VapCap Induction Heater for Desktop and in Car Use

[Ramahs]

So.... If I get my grandchildren to "help" me build one, does CPS get involved???? Big brother and all! :-(

Unfortunately yes, unless your grandkids are cool. lol

 

[abjake55]

Unfortunately yes, unless your grandkids are cool. lol

Or their parents.... Who I know partake!

 

[Ramahs]

Or their parents.... Who I know partake!

The kids matter more here. A child who has a fairly innate ability (when they're too young to really understand enough to do it strategically, aka "on purpose") to know when to keep their mouth shut when the wrong authorities are around is a rare treasure.

 

[abjake55]

The kids matter more here. A child who has a fairly innate ability (when they're too young to really understand enough to do it strategically, aka "on purpose") to know when to keep their mouth shut when the wrong authorities are around is a rare treasure.

Too true. I meant the comment as a joke..... But it sure hits close to home in areas with less commonsense laws . I truly hope no one has to defend thir medical or recreational choices to the bureaucrats

 

[Pipes]

Hey guys. Today was not a good day. A definite downside to the China business risk taking end of things. Also. a prime example of why I need to move away from those pre-made heater drivers.

So today I started to make up some IHs using drivers from a new batch I got lately. Actually, two orders of 50 each but today was to first time I started to use any. First unit just starts smoking right away. Figured it was just a bad driver as has happened before. Second unit, dame thing. Third... dido. After much head scratching and a little swearing, I found the problem.

They all have their diodes installed backwards. 100% of 100 units, assembled wrong from factory. All 4 diodes installed reversed. Supplier wants me to return with tracking at my expense. Or he will refund me a whole $50 for the lot. So guys, beware some sellers for these. If just buying singles, pick a seller that has a QC sticker on the boards. If you do get one with backwards diodes, the FETs will blow the first time you attempt to use it.



The unit on the left is a good unit and the one on the right is a bad unit. DZ1 and VD1 are backward.

Reworking is not a simple task. Need to unsolder one side of caps to get at the coil legs to unsolder as well. Then you have access to the two diodes hidden under the coils.
The DZ1&2 can just be removed and discarded, but the VD1&2 need to be removed, flipped and re-soldered.
Then clean up and resolder the coils and caps back in place.



So what does this mean? Not much for most folks, as it is my problem but will slow things down some. But I'll muddle through it. Just needed to rant some...

 

[abjake55]

Hey guys. Today was not a good day. A definite downside to the China business risk taking end of things. Also. a prime example of why I need to move away from those pre-made heater drivers.

So today I started to make up some IHs using drivers from a new batch I got lately. Actually, two orders of 50 each but today was to first time I started to use any. First unit just starts smoking right away. Figured it was just a bad driver as has happened before. Second unit, dame thing. Third... dido. After much head scratching and a little swearing, I found the problem.

They all have their diodes installed backwards. 100% of 100 units, assembled wrong from factory. All 4 diodes installed reversed. Supplier wants me to return with tracking at my expense. Or he will refund me a whole $50 for the lot. So guys, beware some sellers for these. If just buying singles, pick a seller that has a QC sticker on the boards. If you do get one with backwards diodes, the FETs will blow the first time you attempt to use it.



The unit on the left is a good unit and the one on the right is a bad unit. DZ1 and VD1 are backward.

Reworking is not a simple task. Need to unsolder one side of caps to get at the coil legs to unsolder as well. Then you have access to the two diodes hidden under the coils.
The DZ1&2 can just be removed and discarded, but the VD1&2 need to be removed, flipped and re-soldered.
Then clean up and resolder the coils and caps back in place.



So what does this mean? Not much for most folks, as it is my problem but will slow things down some. But I'll muddle through it. Just needed to rant some...

I'd be willing to pay a "frustration" surcharge!

 

[ander]

Unfortunately yes, unless your grandkids are cool. lol

Or their parents.... Who I know partake!

Oh yeah guys... Fortunately, we are a cool family.

And Doc approves too!

 

[Buildozer]

@Pipes
That's China! IMO the chances are they knew they were bad when they sent them.. From what I've seen they're notorious for sending out bad shit (IMO on purpose to buy time or w/e), and either you go through the hassle to get what you paid for, or not, and if it happens during Chinese New Year or something, then you got an extra 2 weeks to wait on top of the shipping time.. I've seen it happen enough times, and it's shitty when you're ordering $1000's worth of parts, and most or all of them are bad or out of spec, then it's Chinese New Year or some shit, and you're waiting like a month for things to get sorted out.. it's part of the game, but it's super shitty when you're trying to run a business and really need the parts to move forward.. they definitely don't give a fuck.. they'll even admit it sometimes, "oh good eye, you caught me.. you're so smart!".. I personally haven't had that happen since I don't ever buy things in bulk from china like that, but a friend of mine has had it happen plenty of times.. bullshit, but apparently it's the way it is often enough..

 

[MinnBobber]

Portside mini owners--- how do your charger plugs fit the mini? Do they have slop where you can wobble the charger plug 10 degrees and it doesn't fit snug at all?

My charger plug doesn't "grip" the mini "pin" at all, loosest electrical connection I've ever seen ????

 

[buckhakeesah]

Mine is pretty tight. Not loose at all.

Have my PSM for about a week now. Damn, this thing is quicker and more powerful than my old PS, like most have described. I stop at the click now. With my PS, I usually went two or three seconds after the click. Now I only go a second or two, if I want it full bodied. Beyond that, it is scorch city for me, if I'm not careful. Love the smaller form factor and that its black. Thank you @Pipes

 

[bizwaxzion]

Portside mini owners--- how do your charger plugs fit the mini? Do they have slop where you can wobble the charger plug 10 degrees and it doesn't fit snug at all?

My charger plug doesn't "grip" the mini "pin" at all, loosest electrical connection I've ever seen ????

Quite the opposite for me - connection is very tight.

 

[b8man99]

Hmmmm.... I like the idea of quicker heating. Will the currently being built batch of Portsides be quicker heating too?

 

[ander]

loosest electrical connection I've ever seen

Mine is pretty tight

connection is very tight

I don't have a Portside but I think the connection is pretty the same and mine... is pretty loose.

Well, in my country we say... there's no genius without unruliness!

 

[Pipes]

Please ensure you give a good initial push as the first insertion can be very tight. (biting my tongue here....)
This ended up being @MinnBobber problem.

 

[MinnBobber]

I don't have a Portside but I think the connection is pretty the same and mine... is pretty loose.

.....................................................................
My mini Portside had a charger receptor pin that didn't fit firmly/was a loose connection. Pipes sent a replacement cover that I thought was also a loose fit until I pushed the charger end plug with bigtime force/like it was going to break the pin and then it snapped in firmly. Subsequent attachments were normal but that first time, it was like there was a burr or something that wouldn't let it snap together.

 

[Stu]

Please ensure you give a good initial push as the first insertion can be very tight. (biting my tongue here....)
This ended up being @MinnBobber problem.

Mine was really tight to get in, too. Still is actually. Give it a solid push.

 

[danielj]

Mine was really tight to get in, too. Still is actually. Give it a solid push.

greetings community...hope all is well I received my potside, I mean portside, mini today thanks Pipes for creating these
the build quality appears very nice, the design impressive did a couple of hits off a small ss bowl...clicks the vc quickly I noticed a second switch type crunchy type sound a monent after the vc tip depresses and holds down the switch is this normal

also while Im sure all are happy to see a magnet on top being legally blind with no physical depth perception I find having that vc standing up is a miss grab and knock across the road awaitin to happen

I have better luck laying the vc down a magnet will grab the tip this way too tho the heatsink ability is not as good all to ask any reason I cant put a magnetic on the side of the ps mini and lay the IH down when not in use nothing inside that an extra magnet would mess with?

I use the vc pretty much daily during the day time I have a boundless convection for bedtime

the vc has positively affected my lifein more than one way I will hopefully have a story to share with you re this within a few months

blessings Daniel

 

[Summer]

@danielj, you can put a magnet anywhere on the IH you want. It won't hurt anything. Likewise, laying it down won't hurt it. See no reason you can't even run it lying on its side.

 

[xlr8shun]

since its an induction heater (that heats metal usually) i'd keep the magnet away from the inside (or near inside) of the heater coil, other than that, you should be ok

*shrugs*

 

[ander]

.....................................................................
My mini Portside had a charger receptor pin that didn't fit firmly/was a loose connection. Pipes sent a replacement cover that I thought was also a loose fit until I pushed the charger end plug with bigtime force/like it was going to break the pin and then it snapped in firmly. Subsequent attachments were normal but that first time, it was like there was a burr or something that wouldn't let it snap together.

Thanks for the clarification, seems that I have the same issue. But not a real problem for me since I really, always prefer to charge my cells externally with a... grant me the term... "professional" charger and my recent, sudden, passionate, reignited love for the ERASER forces me to share them at the moment. I must learn to buy some spare! But speaking of tightness, what I have found too tight was the battery compartment, resolved with some tongs and some gentleness. I've also added a strip of shining green satin fabric glued on a side for easy cells expulsion... well, not interesting for the most of you, I guess...

 

[Pipes]

Just letting you fine folks know that I now have inventory for car smart chargers as an optional accessory.
$10 USD + any shipping alterations. Good for all the battery powered units I sell. Just let me know if your interested when I contact you that your unit is ready.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Just letting you fine folks know that I now have inventory for car smart chargers as an optional accessory.
$10 USD + any shipping alterations. Good for all the battery powered units I sell. Just let me know if your interested when I contact you that your unit is ready.

OUTSTANDING!

.

 

[MAbud]

Just letting you fine folks know that I now have inventory for car smart chargers as an optional accessory.
$10 USD + any shipping alterations. Good for all the battery powered units I sell. Just let me know if your interested when I contact you that your unit is ready.

Missed it by 1 day!! Lol

 

[ander]

I've realized that my note up here makes me appear like a snob that doesn't want to charge his cells with nothing but his nitecore...
Here's a more useful one: be aware that if for mistake, highness, excessive excitement or whatever other unlucky reason you put the cells in wrong polarity, the charger will anyway start his charging cycle: at the end of it you may find your cells dead,.
Yes it happened to me and from that moment I prefer to charge my new cells externally. Fortunately, it looks like I'm the one until now and maybe, with this precisation, we will keep this record..!

ander...out

 

[MAbud]

Should the wall charger make a low level noise, almost a grinding type sound, while charging the mini?