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The Voltage Keeper

I was able to put in an order for one of these units after talking to the man himself. :) I decided to go with the 10-turn, 15v potentiometer, blue screen, clear case with the pot being top mounted. Really looking forward to the flexibility that this unit will bring. Cheers.

Got my first one, and I already have it portable! I love it so much that I just ordered another one with a 10 turn Vernier dial in the short and tall case!

My current setup....
Utilizing a 3800 mah li-ion rechargable battery from eBay. It lasts about 3+ hours at around 13.2-14.2 depending which dog I use, and what glass piece I'm filling.

=)
20140415_150505_zpse37yu5jq.jpg

20140415_150600_zpsgxajt6f8.jpg
Very nice! Do you have a link to the battery that you are using?
 
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Sleepin in CA

Higher than a Pterodactyl, you can call me Caveman
Accessory Maker
@slowandsteady

Here is the first one I bought...its 3800mah

http://m.ebay.com/itm/190715238336?txnId=970342562009

I dont reccomend it at that price though, I was in an excited hurry so I had to have one stateside. I PAID for it.

I recently bought this one....its 4500 mah and about 10 bucks cheaper. Also stateside as it turns out. Live and learn.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/310890540572?txnId=460851085021


Really though any 12v dc li-ion with a 2.1 connecter should work. As long as its a protected cell. Most are, and if you find one you want to use but think is suspect, ask here. I'm sure someone could help determine if its usable.

=)
 

Sleepin in CA

Higher than a Pterodactyl, you can call me Caveman
Accessory Maker
Soon I shall have a 10 turn Vernier in a blue short/tall case w/ammeter. It has already been ordered, come on Weekend!

=)

What can I say.....I freaking love these things!
 

rotax

Zaporist
So, could I really just pickup that $17, 4500mah 12.6v battery pack and use it directly with a log vape if I wanted? Seems voltage would be close enough to make vapor happen.
What kind of run time are you seeing with it?

Just finished the thread, been wanting 'adjustability' for my old MZ [and/or the next log vape I get]..this looks great.
 

Sleepin in CA

Higher than a Pterodactyl, you can call me Caveman
Accessory Maker
So, could I really just pickup that $17, 4500mah 12.6v battery pack and use it directly with a log vape if I wanted? Seems voltage would be close enough to make vapor happen.
What kind of run time are you seeing with it?

Just finished the thread, been wanting 'adjustability' for my old MZ [and/or the next log vape I get]..this looks great.

It won't work that way, or rather it will but not for long. The drop off from the battery would fall below 12v after about 25 min or so. You need the VK to use it for any real time. I average about 2-3 hours constant on at about 13.2-14.2. Really it depends on the log I'm using, and the cord length from the VK. Longer cord means higher voltage needed which equals larger battery drain and less run time.

Without the VK a battery pack is useless as it will not maintain a CONSTANT voltage over time. IMO the VK is an absolute MUST HAVE. Portable or not.

=)

Edit....I get 3-4 heat ups (from cold) and full seasons on a single charge.
 
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MileHighLife

Blower of glass, grower of grass
So, could I really just pickup that $17, 4500mah 12.6v battery pack and use it directly with a log vape if I wanted? Seems voltage would be close enough to make vapor happen.
What kind of run time are you seeing with it?

Just finished the thread, been wanting 'adjustability' for my old MZ [and/or the next log vape I get]..this looks great.

This battery pack is money:

http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10004461/1341401-qidian-3a-4-18650-mobile-power-bank-battery

It is variable voltage in .5 volt increments up to 13 volts and the voltage doesn't slowly drop off ... it stays consistent at your setting until it dies and I've used it with my underdog on the 12.5v and 13v settings numerous times and it works like a charm for 4+ hours. It comes with the 2.2mm barrel cable we need so all you need to do is buy some protected 18650 batteries for it. I recommend the Panasonic ncr18650b cells for the most battery life.

I also use it to charge my cell phone, bluetooth speaker, pinnacle pro etc when out and about and can even use my mflbs with the pa hooked up to it lol.

Edit: the voltage keeper compliments the pack perfectly for fine tuning the voltage.
 
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rotax

Zaporist
Thanks a lot guys! And for the tip on the 18650 unit. I still don't think packing my log vape (at least my MZap sized log), regulator, and battery pack in my backpack is practical for my outings (its already packed full of tools/gear/water/food when I go out).
But it seems like a great way to sit and hang out at a camp ground/park/lake or such thing.

But a log and battery seems a bit more practical...so maybe that 18650 'power station' would do the trick for me. Generally when I'm out, I just want a bump to keep some of the pains and aches away when I'm done with my bike ride. But again, with the Zaps warm up time, I don't believe it would be ideal for such a thing either. Time to get a log w/ some modern technology (for quicker heat up time). :)

Anyway! /end_ramble Great having this kinda community support / knowledge.
 
rotax,

VoltageKeeper

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
Hah, wow, you guys managed to find some really cool battery packs! That $17 4500mah is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. Something where you don't have to charge the individual cells, you just charge the whole pack, and it's cheap! Very cool. I might try to see if I can find a wholesaler for those, so that they could be ordered and shipped with a VK without adding too much cost overhead, and save you all on the shipping costs. Supplying 18650s plus a pack seems like it's just too expensive, so this will be a much better compromise.

The white one with the 0.5 increments is pretty cool too, I imagine if you're happy at 12v or 12.5v you'd be good with just that alone, although, I can tell you for sure that sometimes 0.5V can be the difference between combusting and not combusting! I'll sometimes keep my glass core HI around 12.5v, but I never run my UD or SS-core HI that hot, they would combust on me, no doubt! That unit also seems to require you to bring your own batteries, which is a little more complicated than the solution I've been looking for, but still, pretty cool.

I'm really interested in how people are using the battery packs with their VK, as it might give me some ideas as to how to get things smaller and more practical. And of course, the idea has crossed my mind to make a combined VK+Battery pack, it's most certainly possible, but finding the right battery pack is key.

When I moved out to Colorado, my old linear/non-regulated 12v supply was running maybe just 0.3-0.5v too high, our line voltage out here was just high enough to make the output voltage of the power supply higher as well. I get something like 120-121v out of the wall here, versus around 114-117v at my old house. With an unregulated supply, that was all it took to create some serious issues with combustion on my UD, and that's actually what inspired me to come up with the VK!

Now that I have a glass core HI, I've got some new preferred settings:
For the UD, I usually run it around 11.8-12v. Anything much over 12.2 was causing me to combust, like in my story above with the linear supply, it was running it at around 12.25v.
For a SS core HI, I usually like it around 11.74V.
For the Glass core HI = 12.25-12.45v seems to work well for me. These units gain and lose heat much more quickly than the stainless cores, so I'll bump it up sometimes after using it, then lower it again. Still, my current favorite way to start a roast! You can literally smush the glass core into your herb and it's still nearly impossible to combust.

I usually start the roast with the glass core, then use the SS core HI or the UD to finish it off. The stainless cores of the UD and SS HI are able to stay a bit hotter which is nice for finishing a roast.

Simply having two identical log vapes set to two different temperatures would probably have a similar effect. It's nice having a 2nd one ready to go, at a hotter temperature, since you'll usually immediately get vapor even if you couldn't get a thing off the cooler-running vape (or glass core.)

Regarding portable/mobile usage, I have to admit, I just recently got myself a new pen vape made by a local company (to me) in Denver, charges via a microUSB port, in terms of portability, no log vape + battery pack (even if it's a combined battery pack+regulator) will ever be able to really compete with that in terms of size and portability! Of course, they tend to work best with oils and waxes and such, but the one I have even has an attachment for vaping flowers! I still prefer the log vapes overall for flowers though, those pen vapes just don't have enough juice to do them justice. My favorite thing about log vapes is the 24/7 aspect, you can just have them running all the time, always ready to go, the chamber size isn't too large or too small (I vastly prefer the smaller core size of the log vapes versus some of the 18mm GonG/whip style vapes, I have a few of those as well, those roasting bowls are just too big for my taste and require a lot more stirring.) I've also been a bit into dabbing lately, so I've been all over the place! I've got an extensive collection of glass that most of this stuff gets used with, some day I'll have to post some action shots of some of the crazy things I do and attachments I've made! I've even got a new custom 18mm gong + cork thing that Alan and I came up with using some glass pieces I found on ebay, it's pretty nifty!
 
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VoltageKeeper

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
The last image I posted, I showed the incomplete super-small VK. Here it is completed, the smallest VK to date. This will only fit a standard model, it won't take any upgrades at all, it's literally packed to the brim in that tiny case!

small_vk.jpg
 

VoltageKeeper

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
Awesome! I wish I'd had a chance to post a picture of it next to a standard-size VK, and some things for size reference (like that lighter!)

I'd been debating a name for these, but miniVK is what I'm calling them now too, but I'm still trying to keep the idea open to get an even smaller unit some day. I know, I'm crazy right? Maybe if I ever make a smaller unit, they can be micro-vks! Haha. Then nano-VKs. Maybe some day. I've had some ideas in how to get things smaller, I just haven't had the time to try it out yet, and getting people's units shipped has been my main priority as of late.

I've been tempted to do all standard-models in these mini cases, but there's still a few things to work out before that can really happen. The tolerances have to be extremely tight and I have to use smaller switches than I use in my normal units. If I could use the standard size switches somehow, that'd make my life a lot easier!

In other news, stayed tuned for some photos of the first "the works" unit in the small+tall blue case, a standard case "the works" unit painted black from the inside with just the screen area masked off (it had to be done eventually), and the first top-mounted knob unit. These are the next three units coming off the VK presses, and they're all different from anything you or I has seen before. That sounds a lot more dramatic than it really is, but, I'm personally excited to see how they come out myself.

Depending on how the painted black unit comes out, I might try to see about having some kind of reverse-painted art in there. Probably nothing too fancy, but, the same kind of paint I bought in spray also comes in a paint-on form, so if spraying them works, it opens up a hand-painted option too....as to what will be painted on them? Who knows at this point...expect a longer wait time for any painted unit though!

BTW, just as a general notice, I've been a little behind due to holidays, but most units ship within 1-2 weeks from the time they're ordered, and they are all hand built to order. I'm also currently awaiting a shipment of new verniers, but they're coming soon, so it shouldn't really hold up any new orders.
 

EveryDayAmnesiac

Well-Known Member
Awesome! I wish I'd had a chance to post a picture of it next to a standard-size VK, and some things for size reference (like that lighter!)

Even with the lighter there, I still think this VK looks bigger than it is. I was quite suprised when I first saw it. I'm not sure how much more "micro" you can get. As one can see on my unit, there's only a little bit of space on the sides open.

But I'd love to see it. Maybe a Travel VK?

Loving mine so far. This standard model is definitely all I needed - hell, I barely even understand what the options are for the more elaborate models :brow: . The amount of control and precision I was getting from it last night was fantastic. I was surprised at just how much of a difference even small increments make. But I don't know much about electronics so maybe it was just me. With just a little bit of "nimbleness," you can easily dial into what you want.

I like how much push it takes to switch from off to input to output. A satisfying amount of force must be used.

And as you say, there is definitely no unused space in the back! I love it. No wasted space back there, that's for sure. But yet everythings fits without compromise.

And I LOVE the clear case. Gives it that homemade, steampunk, DIY sort of vibe. Matches the vibe of a log vape perfectly. I might just tell people I made it myself. :razz:

Anyway, I would like to *publicly* thank @VoltageKeeper for going the extra mile and finding a way to make mine smaller than norm. I really wanted something to match the mini-ness of my HI and I know he put in a buttload of hard work to make it happen. Well worth the minimal wait and the minimal expense. I'm honored to be the first (as far as I know) non-manufacturer FC'er to use one! :ko:

I'm of the belief now that anyone with a DC log should have a good VVPS around.

I'll get some better pics of this little beauty up tomorrow. :buzz:
 

VoltageKeeper

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
Even with the lighter there, I still think this VK looks bigger than it is. I was quite suprised when I first saw it. I'm not sure how much more "micro" you can get. As one can see on my unit, there's only a little bit of space on the sides open.

But I'd love to see it. Maybe a Travel VK?

Yeah, even the standard unit isn't really that big, maybe a half inch wider and taller at most. Your unit is just tiny though! You're right though, the current design won't really allow for anything much smaller, and going smaller will likely mean a new board with a lower power rating, but still enough to power any log vape. Of course, smaller parts and lower power ratings might mean more heat and closer tolerances, so, all this will require a whole new round of R&D, which is why it likely will be some time before I explore it more. I have a feeling most people would be more than happy with a unit your size, so it also begs the question as to how much time is worth spending on such a project, but, I do know that small-as-possible is on many peoples minds!
 

Alan

Master JedHI
Manufacturer
Loving all the developments with the VK. That mini is such a nice size. Looking forward to see some painted boxes. I could envision some very interesting art work. Micro and Nano VK's would be really nice. Hope you can pull it off some day.
I am happy to have my prototype VK back and upgraded to a 10 turn pot w/ moog knob. So smooth and precise.

vkprototype.jpg
 

VoltageKeeper

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
Ah, there's VK prototype #1! That was the first one I made that's functionally-identical to the current model and uses the same case, just had a very different layout of all the parts! It's recently gotten an overhaul now with the 10-turn pot! I used a spare knob from my 5u moog-inspired modular synth for that one. That's a whole 'nother hobby of mine that I could go on about forever. Repairing vintage/analog synths and making my own synthesizer modules was probably what got me back into making electronics in the first place.

That knob is currently what you get when you order the 10-turn without the vernier, although I'm still looking for a knob that will mount a bit more flush with the case. I may try to just cut down the length of the pot shaft so that it doesn't have that issue, but something that'll save me the hassle would be even better.

Prototype #2 is similar to the unit above, except the screen and board positions were swapped, much like the positioning in most of the ones I make today. Same switch/knob position on the front though. Not sure I have any pictures of that one, it's been powering my log vapes in the living room for pretty much it's entire life!

A glass VK or even wood would be sweet. Maybe not possible though. Keep up the good work!

Some wooden knobs would be a good start I think! A wood VK is probably not too far after. A matching wood VK/Log vape combo would be pretty sweet. Glass? Oh man...I don't even wanna think about the logistics of that one! Haha.
 

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
Of course, smaller parts and lower power ratings might mean more heat and closer tolerances, so, all this will require a whole new round of R&D, which is why it likely will be some time before I explore it more.
Might individually-fitted component heat shields and some strategically located case venting help solve for further miniaturization?
 
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VoltageKeeper

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
So, I've got the first "small and tall" the works unit done. This is something I've wanted to make for a while so I'm glad to see it come out so well. I decided to mount the screens in such a way that they're positioned over the multi-turn dial. It all works out quite well, due to the extra height of the small and tall case. You can see in this first photo the extra height, next to VK #1 in the middle, and on the right is a very early prototype in a larger case, which is also a bit taller, though I've never used those cases on any sold VK's since the extra size was unnecessary. Maybe if someone wants a double VK in one case, hah!

smtall_works_front.jpg


Also took a photo from the top, I included some AA batteries as a size reference. Something I probably should have done long ago!

smtall_works_top.jpg



Might individually-fitted component heat shields and some strategically located case venting help solve for further miniaturization?

Sure, it all comes down to testing and finding smaller components to try these things with.
 

Sleepin in CA

Higher than a Pterodactyl, you can call me Caveman
Accessory Maker
I am so excited to try my new small/tall! Well worth the wait! After loving my original one so much i had to have another. I use my logs almost exclusive with battery packs because I dislike being stuck to a wall. The VK allows me total freedom to go where I want, and medicate how I want.

I almost always use my logs with large glass pieces, so the ability to be free of a wall helps me use them in comfort.

When my new unit gets here I plan to do some side by side comparisons. I think the small/tall unit will be my new travel VK due to the locking knob. I am anxious to see how it lines up when attached to the li-ion packs. Pics definitely to come!

A huge thank you to @VoltageKeeper for working on my unit even with the holidays and stuff.

=)
 

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
And here's the first top-mounted pot unit! With a 10-turn pot and a blue screen, next to vk#1 for comparison.
top_mount_10turn.jpg
Now THAT'S a real winner!!! Add to that a small hinged retractable prop on the back (like on the underside of a computer keyboard) and you have an easily usable desktop unit.
 
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