switching regulator confusion

[squirrel64]

a question for some more experienced than me.

I've built quite a few mods using the DE-SWADJ 3 from Dimension Engineering and have had 0 problems and they produce a wonderful voltage and vape. Now just being curious, I bought one of Kens newer mods with the switching regulator and it also produces a great vape and I'm getting accurate voltage. The problem is that I am getting such a better, more flavorful, smooooother vape with my DE-SWADJ 3 mod than with Kens. The taste is also more pronounced. I have tested both with Smoketech Dual-coils. 1.25 and 1.50 ohms. How can this be with voltages set at the same on both units. Does the DE-SWADJ 3 regulate and condition the voltage better ? I know neither has any defects, but I'm really not understanding why this is happening. Any ideas ??

Edit : also with Kens unit I can voltage all the way up to 6 volts and and it's giving a real good vape the dual-coils, but with my DE-SWADJ 3 I can't get near 6 volts. My meter is accurate. Just a couple of pics

 

[CapeCAD]

Are you testing your voltage under load? Or directly without an atty?

It is most likely that one of the devices is unable to handle the full load and providing less voltage/current than the other. Turn down the other and you should get the same result.

The device with the smoother vape is most likely the under-powered device.

 

[sierra22]

orrrrrrrrr, it could just be in your head

 

[squirrel64]

No not in my head, got a enough other crap floating around there ! And Cape I just tested under load right at the connections on the base of the connector with dual coils in and getting 4 volts on both. Very weird. On my mod I had to check at the board because my connector is sealed up

 

[CapeCAD]

No not in my head, got a enough other crap floating around there ! And Cape I just tested under load right at the connections on the base of the connector with dual coils in and getting 4 volts on both. Very weird. On my mod I had to check at the board because my connector is sealed up

Yes, you may have 4 volts on each, but one is most likely not delivering the current. Higher current will result in harsher result. Turning down the voltage on the harsher mod will get you the same power level (Watts) on both.

 

[squirrel64]

damn , I have no way to test current without cutting wire and didn't want to do that, but you're right, most likely the problem. And I was sure I got really good solder connections on mine, but maybe I didn't. It's been working flawlessly, but I haven't compared it to anything else. But I don't understand why I can turn Kens all the way to 6 volts and mine I can't. Can different switching regulators be supplying different currents at the same voltage without any defects to either unit ?

 

[CapeCAD]

damn , I have no way to test current without cutting wire and didn't want to do that, but you're right, most likely the problem. And I was sure I got really good solder connections on mine, but maybe I didn't. It's been working flawlessly, but I haven't compared it to anything else. But I don't understand why I can turn Kens all the way to 6 volts and mine I can't. Can different switching regulators be supplying different currents at the same voltage without any defects to either unit ?

Yes, a 3 Amp regulator will deliver 3 Amps and a 10 Amp regulator will deliver 10 Amps at the same voltage. They usually have protection in them to keep them from going over the current rating.

Turn the Kens device down to a lower voltage and you will probably get the same result as the DSE.

 

[VpnDrgn]

Yes, a 3 Amp regulator will deliver 3 Amps and a 10 Amp regulator will deliver 10 Amps at the same voltage. They usually have protection in them to keep them from going over the current rating.

I am not trying to stick my oar in here, but I am confused by this statement.
Someone else on here explained to me that a circuit may be rated for 3 or 10 amps, but it
doesn't automatically deliver full amps every time.

The voltage setting and the atty/carto resistance will determine how many amps are pulled.
A device set at 5v's with a 3.0 ohm carto will pull less amps than the same device at 5v's
with a 1.5 ohm DC carto. That is why DC cartos will not work at 5v's on most circuits,
because they can not provide enough amps.

That is how we simulate a higher current ( hotter ) vape on a regular voltage ( 3.7v ) device.
Probably the same reason my Indulgence seems to be underpowered even though
the batt shows 3.94 volts. The crappy batt that came with it doesn't have a high enough
discharge rate to keep up with the carto.

 

[CapeCAD]

I am not trying to stick my oar in here, but I am confused by this statement.
Someone else on here explained to me that a circuit may be rated for 3 or 10 amps, but it
doesn't automatically deliver full amps every time.

The voltage setting and the atty/carto resistance will determine how many amps are pulled.
A device set at 5v's with a 3.0 ohm carto will pull less amps than the same device at 5v's
with a 1.5 ohm DC carto. That is why DC cartos will not work at 5v's on most circuits,
because they can not provide enough amps.

That is how we simulate a higher current ( hotter ) vape on a regular voltage ( 3.7v ) device.
Probably the same reason my Indulgence seems to be underpowered even though
the batt shows 3.94 volts. The crappy batt that came with it doesn't have a high enough
discharge rate to keep up with the carto.

You are correct, if you have an inadequate source, that would restrict the converter from delivering full current. This OP has dual 14500 batteries in each mod, so that is not the case.

In this case, one converter cannot supply enough current to the dual coil atties which results in lower power. The OP prefers the lower power.

To get the lower power with the higher current converter requires lowering the voltage since the current delivered is higher at the same voltage.

Most people who think they are vaping at 6 volts would be surprised if they had full current, it's too much for a low resistance atty.

 

[CraigHB]

Unless Ohm's law has changed without my knowledge, if you are measuring 4V under load at the atomizer you'll be getting the same current (and thereby power) regardless of which power source is providing it. The only exception would be if one device uses PWM and the other is regulated to a constant DC voltage. In that case, your meter could be giving you false readings for the one that uses PWM. You would need to use a true RMS meter to get a good equivalent DC voltage measurement off a PWM output.

As CapeCAD pointed out, most people don't understand that voltage sag occurs under load. It varies (sometimes greatly) from one device to the next depending on things like battery impedance and circuit impedance. Wall warts often employ a current limiting safety feature that drops voltage to keep current from going over a limit. In that case, even though you think you are vaping at 5V, it may actually be lower. To get a true reading on what kind of power you're using, you need to measure voltage on your atomizer while it's energized.

 

[CapeCAD]

Unless Ohm's law has changed without my knowledge, if you are measuring 4V under load at the atomizer you'll be getting the same current (and thereby power) regardless of which power source is providing it. The only exception would be if one device uses PWM and the other is regulated to a constant DC voltage. In that case, your meter could be giving you false readings for the one that uses PWM. You would need to use a true RMS meter to get a good equivalent DC voltage measurement off a PWM output.

As CapeCAD pointed out, most people don't understand that voltage sag occurs under load. It varies (sometimes greatly) from one device to the next depending on things like battery impedance and circuit impedance. Wall warts often employ a current limiting safety feature that drops voltage to keep current from going over a limit. In that case, even though you think you are vaping at 5V, it may actually be lower. To get a true reading on what kind of power you're vaping at, you need to measure voltage on your atomizer while it's energized.

Thanks, was trying to keep it simple and do not want to mislead anyone. Not always easy to explain how switching converters can still meet Ohms law and not provide full power 100% of the time. A true RMS meter would show this.

 

[squirrel64]

thanks for the replies