Variable volt SNUS box - my second mod complete

[McDude]

This is by far my favorite mod so far and it's also the best vaper I've tried. It uses a PTR08100 (TI) variable voltage regulator with two 14500 batteries for the source. Features include: Adjustable voltage, built-in multimeter jack (and custom probe set for reading output while adjusting), attractive case, momentary hooked to the PTR08100's inhibit pin (low amps), master kill, etc... Zero heat setup for components. In the pictures showing voltage, note the audio jack at the end of the probe wires, easy reading.

PM me if you want to know more about any part of it, including circuit shcematic, PCB layout diagram, etc...

I LOVE this device, will be my everyday vaper from now on

 

[McDude]

Plus a little graphics modification using photoshop

 

[McDude]

I also forgot to show how the batteries are changed out - very easy using the nifty AA holder that terminates in a 9V head configuration (radio shack on those)

 

[kashmoney]

Very nice McDude! I likey.

 

[McDude]

Thanks

It's not much to look at, but thought I'd add the PCB layout just for kicks and giggles.

 

[McDude]

Ok, promise this is the last reply to my own thread (haha), but just went to try a new atomizer on my mod and it didn't taste quite right, so busted out the custom probe and hooked up the multi-meter and dialed in a different voltage in about 30 seconds and I'm vaping away.

Don't think my previous pictures illustrate the audio jack setup for reading voltage, so adding it here after this last experience with needing to set voltage and finding the feature very nifty. If I were to make a VV mod for someone else, I'd just add the jack setup and give them a $4 multimeter from harbor frieght to go with the device - dare I use the term... "plug and play" for variable voltage?

 

[oldsoldier]

Very nice job! I really like the shape of the box, I may have to get some SNUS just for the box!

 

[squirrel64]

Really like that McDude. What type of pot did you use ?? Gonna have to try this when I get some parts in

 

[McDude]

Very nice job! I really like the shape of the box, I may have to get some SNUS just for the box!

That's exactly what I did - threw out the nasty chewing tobacco.

 

[McDude]

Really like that McDude. What type of pot did you use ?? Gonna have to try this when I get some parts in

It's a 200ohm 1 turn pot that I picked up from a local electronics place (Norvac) made by NTE Electronics. Sorry, can't find a link to it on the NTE site. The resistance for the ADJ pin on the regulator is defined using a 220ohm resistor plus the 200ohm pot for 3.5'ish to 6.25'ish volts. The one turn is nice, but does make "fine tuning" a bit harder to get a feel for.

 

[McDude]

Oh, btw squirrel64, the momentary has to be a normally on (if your going to use the inhibit pin) which was difficult for me to find locally in a form factor that would work. I would have preferred a smaller switch (low amp can be used) but neither radio shack nor norvac carried anything that was normally-on in a small package. In the end though I like the switch I found, the size goes with the "strong" metal look of the box I think. Originally I was looking for a tactile switch to mount directly to the PCB and out through the front cover over the camel's head so that the user's thumb would naturally hit it. I'm not patient enough for mail-order for many things, finishing a project is one of them

 

[McDude]

A couple of pics to support the PCB/wiring layout diagram - note with the PTR080100, many people say to "bend the pins" (because the pins do not match a normal PCB configuration) - and almost as many people say "oh no, broke a pin". I'd recommend just snipping the leads off some junk resistors and carefully soldering an extension onto each pin of the regulator, then bending the extensions to fit a piece of PCB.

 

[squirrel64]

Also I notice there are no caps as there are with the "evercool". 2x 100v 10uF capacitors. It seems as though I remember someone saying that they talked with a TI engineer and he said they are not absolutely necessary with our applications. Is this what you have done ?

 

[traderdan]

Nice Mod McDude
Very slick, looking .
Dan

 

[asdaq]

Lovely job McD, the case looks great and the fit in the hand, my... The angled switch is so inviting.

Does anything rattle inside?

 

[McDude]

Lovely job McD, the case looks great and the fit in the hand, my... The angled switch is so inviting.

Does anything rattle inside?

No, one really nice "side effect" was the fit of the particular battery holder with the wires on top - absolute 100% perfect fit, don't have to "force" the can closed, nor does it rattle at all - just exactly enough pressure to keep the lid and box together tightly.

 

[McDude]

Also I notice there are no caps as there are with the "evercool". 2x 100v 10uF capacitors. It seems as though I remember someone saying that they talked with a TI engineer and he said they are not absolutely necessary with our applications. Is this what you have done ?

Are you thinking of the PTN4050 boost? For the boost circuits I do use caps, although I don't see much difference with or without - for the regulator, there's no caps recommended in the schematic/data-sheet so I didn't add any I've measured output with and without load and have observed zero "bouncing" - the voltage is constant/steady under both conditions.

<<< corrected in a followup reply further down>>>>

 

[WillyB]

Oh, btw squirrel64, the momentary has to be a normally on (if your going to use the inhibit pin) which was difficult for me to find locally in a form factor that would work. I would have preferred a smaller switch (low amp can be used) but neither radio shack nor norvac carried anything that was normally-on in a small package.

I think you are going to confuse folks by saying "the momentary has to be a normally on".

The switches are referred to as NC, normally closed. We are used to using NO switches, normally open (off).

And they do have them at RS, although I can't vouch for the quality.

Pushbutton Normally-Closed Momentary Switch(4-Pack) - RadioShack.com

MadVapes.

Push Button Switch -- Closed Normally closed

A higher quality one for the thumb denter crowd.

Grayhill - 30-2 - Switches - Sensors, Switches & Relays - Allied Electronics

Operations at Rated Load - 1,000,000

A pair of contacts is said to be "closed" when current can flow from one to the other. When the contacts are separated by an insulating air gap, they are said to be "open", and no current can flow between them at normal voltages.

In a push-button type switch, in which the contacts remain in one state unless actuated, the contacts can either be normally open (abbreviated "n.o." or "no") until closed by operation of the switch, or normally closed ("n.c. or "nc") and opened by the switch action.

 

[McDude]

One word of warning, though, for anyone thinking of working with the SNUS cans. Use a drill only to create a small hole (with light pressure only), then use a dremmel to carefully widen it to whatever shape is needed - especially if you want a hole on the seam where the bottom and top parts of the can come together. Larger drill bits, even with little pressure, "tear" into the can and just trash it. For creating a hole on the seam, I tightly bound the top/bottom together with stretched electrical tape, created my tap hole using a drill, then dremmeled out the full hole. Each of the two seam holes took probably 20 minutes to dremmel out - but having trashed my first can in about 2 seconds using a drill (then using it to practice dremmeling), it was worth the extra effort.

 

[McDude]

I think you are going to confuse folks by saying "the momentary has to be a normally on".

The switches are referred to as NC, normally closed. We are used to using NO switches, normally open (off).

And they do have them at RS, although I can't vouch for the quality.

Pushbutton Normally-Closed Momentary Switch(4-Pack) - RadioShack.com[/I]

Yup, thanks for the correction - was tired when I wrote it (up too late) - the correct terminology would be "normally closed". Also, I should qualify that I said "couldn't find them at Radio Shack" mostly because my local RS's are almost always out of everything