What's hiding under your PCC? Updated

[Nilius]

I was able to remove it without destruction this time

New post with the same pics as above
What’s hiding under your PCC (updated) Nilius

Original blog entry with the older PCC
http://nilius17.com/2010/04/05/what-is-under-your-pcc/

 

[Adrenalynn]

Is there a buck-boost on that circuit board, Nilius? I gave mine away. Three NiMH cells will output 3.6v.

 

[Nilius]

Is there a buck-boost on that circuit board, Nilius?

Um... Uh...

More pics?

 

[Nilius]

I don't know if you can see what you are looking for Lynn, but here are some closer pics of the circuit board. I couldn't take a pic of the top of the new one, I didn't want to destroy it (like I did the old)

Top of the old one

Bottom of the new one

 

[Adrenalynn]

Thanks!

Nothing exciting on the bottom. The top I'll need to enhance to see. I'm not seeing any obvious bucking circuit at first glance. Have you read the output when it's charging an external battery from its internal battery? If it has no bucking, it can't possibly put out enough to fully charge a battery. (3x1.2v nominal, versus 3.7v minimum). It really needs to put out something closer to 5v to be able to charge a LiIon cell...

 

[Nilius]

I didn't check the voltage. I meant to today but I got too busy at work (where my vom stays). I'll check it tomorrow and let ya know

 

[dEEzPuffs]

Is there a buck-boost on that circuit board, Nilius? I gave mine away. Three NiMH cells will output 3.6v.

Thanks!

Nothing exciting on the bottom. The top I'll need to enhance to see. I'm not seeing any obvious bucking circuit at first glance. Have you read the output when it's charging an external battery from its internal battery? If it has no bucking, it can't possibly put out enough to fully charge a battery. (3x1.2v nominal, versus 3.7v minimum). It really needs to put out something closer to 5v to be able to charge a LiIon cell...

So it is NiMH not Li-Ion as I thought. I think you stated it was Li-Ion in another post.

 

[Belletrist]

She did... turns out there are apparently some of each out there.

 

[v1John]

It says 1200 milliamp hours! I wonder if that would make a heck of a mod.
It may need a new circuit, tho,
and a female to female adaptor?

 

[Adrenalynn]

She did... turns out there are apparently some of each out there.

Cut it out with the careful comprehension.

 

[Adrenalynn]

It says 1200 milliamp hours! I wonder if that would make a heck of a mod.

You'd need to rip all the circuitry out, and throw it away. And throw away the connector. And then the battery would be 5x the size of an equivalent Li* technology.

So, in theory, sure. You'd get two pieces of plastic that don't fit together and a battery that is far heavier and physically larger than it needs to be - but hey - why not?

 

[v1John]

Well, not for me. Not now.

...I was just thinking about the 1200mah battery.

 

[Adrenalynn]

3000mAh batteries can be had in that form-factor. Heck, tape two tiny little cell phone batteries together and you're going to get ~1600mAh.

 

[v1John]

Wow. That's right.
So if some PCCs are possibly not fully charging batteries, maybe the next version is needed.

 

[Mr.Stick]

Fun stuff, that NiMH. I've been doing the nerdy can-I-build-my-own-mod thing lately, and I gotta say that NiMH looks nice, but for the lower voltage per cell. They rate at 50% the energy density, but they can be recharged a thousand times... thats enticing. Size is an issue though, as, quite literally, the spacial demand is 2.5 to 3 greater in comparison to Lithium for the same voltage kick. I'm waiting on the motivation to convert my pcc into a carto/box, and if I ever get around to it I'll post how it works out.

 

[v1John]

Thanks!

Nothing exciting on the bottom. The top I'll need to enhance to see. I'm not seeing any obvious bucking circuit at first glance. Have you read the output when it's charging an external battery from its internal battery? If it has no bucking, it can't possibly put out enough to fully charge a battery. (3x1.2v nominal, versus 3.7v minimum). It really needs to put out something closer to 5v to be able to charge a LiIon cell...

When I charge my batteries on my USB ports, the light eventually turns blue, and stays blue.

When I charge them on the PCC, iirc the light keeps blinks occasionally, and remains like that for longer than I can tell.

Would either of those have anything to do with whether or not my batteries have reached a really full charge?

How about this question: What if I charge a battery on my PCC, and then as soon as I think it's done charging I put the same battery in the USB charger? Would this help me determine if the battery was really totally charged?

 

[Nilius]

This may help
Vapor 4 Life Personal Charging Case. Nilius