Build a cheap, hard hitting 18650 MOD

[BillyBlack]

Yea it's tight, but the MadVapes switch will fit. A little of the liquid tape ensures against future shorts.

As far as the end cap it is just press fit on. Seems to work well. That's one reason I recommended a small light spring and also because of the delicate nature of the protection PCB, you don't want a lot of pressure anyway. If it loosens up, the tube can be deformed slightly, or a tiny set screw can be added. Also note if you let the tube run about 6mm longer than the battery you should be able to get 2 CR123a's in there for a 6V+ vape. To take up the slack in the tube I added a couple layers of paper around the battery.

[BillyBlack]

Just realized none of my accompanying pics show.

OUCH.

Here they are.

[mcquinn]

Good job on that one BB,I will have to give it a try .

[Jim Davis]

Looks nice. One question;

What holds the rear cap on for battery changes? If it's a friction fit, it may get loose over time.

I'll link this from the Reference Library.

[mcquinn]

I think he said both caps just press fit on .

[Jim Davis]

I think a pressed fit will eveuntially loosen over time. Might want to consider adding two tiny screws 180 degrees apart to secure the cap.

[BillyBlack]

Well over time you may be right. But I did use a weak spring, which is also better for the batteries bottom PCB. So far it works fine and I can always squeeze the body a bit (a slight deforming) if it becomes loose. One set screw (like the Chuck's prototype) would be more than enough. But in the KISS and don't over-think-it tradition I'll let it be until it becomes a problem. The top cap is very tight, it ain't going anywhere.

If I could score a small piece of the type K copper (it has a thicker wall) I could simply tread the end and use one of these.



The type M (what I have) and the slightly thicker type L don't have enough meat to thread.

These are so easy to slap together, rather than making the original dual purpose, I'm gonna shorten it up. I can trim about 7mm off this one and build another 2 cell model with a 5V regulator using these new, safer IMR batts. These batts can easily supply 3A+ current without breaking a sweat and I won't have to buy another charger like the LiPo users do. The popular LiPo's rated discharge is <500mA. They were never designed for the current demands folks put them to. A joye 510 atty needs over 2A at 5V.

AW IMR16340 550 mAh IMR CR123 size LiMN Rechargeable Lithium Battery.

The beauty of the 5v regulator is the consistant vape, start, middle, end, always 5V. The fancy expensive mods use a resister to tone down the voltage, that means that with every puff the voltage is dropping, the vape is changing.

I'll snap a few picks of the regulator wiring details (very simple, no additional components needed) and post them here.

[mcquinn]

Mine is half done ,waiting on the epoxy to dry on the positive insulator peice.I think the press fit is probably a smart thing on the caps after reading about the people vaping with the pipe bomb versions and having catastrophic battery failure.After some of the dumb things I have done I have to wonder just what they had to do to have those things blow up in thier faces like that.I will most likely use a bit of battery tube to make sure my 302's don't bottom out on the cap before making good contact.

[BillyBlack]

Well if you notice the problems always seem to be with stacked (2) batteries in series and usually the unprotected CR2's. Have you seen any single battery incidents? This copper pipe is also a great heat sink.

Make sure all your connections are insulated to avoid shorts. That's what I like about the liquid tape over the more cumbersome shrink tube. Epoxy should work pretty well too. And don't forget a dab of epoxy at the solder connection of the positive connection to the atty connector. I usually fill the whole thing up.

[mcquinn]

Okay mine is almost done ,I just need to order the batteries and charger and then I can cut the tube to the final length.I have to say this was easier than the box mods.It took a lot longer to do with the epoxy coated cardboard thing.I left the cap for the atty connecter full length and just notched into it for the switch,I also used a peice of battery tube to make sure the atty doesn't bottom out before making contact.