy with the 900mah 14500 batteries.
it definitely is more practical than my first (cordless telephone) mod. lol

thanks maddog, bastage, everyone who has been posting mods!