Fluxer Heaters, induction heaters for Dynavap
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Dank_Star
In space no one can hear you purr.
Good Morning from Bonny Scotland (where its raining torrentially this morning lol) @mrcfromcali glad your feeling better. The elegance of your designs attracted me to your waiting list (in my case its for the MF) and your ongoing transparency (which is clearly appreciated by many here) research and problem solving make for compelling reading while I wait. the 15mm coil option has given me some food for thought over the last day or so. I've been tempted to try a DIY IH while I wait...I have to conclude you're the source of inspiration for that kind of thinking too Mr_C ! 
Moses Baca
Colorado State Reformatory #8755
Can anyone please post pics with a size comparison from the Fluxer Deluxe and a regular Dynastah? So I can better imagine me the real size. Think about getting on the list too.
Check back a couple pages, several pictures already posted. I've got a couple on p. 25, AtomicPB posted some nice ones on p. 18.
mario
Well-Known Member
I think those pics pretty much give a solid size comparison. I had a few hammond box mods back in my ecig days when I was building those myself as well. Hammond boxes are really easy to build in and this particular one isn't that big. I had two different mods that were the same size, but you had to obviously put the tank and stuff on top so it was huge after that. But the mod itself was small.
These boxes aren't very big at all. They can fit in your pocket in a pinch, but it would be a tight fit. But basically any cargo pocket or smaller pocket on a backpack would fit it just fine without needing anything special to transport it.
These boxes aren't very big at all. They can fit in your pocket in a pinch, but it would be a tight fit. But basically any cargo pocket or smaller pocket on a backpack would fit it just fine without needing anything special to transport it.
Obsessed 2
Well-Known Member
Jeff, your work, craftsmanship, dedication, and communication are out of this world. I wish your phenotype was more prevalent!I decided to use another personal day for this cold I've been fighting and hopefully spare my colleagues from catching it.
I was getting restless lying around in bed, though, and decided to make the most of the energy I had. What follows is a combo "How It's Made" (since you guys said you liked those) and also a batch #2 progress report.
I recently took delivery of another batch of PCBs, and I need to populate these with their SMD components, and then reflow solder them to the circuit board.
How it's Made Series: Reflow Soldering a Deluxe PCB
This is what that process looks like.
It starts with a printed circuit board:
The current PCB, including a slight tweak (the holes at lower right) for better parts placement.
Solder paste is applied to the flat silver pads via a jig and stencil:
The jig and stencil, at the ready, above.
The same jig and stencil, now populated with a circuit board.
Applying solder paste to the board, via the stencil.
Another shot of the solder paste (the excitement is palpable, eh?)
Stencil lifted, revealing the solder pattern transferred to the PCB.
When I drop in the components, I like to start in the middle and work my way to the edges of the board.
Populated, ready for the heat.
Another view, pre-reflow soldering.
"Do you expect me to talk?"
"No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die."
Reflow soldering uses very hot air (up to 480°C in some cases) to melt the solder paste into a liquid. Once liquified, it flows smoothly between the components and the PCB. It cools in place, locking in the components and also conducting electricity. At least, that's the theory. The reality is close to that, but IME it requires some hands-on adjustment with a pair of tweezers to make sure it all comes out as expected.
Post-reflow soldering.
How I spent several hours of my sick day today
That's it for now. I'll finish these 14 PCBs as heaters pretty soon (starting tonight and into this week), once I feel a bit better.
I am behind on my email and such - surprise! - and intend to send out more pre-bulld emails later tonight.
UPDATE: I just sent out 12 more pre-bulld/option confirmation emails. Some of the names may not be active.
BTW, I am now up to names added on December 26, so if you think I missed you, please drop me a line!
Cheers for now,
I'll be sending you an email soon modifying my desires once again, seeing the 15mm coil. And thanks for the above post! I really dig these technical pics and walkthroughs.
Prophecy
Well-Known Member
Thanks @Moses Baca for the picture Infos, I don't have followed the whole thread so have not seen the pictures, they give me a good size comparison. Looks really pocket compatible.
testymctest
Well-Known Member
on a past post i think i recall you saying that nothing made the FD work harder than the 14mm with the potentiameter set to the lowest. im just curious as to why that is? intuitively i would have thought that lower power equated to less work. Also, has anyone tested to see how much adjusting the output affects the battery life in general?
Moses Baca
Colorado State Reformatory #8755
I wish I knew. I haven't noticed any difference in battery life with the pot turned up vs down, though. I'm sure mr_c will do some testing and fill us in...in all his free time.
And on another note, I can officially confirm that the 14 mm coil works quite well for the sip and dip (or whatever it's called) technique. Make the dips quick between the sips, it's very efficient. I like it!
testymctest
Well-Known Member
I wish I knew. I haven't noticed any difference in battery life with the pot turned up vs down, though. I'm sure mr_c will do some testing and fill us in...in all his free time.
And on another note, I can officially confirm that the 14 mm coil works quite well for the sip and dip (or whatever it's ca
I'm in batch 2 so hopefully will be testing and reporting soon...
appreciate your reviews (feeling like 14mm the right choice for me).
odc57
Well-Known Member
I ordered the 14mm one. Dumb Question but what do you mean by "Sip and Dip"
testymctest
Well-Known Member
well if i don't heat the cap aggressively single (single flame closer to middle or tip and stop right at click) can get up to 6-9 cycles with one bowl). if i use triple flame near base and less cool down time (my prefered way) cap is cleared in 2-3 cycles) first hit decent, 2nd huge hit, 3rd small clears what remains.
Traveler
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the "Welcome" @abracadaver !
(After being a lurker here for 2 years it's about time I joined in!
(After being a lurker here for 2 years it's about time I joined in!
caseball2051
Well-Known Member
I'm a 14mm owner and I do not sip and dip.
Just wanted to throw that out there.
The reason I went with the 14mm over the 16mm was because I wanted to heat faster when I need to be discreet.
Just wanted to throw that out there.
The reason I went with the 14mm over the 16mm was because I wanted to heat faster when I need to be discreet.
Hi @testymctest - sorry for the delayed reply, but I wanted to work in the shop while I had the chance.
I think my actual statement included another element as well: a cold Dynavap. In full: "Nothing is more stressful [to the FD] than heating a cold dynavap on the lowest setting with the (hottest) 14mm coil."
The answer for why this is may be non-intuitive, but the reason this is so stressful is that the heater's power is held in check by the temp control circuit - think of a big dog being held on a leash. The dog strains, and the leash usually holds, but sometimes the dog wins and escapes the leash. I did not have the circuit tuned well initially, and as a result it was able to break itself. I have corrected this by changing the temp control circuit's limits to a narrower set of values, and it now stays within limits that don't cause issues with the power relay.
Previously, I inadvertently created a circuit where the path of least resistance was through the MOSFET, instead of through the circuit into which the MOSFET had been installed. Oops.
This is now fixed.
Since a cold Dynavap is also the hardest load this heater will see, that adds additional stress to the heating job. This is because the base temp of the DV will be room temp or cooler, and the heater has to transfer more heat to the DV just to get things going. A load that is harder to heat or that takes more energy to heat is a load that will also take longer to heat. Time adds stress, insofar as everything has maintain its capabilities for a longer period.
Adding delay time to the heating circuitry is a bit like adding length to the dog's leash. More heating time = more leash. It's manageable until it isn't (i.e., chaos), so you try hard to keep things manageable. The temp control circuit is sort of like the leash in that scenario.
Also, moment of truth: The temp control circuit in the FD is not a very sophisticated circuit, but it is very opportunistic.
It grew out of the debounce circuit, and there are limits to the amount of control I can successfully exert with it. The temp control circuit is now better tuned to stay within its limits. I also understand those limits better now than I did when I first introduced the feature. 
Another point worth mentioning - this is getting long, sorry - is that not all "low power" settings actually use less power than their higher power counterparts. Sometimes, instead of saving power, they just convert excess power to heat, since that is a LOT easier to do, and generally happens whether you want it to or not, lol. That's the case w/the Flux Deluxe. In this version of the FD, the temp control circuit is simply a resistor and a capacitor, and together they limit the power to the power relay trigger, taking advantage of one of this relay's unique, Arduino-derived qualities. It is a simple and effective control, and it's also all I have to offer in this department at the moment, so from that perspective it's pretty good, even if it is a bit of a hack.
BTW, power that's controlled via pulse width modulation (PWM) often does use less power, as that power is pulsed, and with pulsed power you can send both fewer pulses and a lower duty cycle (percentage of time the circuit is "on" vs "off"). But PWM and induction heating are not good friends without some additional circuitry (see the second post in this very thread), and for this and other reasons the Flux Deluxe does NOT use PWM. It uses a PWM-capable relay, but at this time no pulse width modulation is used in the FD circuit.
OK, gonna wrap this up for how. I don't know if that was helpful or just raised more questions, but that's my attempt to answer this. Hopefully that was better than nothing, lol.
Cheers,
Moses Baca
Colorado State Reformatory #8755
Yep. Quick reheats of the tip rather than letting it cool down between hits. Check out phattpiggie's video below.
Summer
Long Island, NY
phattpiggie has a bunch of sip & dip vids threaded throughout his IG account & in his FC thread.
https://www.instagram.com/phattpiggie/
Basically, he heats to the initial click & then after he takes his hit, but before the cool down click, he reinserts the vc into the IH for 2 - 3 seconds & tokes it again. He repeats this until the bowl is exhausted.
https://www.instagram.com/phattpiggie/
Basically, he heats to the initial click & then after he takes his hit, but before the cool down click, he reinserts the vc into the IH for 2 - 3 seconds & tokes it again. He repeats this until the bowl is exhausted.
A peek at some progress - I've been making some heaters this weekend. Lots of 14mm, with a few 16mm. A mix of top mount controls and standard.
This tray has 10 that are done, which is a lot for me in a weekend! The other three are ready to be fitted into cases, after which they'll be done, too.
I have another six fitted with coils, ready for their control circuitry:
So, some progress. Finally.
I don't mean to keep people in suspense, but I'll invoice for the heaters I've completed this weekend on Sunday night or Monday (Pacific time), as that's its own process and takes time, and I want to get some other things done first.
More later - cheers!
This tray has 10 that are done, which is a lot for me in a weekend! The other three are ready to be fitted into cases, after which they'll be done, too.
I have another six fitted with coils, ready for their control circuitry:
So, some progress. Finally.
I don't mean to keep people in suspense, but I'll invoice for the heaters I've completed this weekend on Sunday night or Monday (Pacific time), as that's its own process and takes time, and I want to get some other things done first.
More later - cheers!
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Darr1
Well-Known Member
Love this thread and I'm on the waiting list , I get an email alert everytime someone posts but when I see initial email I think my numbers up lol !! These look amazing @mr_cfromcali and thanks for the updates cant wait for my turn