Tried to make a USB passthrough. Help.

[WillyB]

To start off, I have made a working nicostick so the basics of what I need to do are more or less understood.

I went to Radio Shack and bought a momentary switch (same kind recommended for nicostick). Then I went to the dollar store and bought a usb cable and a keychain flashlight thing that I was to use as an enclosure.

I strip the end of the usb cable and expose 4 wires. I clip the green and white wires down and just use the black and red. I plug in the cord and run the meter over them and I get 5.2 volts. That's good...

For USB power, I am using a wall plug in to USB adaptor. The sticker has it rated output of 5.2V at 1amp. Should be good right? Tried plugging into a regular PC based plug and still no joy.

Any advice?

Unless I missed something have you actually checked the mA draw/output of your USB adapter while trying your PT? As with most cheap stuff just cuz it says 1A doesn't mean much. A prime example is Chinese batteries mAh ratings... not even close.

Ammeter usage : BASIC CONCEPTS AND TEST EQUIPMENT

 

[Wireguy]

Way to go! Makes you feel good when you fix a problem, at least it does me. It also makes you want to kick things like USB adapters.

Well put.

I found some and used them substituting the usb power source with the nicostick battery mod. The atomizer worked in that scenario which of course isolated the AC to usb power supply as the culprit. I had already taken the opportunity to follow the advice of ordering the usb power converter suggested a few posts earlier just in case. Good to find out I was correct in doing so (with help). I suspect that the particular power unit that I have clips or just shuts off when the atomizer attempts to draw over the amp rating of the power supply.

 

[Don'tReadTheRunes]

I'm far from an expert in electrical stuff. It never occurred to me that a power draw could cause such a thing. I figured if anything, the atomizer would just be underpowered but still work. Kind of like a bulb just being dimmed if it's not getting all the juice it wanted, but still give -some- light. My low IQ and genetically deficient spacial reasoning skills is preventing me from processing how all this works

 

[thomas0407]

Made a passthrough for my car. 1 cig lighter plugin wired into a AA batt box, 1 5v reg, 1push button switch and a batt end for a 510.

 

[Wireguy]

I would have figured the same thing. Just not the working part. I probably would have burned/warmed my finger trying to find out. Oh and I have probably have 40 years experience on you. I started doing this stuff when I was a kid. Another words you are doing good.

By the way the other idea you had about the wire in the USB cable you used could still be the problem although I doubt it. If the wire gauge is to small it will limit the amperage. Just mentioning it so if your new power convertor doesn't work you wont go to nuts.

I'm far from an expert in electrical stuff. It never occurred to me that a power draw could cause such a thing. I figured if anything, the atomizer would just be underpowered but still work. Kind of like a bulb just being dimmed if it's not getting all the juice it wanted, but still give -some- light. My low IQ and genetically deficient spacial reasoning skills is preventing me from processing how all this works

 

[mnealtx]

Unless I missed something have you actually checked the mA draw/output of your USB adapter while trying your PT? As with most cheap stuff just cuz it says 1A doesn't mean much. A prime example is Chinese batteries mAh ratings... not even close.

Ammeter usage : BASIC CONCEPTS AND TEST EQUIPMENT

Most folks aren't going to have the test rigs to get 'in the middle' to check amperage draw.

Read the voltage and the resistance and you can calculate amperage. Volts divided by resistance.

 

[Don'tReadTheRunes]

I got the new usb wall wart today and I still have no joy. Guess I'm gonna have to start from scratch and try again.

 

[WillyB]

I got the new usb wall wart today and I still have no joy. Guess I'm gonna have to start from scratch and try again.

Which one?

 

[Don'tReadTheRunes]

Which one?

This one.

This is the one they said that when people had problems, this product solved the problem.

2000mAh 5 volt

 

[chuaa]

I got the new usb wall wart today and I still have no joy. Guess I'm gonna have to start from scratch and try again.

i tried building one too...and had no success...tested the voltage with load on the atty...voltage drops from 5volts all the way down to 2.5 volts (however, with no atty load..the voltage is steady at 5 volts)..i figured thats the cause for no vapor production...upon further testting, i figured that its the USB cable that I used...the wires inside a standard USB extention cable may just be too thin to handle the load...i testted the voltage on the USB plug side (the other where you plug the cable into the USB) and the voltage drop is not as significant...this means that the cable is not thick enough to carry the load to the other end...

am not sure what kind of USB cable the other guys here use....as i said, what i used is a standard USB 1 extension cord (a little over 1 meter in lenght)

 

[Don'tReadTheRunes]

i tried building one too...and had no success...tested the voltage with load on the atty...voltage drops from 5volts all the way down to 2.5 volts (however, with no atty load..the voltage is steady at 5 volts)..i figured thats the cause for no vapor production...upon further testting, i figured that its the USB cable that I used...the wires inside a standard USB extention cable may just be too thin to handle the load...i testted the voltage on the USB plug side (the other where you plug the cable into the USB) and the voltage drop is not as significant...this means that the cable is not thick enough to carry the load to the other end...

am not sure what kind of USB cable the other guys here use....as i said, what i used is a standard USB 1 extension cord (a little over 1 meter in lenght)

I guess I wasn't getting over buying 99 cent usb cables. They are thin as hell...smaller than lowest guage on my stripper. I'll find a decent cable and see if that helps.

 

[Don'tReadTheRunes]

I tested at load and I'm dropping to 1.4 volts.


Damn. Guess I gotta try $decent$ usb cable for sure.

 

[chuaa]

I tested at load and I'm dropping to 1.4 volts.


Damn. Guess I gotta try $decent$ usb cable for sure.

glad to see im not alone on this....let me know what type of USB cable you end up using (if and when your project succeeds!)

 

[Kewtsquirrel]

The easiest way to check what your current is in this situation is to simply complete the circuit across the switch with your ammeter. Unlike a voltmeter, the ammeter must be IN SERIES with the circuit, not in parallel - this means you must open the circuit somewhere and close it using the ammeter. Touching a lead to each post of the switch effectively turns your ammeter into the switch and will let you read current.

Also, I use USB cables from monoprice.com, pretty much all USB internal wires are going to be ~28AWG, but I've yet to have an issue. There is also a chance that the USB hub you are using has internal circuitry in the hub bit itself, so while the wallwart may provide 5v 2A, the hub part may be limiting the current at any port to 500mA. It's pretty easy to just snip the wire from the wallwart and splice in a female USB plug, especially since you only need one.

 

[chuaa]

The easiest way to check what your current is in this situation is to simply complete the circuit across the switch with your ammeter. Unlike a voltmeter, the ammeter must be IN SERIES with the circuit, not in parallel - this means you must open the circuit somewhere and close it using the ammeter. Touching a lead to each post of the switch effectively turns your ammeter into the switch and will let you read current.

Also, I use USB cables from monoprice.com, pretty much all USB internal wires are going to be ~28AWG, but I've yet to have an issue. There is also a chance that the USB hub you are using has internal circuitry in the hub bit itself, so while the wallwart may provide 5v 2A, the hub part may be limiting the current at any port to 500mA. It's pretty easy to just snip the wire from the wallwart and splice in a female USB plug, especially since you only need one.

kinda confusing since im no expert in electronics...just an amateur....bt to simplify the problem...ive tested the voltage on both sides of the USB cord with and with out load...on testing the volt on the side where the atty is connected..voltage drops from 5volts all the way down to around 2.5 volts....but upon testing the voltage on the side of the cord where the USB is plugged into the power source...volatge drops from 5 volts to around 4.2 volts only....so i concluded that the problem lies on the cable itself...it cant seem to carry the full load accross the cable....

 

[WillyB]

kinda confusing since im no expert in electronics...just an amateur....bt to simplify the problem...ive tested the voltage on both sides of the USB cord with and with out load...on testing the volt on the side where the atty is connected..voltage drops from 5volts all the way down to around 2.5 volts....but upon testing the voltage on the side of the cord where the USB is plugged into the power source...volatge drops from 5 volts to around 4.2 volts only....so i concluded that the problem lies on the cable itself...it cant seem to carry the full load accross the cable....

I don't think so. Is the cable getting hot? As a test you could try shortening the USB cable to a couple of inches.

The numbers you posted and assuming a 2.5 ohm 510 atty would infer your adapter is only providing 1000mA (1A). See mnealtx's post. What AC adapter are you using?

 

[chuaa]

I don't think so. Is the cable getting hot? As a test you could try shortening the USB cable to a couple of inches.

The numbers you posted and assuming a 2.5 ohm 510 atty would infer your adapter is only providing 1000mA (1A). See mnealtx's post. What AC adapter are you using?

used 1 1000ma 5volts..i also tried it on a portable battery powered (4x aaa battery)....same results in both instances

 

[chuaa]

will try t do away with the cable...and solder the atty direct into the battery powered usb box (powered by 4 x aaa)...will see what happens...

this should isolate the cable problem.....

 

[WillyB]

used 1 1000ma 5volts..i also tried it on a portable battery powered (4x aaa battery)....same results in both instances

What atomizer are you using in your PT.

 

[chuaa]

used a 510 atty....confirmed...its d cable dats the culprit...soldered a short wire direct from power source to the atty...its works! Voltage likewise didnt drop significantly...from 5 volts to arnd 4 volts with load....decided to do away with the pt...just made myself a box mod using the battery case...4x aaa...great vapes!