OF
Well-Known Member
@OF The EQ is the PC of vapes. Otherwise it might suit you.
At some point, I will look at the PCB and get to know the electronic 'brain' that sorts out the temp control, fan speed, etc. IR communications being another area.
Thanks, I don't doubt it a bit. The length of this tread is mute testimony to it's popularity, although portable threads for vapes like Solo as long or longer, representing their fair share of fans. In fact, one could argue that the original Solo (up to two years or so back?) which allowed 'true PA' was in fact a corded vape when you plug it in. It's just that, in general, vapes like this, Volcano, and so on don't really appeal to me. Perhaps something like the 'big trout on light tackle' guys, to me having to finely manage power, insulation, materials, packaging and so on to make a successful unit is half the fun. Everything there is a compromise, you can't pretend you're Apple (like IMO corded vapes tend to be as opposed to PCs) and 'power your way through' tight spots. Kind of cheating in a way, and it ties you to a half a circle of about 6 foot radius in general, I tend to wonder around some as you might guess.
How such things work is really pretty simple (then again most things are once you understand 'the big picture'?). Not always easy to see and identify, but pretty logical generally. Temperature, for instance, is done 'closed loop'. Like the cruse control in your car or home thermostat. Temperature is sensed (called the 'process variable' because it's what you vary to control the process....) and compared to the ideal (called 'setpoint'). And error signal (difference in values) is used to use the control element to effect a change in the right direction for the process variable. It checks the temperature and turns on the heat if it's too low. Like the home thermostat. In the cruse control the tailshaft speed is measured (usually by time it takes to do each revolution) and that number compared to the setting. Scaling is done for the humans so settings look like degrees and MPH but from the electron POV it's just numbers (or the values they represent). To measure temperature analog (continuous range) is used. Typically a 'thermistor', a resistor that changes value with temperature, is used. They come in all values, typical ranges at 'working levels' are say 1000 to 10,000 Ohms. This is converted to a voltage which is 'input' to the computer through a single pin. The same computer 'reads' the buttons and here the IR input signals to determine the setpoint after using an internal 'analog to digital converter' (A/D) to determine the temperature. The answer to the 'turn up the heat' decision is a yes/no thing (digitial) affair to 'heat or coast' until the next sample. Stuff is programmed in so it doesn't get locked in a yes, no, no, yes now, maybe no trap, giving modest 'deadbands' to the actual regulation. A more refined output is to allow for rapid on/off changes and average them over time, proportional control. So like your car throttle it doesn't slam on and off but works over an analog range (D/A). HA and Ascent come to mind here. Sometimes, in mains powered units like EQ this is done by timing against the power lines. Since the current stops and reverses directions 60 times a second (or 50 if you drive on the wrong side of the road.....), wait a variable time (in degrees of all things) after reversal then turn on.....and stay on until the current stops and reverses again. You 'use' some percentage of ever 1/60th of a second. Or rather the machine does.
This, 'chopping up the power line' is most likely how the fan works. A single output pin on the computer linked to the power 'switch'. Like a light dimmer in your house. Special (means cheap) devices called 'zero crossing detectors' make the timing easy, reliable, and 'cost effective' (that means cheap too).
Displays are done 'a bit at a time' usually, try waving a vape around in the dark........
IR controls are just one computer chatting with another. Or maybe one shouting at the other who never answers? They flash simplex (one way, like a paging system) 'Morse code' of sorts (their own language, go figure). Like ships in a war movie, only one way only. In a color of light we're not allowed to see (but your digital camera probably can.....try it). To improve 'signal to noise ratio' (think picking a singe voice out in a crowded room) they typically go slower and flash more often in what's called 'modulation'. The receiver (in the base) does some modest optical filtering but then looks for that modulation signal to 'lock onto'. Looking for that magic tone. And reporting when it sees it or not as the 'intelligence' which is again 'read' into Mister Computer as a single digital bit stream through a single (digital) input pin. Easy if you're building them. This is 'test/decide/act/test again' cycle is typically done at like 40,000 times a second kinda rate.....plenty of time if you're an electron. And instantaneous to those of us pushing the button.
Another neat part is the transmitter can shut down (no battery drain) between uses.
Pretty cool, really. A lot of clever guys worked it out for us. That's very cool.....
And you need a power supply, of coarse. All in all prolly better to just buy one? Not to discourage you in any way of course, by all means to crack it and poke around some. I'm just guessing.......
Regards,
OF
And save the battery powered vapes for when I leave that 6 foot comfort zone. 
