Hey guys,

So I know pretty much nothing about circuitry or even know if this is the right place to start.

I am an e-cigarette user and have decided to make my own device perfect for everything that I want.

There are mechanical and regulated devices. Here are a couple of links to examples.

Mechanical - Nemesis - http://www.vaperev.com/blog/vaperev-x-nemesis/
Mechanical - Electric Angel - http://www.vapedudes.com/EA--Electric-Angel-Mod_p_410.html
Regulated - Vamo V5 - http://www.fasttech.com/product/1491700-vamo-v5-variable-voltage-wattage-mod-apv

I like all of these devices but I want one that just does everything. I want it to be telescopic like the electric angel and be mechanical, but I want to have a top piece that I can attach that I am posting about here that turns it into a regulated device. However, I have no idea how to make this.

My goal is to make a device that can adjust the voltage and wattage of L-Ion batteries and display it on a small Oled display. I want to do the adjustments via a button or two on the device. I also want it to be able to check the resistance of an attached device. Essentially identical to what the Vamo V5 can do, except I want the fire button to be on the main portion of the device and not this attached piece.

Here is a link that shows the entire menu of the Vamo V5 so you can see pretty much exactly what I want it to do. He starts showing the menu at the 10 minute mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLO3PTUek2o

I, of course, want reverse battery protection, under volt and short circuit protection.

So I know that's a lot of info, but I literally have no idea what I'm doing and want to learn.

There is so much info out there it's a bit overwhelming, so any help is appreciated or even just a point in the right direction will help.

Thanks so much!

Obediah

 

If you know nothing and want to develop a project this sophisticated, and the size shown in the video, you should hire an engineering design/development company to do it for you.

 

I don't see the point of reverse polarity or any other protection as an E-cig is nothing more than a subminiature smoke machine, all is really in there is a little heating element which doesent care about polarity.

I doubt there is even any electronics in there apart from the battery, the heating element and a momentary switch.

 

That is definitely true with the purely mechanical devices, but there are a lot that do much more, like adjust the voltage and wattage and check the resistance and display battery like and all that. The one I'm using now (Vamo V5), like many, has a small screen on it to work with all that. I'm just trying to figure out how to make my own.

 

Almost guranteed a microcontroller that sends a PWM to a mosfet in series with the heating element where the mark space period(duty cycle) determines the amount of average current passing through the heater thus controlling the voltage/wattage. This same µC also drives the display.

This if you know your C coding is quite simple for the software bit. The hard part is miniaturization of the entire thing.

I would guess the µC remains powered at all times so that you can adjust the voltage/wattage withoung having to push the "vape" button assuming this is not something you adjust while inhaling. Reverse polarity protection doesent need to be any more fancy than a diode in series with the battery, and if you worry about the forward voltage drop, then use a schottky diode.

The short circuit protection bit should be built into the 18350/18650 cell if made by a reputable brand and made for this kinda use, as opposed to the cells intended for having tabs welded to them for use in battery packs with a external balance charge and short curcuit protection board like in laptop battery packs.