VapCap DIY Induction Heating : Bits 'n' pieces
- Thread starter stardustsailor
- Start date
TommyDee
Vaporitor
Don't have Makita stuff to test.
...
Oh look what landed today... the regulator! What timing!
输入 means input![:\](/i/s/hmm.gif "Hmm :\")
I wired a 19V brick to the converter. It seems to have an under-sized coil compared to those in the images. But it puts out power and the IH didn't freak out. Regulation sucks but does put out the current needed for the clicks.
...
Oh look what landed today... the regulator! What timing!
输入 means input
I wired a 19V brick to the converter. It seems to have an under-sized coil compared to those in the images. But it puts out power and the IH didn't freak out. Regulation sucks but does put out the current needed for the clicks.
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PKOK
Well-Known Member
How so? Are you able to go from your "reheat" to normal? A 19v brick? / Amp?
TommyDee
Vaporitor
The brick is 19v @ 3.5 amps or 66 watts so it is under powered for a full power IH. It will be a little under powered at full output. Good enough to get some data out of this regulator. I was running at 60 watts on the first build based on wire resistance.
The reason regulation is useful is a concern I have with over voltage. We can go to 12.6V without too much issue but there are 2 zener diodes on the board that are rated for 12V. Zener diodes are special in that they shunt voltage when a threshold is reached. If I set the voltage of the regulator to where I have 12V at the IH under load (with VC inserted), the voltage would be up around 13-1/2V which I don't want to dump into those zener diodes.
Basically I am saying I want to set the regulator to 12.6 volts and have it deliver 12.6V at the IH. This can be done with more advanced power supplies that have remote sense. Not that any of this really matters. IH's are by far too hot anyway. 10V to the IH seems to be just about right for as a heat-up rate in my book. 8V will get you to a nice modulated draw temperature. So you see, there is very little between benign and too hot.
But of course, I will be putting the regulator on a 4S pack in the long run. Still need to worry about line losses. Maybe I can get it up to 11V under load. More than enough.
The reason regulation is useful is a concern I have with over voltage. We can go to 12.6V without too much issue but there are 2 zener diodes on the board that are rated for 12V. Zener diodes are special in that they shunt voltage when a threshold is reached. If I set the voltage of the regulator to where I have 12V at the IH under load (with VC inserted), the voltage would be up around 13-1/2V which I don't want to dump into those zener diodes.
Basically I am saying I want to set the regulator to 12.6 volts and have it deliver 12.6V at the IH. This can be done with more advanced power supplies that have remote sense. Not that any of this really matters. IH's are by far too hot anyway. 10V to the IH seems to be just about right for as a heat-up rate in my book. 8V will get you to a nice modulated draw temperature. So you see, there is very little between benign and too hot.
But of course, I will be putting the regulator on a 4S pack in the long run. Still need to worry about line losses. Maybe I can get it up to 11V under load. More than enough.
TommyDee
Vaporitor
This was easier than I thought. Also better than I thought;
The converter came with the little mounts. I have some very double sticky foam tape that will outlast the mounts to paste the unit to the top of the power supply.
The power supply rating is 65 watts. The cord is a coax cord with a decent wire gauge, maybe 18 gauge. It is well over a meter long at this stage.
The regulator has very little adjustment range for this application. For that I will need to do some custom potentiometer work to get it in a decent range where over and under voltage can be avoided. For now, I added a volt meter to the connector to adjust it.
Full power, 12 volts, is not possible with this power supply. The regulator just shuts down. But I did get well over 80 watts out of it at 11.5V! That is impressive! Obviously stressing the power supply to that level is not warranted or necessary. But it does say a 90W or 120W supply is more realistic for this application. I'm loosing less than a volt across all these connectors and the long length of wire. That is pretty good in my book.
However, now that I can rightfully experiment with on-demand IH with adjustable power levels to the IH, I think this corded solution is the easiest and cheapest way to step up the IH to the next level.
Why is this unique? Sure, you can wire a 12 volt brick to a switch and make this go. This little DIY trick is to provide adjustable power to your IH. This is specifically designed to dial in the IH to serve your preference.
Shown is a 65W power brick salvaged from a laptop obsolescence. $10
DC-DC converter, 200W. $4
Volt meter $1
ZVS IH. $5
Momentary 10 amp switch. $4
Connector, wire, misc.. $1
The converter came with the little mounts. I have some very double sticky foam tape that will outlast the mounts to paste the unit to the top of the power supply.
The power supply rating is 65 watts. The cord is a coax cord with a decent wire gauge, maybe 18 gauge. It is well over a meter long at this stage.
The regulator has very little adjustment range for this application. For that I will need to do some custom potentiometer work to get it in a decent range where over and under voltage can be avoided. For now, I added a volt meter to the connector to adjust it.
Full power, 12 volts, is not possible with this power supply. The regulator just shuts down. But I did get well over 80 watts out of it at 11.5V! That is impressive! Obviously stressing the power supply to that level is not warranted or necessary. But it does say a 90W or 120W supply is more realistic for this application. I'm loosing less than a volt across all these connectors and the long length of wire. That is pretty good in my book.
However, now that I can rightfully experiment with on-demand IH with adjustable power levels to the IH, I think this corded solution is the easiest and cheapest way to step up the IH to the next level.
Your next $25 IH
Why is this unique? Sure, you can wire a 12 volt brick to a switch and make this go. This little DIY trick is to provide adjustable power to your IH. This is specifically designed to dial in the IH to serve your preference.
Shown is a 65W power brick salvaged from a laptop obsolescence. $10
DC-DC converter, 200W. $4
Volt meter $1
ZVS IH. $5
Momentary 10 amp switch. $4
Connector, wire, misc.. $1
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TheThriftDrifter
Land of the long vapor cloud
I like it a lot. Any vids of it working at the different voltages?
Electrofever
Well-Known Member
Woaw reading you is so instructive 
and the idea is so great ! I want more 
and the idea is so great ! I want more
TommyDee
Vaporitor
I want more too. I am having a really hard time trying to get ZVS modules. Today I received two fucking egg holders of all things as ZVS modules. What the FUCK! This is 4 in 6 failed deliveries! Gonna have to take a different tact. 
I do have an 8 amp adjustable power supply coming with a remote cable on the knob. This will make limits and packaging easier.
I do have an 8 amp adjustable power supply coming with a remote cable on the knob. This will make limits and packaging easier.
TommyDee
Vaporitor
I'm not receiving is the problem. 2 got here; following two were phantoms with refund requests; and these last two were fucking egg holder made of bent wire that look like fucking chickens! And I've had 4 rounds already with this fucking jerk on getting my refund when I told him it would only be the same error if he sent it again. I hate jackasses like that. Wasting a lot of time on the VAS sedation through DIY 
3 more are in the pipeline. Let's see how long they take.
Really liking the 2S hand wand. FireWand if you will. Really good battery life on these protected 3,500 mah cells. A different animal from the fast heaters.
Also getting along with the variable power adapter. Not as convenient but having the option is cool. If you park the IH next to you and you're near a plug, it works as usual, with options to dial in the power level. This does change the game to a new level. But I do believe the control unit should be free from the wall. That solution is in the mail too. That's the 4s 18650.
3 more are in the pipeline. Let's see how long they take.Really liking the 2S hand wand. FireWand if you will. Really good battery life on these protected 3,500 mah cells. A different animal from the fast heaters.
Also getting along with the variable power adapter. Not as convenient but having the option is cool. If you park the IH next to you and you're near a plug, it works as usual, with options to dial in the power level. This does change the game to a new level. But I do believe the control unit should be free from the wall. That solution is in the mail too. That's the 4s 18650.
TheThriftDrifter
Land of the long vapor cloud
Loving the variable voltage control concept.
PKOK
Well-Known Member
I wondered why you were playing with 4s, you could do an eight cell 4s and be smaller than the brick.
Why did you need the 4s?
Well @TheThriftDrifter point yet antenna toward China and build one
TommyDee
Vaporitor
4s/1p v. 4s/2p is a small variation indeed. With 4s/1p, you have a good 3-4 day charge. 4s/2p would be a full week's charge.
Or are you thinking a different kind of cell arrangement?
@TheThriftDrifter - The only thing about the variable voltage as it comes is that the range is too great so the dial is very sensitive. I will zero in on the range we need by adding resistors so the trim-pot can only go from ~7v to ~13v. The next one coming has a remote trim-pot making that mod easier.
Or are you thinking a different kind of cell arrangement?
@TheThriftDrifter - The only thing about the variable voltage as it comes is that the range is too great so the dial is very sensitive. I will zero in on the range we need by adding resistors so the trim-pot can only go from ~7v to ~13v. The next one coming has a remote trim-pot making that mod easier.
TommyDee
Vaporitor
I am still torn between these two units. I ran the 2s wand for a couple of days and enjoyed it immensely. Thick heavy rips and very fast vanquishing of the load. Then a couple of days with the AC brick dialing the power levels and going back to native 3-4 draws on a very hot setting delivering 12v to the IH.
I can say this; the slower heat-up of the 2s is off-putting. But the draws are fantastic! Best for the first draw effects but even better as a re-heater. This still calls for variable power levels in a wand solution. If it was the only heater you had, it will work but the wait time before drawing should be about 10 seconds - which I know to be an eternity. Howev er, that green cannabis taste persists throughout this time if you draw on-demand while heating. Some may like this,others can just wait for the first click.
The 3s base station concept is working! Not portable but definitely a nice little 'black box' with a meter and a knob corded to the simple IH. The brick provided a nice supple cord nearly a yard long and the IH is easy to hold and actuate for either the normal heat-up or the real-time, on-demand draw at the precise heating level you want, I want. I'm really liking 8.5v! That is the rate that I can keep up with. And if there is a draw remaining, I'll crank it up to 12v and do a conventional re-heating and finish off the bowl. This is the more versatile solution with the caveat that it is a corded device on both ends. And it is dirt cheap.
Did you want to control your Cauldron's aggressiveness? I suspect this AC unit would do just that. This could also make your Cauldron a real-time on-demand heater without flaming out when you overdue it by a second.
Next will be the 4s and regulator base station. No AC cord but definitely a wand-cord. Transportable where no AC outlet exists and more power than one will ever use in a day even if you're entertaining and people share the wand. I will use the same parameters as the 2s - protected cells. Charging will be conventional chargers. That just makes the whole thing a whole lot safer. And there is no reason not to do it this way. You will never draw 10 amps heating a vapcap unless you are torturing the IH. And if you tried, the cells will disconnect automatically.
It is obvious there are still a number of different products in this portfolio. I want to concentrate on making a wand for usability and aesthetics. That's where the success is measured.
I can say this; the slower heat-up of the 2s is off-putting. But the draws are fantastic! Best for the first draw effects but even better as a re-heater. This still calls for variable power levels in a wand solution. If it was the only heater you had, it will work but the wait time before drawing should be about 10 seconds - which I know to be an eternity. Howev er, that green cannabis taste persists throughout this time if you draw on-demand while heating. Some may like this,others can just wait for the first click.
The 3s base station concept is working! Not portable but definitely a nice little 'black box' with a meter and a knob corded to the simple IH. The brick provided a nice supple cord nearly a yard long and the IH is easy to hold and actuate for either the normal heat-up or the real-time, on-demand draw at the precise heating level you want, I want. I'm really liking 8.5v! That is the rate that I can keep up with. And if there is a draw remaining, I'll crank it up to 12v and do a conventional re-heating and finish off the bowl. This is the more versatile solution with the caveat that it is a corded device on both ends. And it is dirt cheap.
Did you want to control your Cauldron's aggressiveness? I suspect this AC unit would do just that. This could also make your Cauldron a real-time on-demand heater without flaming out when you overdue it by a second.
Next will be the 4s and regulator base station. No AC cord but definitely a wand-cord. Transportable where no AC outlet exists and more power than one will ever use in a day even if you're entertaining and people share the wand. I will use the same parameters as the 2s - protected cells. Charging will be conventional chargers. That just makes the whole thing a whole lot safer. And there is no reason not to do it this way. You will never draw 10 amps heating a vapcap unless you are torturing the IH. And if you tried, the cells will disconnect automatically.
It is obvious there are still a number of different products in this portfolio. I want to concentrate on making a wand for usability and aesthetics. That's where the success is measured.
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TheThriftDrifter
Land of the long vapor cloud
Thought provoking as always. So many choises. Almost got my IH finished. Its gona be a laugh.
TheThriftDrifter
Land of the long vapor cloud
Do share good buddy
You will be the first to know.
TommyDee
Vaporitor
Looking forward to it.
I got the meter I posted about earlier. This is one of those 'too smart for its own good' products. It is indeed a digitally controlled 4 amp boost/buck driver. Cool features include unpluggable power supply and encoder control. The oh shit feature is that it took me 5 minutes to set the voltage .01 v increment per click on its pace. Same for current at 1 ma per increment until I noticed you can also change each digit individually. There are 4 screens. A hard to find system setup where over voltage, current, and power levels are set. I think it also has a timeout setting. The other 3 screens are user screens where the settings are made and data is displayed. The unit even has a self-temp monitor.
This one the screen is a bit off in position and the plastic got tweaked so it has a white stress mark on the bezel. It also has a capacitor laying on some pins causing abrasion and possibly lead to a short, but it is working. More shoe-goo!
Good thing I chose this as a battery charger. This seems to be very stable due to the digital controls. That means I can make this a 1 amp 12.6 volt or 16.8 volt charger and just leave it alone. I'll build this into a brick
I got the meter I posted about earlier. This is one of those 'too smart for its own good' products. It is indeed a digitally controlled 4 amp boost/buck driver. Cool features include unpluggable power supply and encoder control. The oh shit feature is that it took me 5 minutes to set the voltage .01 v increment per click on its pace. Same for current at 1 ma per increment until I noticed you can also change each digit individually. There are 4 screens. A hard to find system setup where over voltage, current, and power levels are set. I think it also has a timeout setting. The other 3 screens are user screens where the settings are made and data is displayed. The unit even has a self-temp monitor.
This one the screen is a bit off in position and the plastic got tweaked so it has a white stress mark on the bezel. It also has a capacitor laying on some pins causing abrasion and possibly lead to a short, but it is working. More shoe-goo!
Good thing I chose this as a battery charger. This seems to be very stable due to the digital controls. That means I can make this a 1 amp 12.6 volt or 16.8 volt charger and just leave it alone. I'll build this into a brick
Mono Loco
Well-Known Member
PKOK:
re: "Awful chatty tonight TD
look at the protections on this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXXXBV8/ref=psdc_10967101_t1_B00Z9X4GLW may not be much different from the last but reads a bit more versatile"
The other model you referenced had 47% 1-star ratings. I don't necessarily trust those ratings, but ... the one above has a larger sampling and far less 1-star reviews.
re: "Awful chatty tonight TD
look at the protections on this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXXXBV8/ref=psdc_10967101_t1_B00Z9X4GLW may not be much different from the last but reads a bit more versatile"The other model you referenced had 47% 1-star ratings. I don't necessarily trust those ratings, but ... the one above has a larger sampling and far less 1-star reviews.
TheThriftDrifter
Land of the long vapor cloud
@TommyDee
Ok, my second attempt at an IH.
This one is an interim piece, I needed some experience as to how things fit in to an enclosure. It is roughly finished wood, decorated (in steam punk fashion) in collaboration with a friend who needed something to do in these covid times.
It has a brand new led power on/off switch, a salvaged momentary switch from an old stick blender.
The wiring is from broken appliances and a wrecked car.
I also bought new, a 12v 8amp power supply, a jack to plug that into, a glass vial, some heat shrink tubing and the IH module. I had the wood lying around in the garage.
The glass vial is held tight by the coil, and can be slid up or down to adjust the height that a vapcap sits in the coil, although this is not a permanent solution as I'm concerned the coating will wear off.
It works well, it heats to the click from cold in 4 - 5 seconds, I can hold it in one hand and the DV in the other while attempting to do a one draw one click bowl (to fast and hot me thinks)
My next build will be a plain wood shell with no decorations and a slightly smaller form factor (I'm hoping). Plus some kind of voltage adjustment, a la TD style.
Ok, my second attempt at an IH.
This one is an interim piece, I needed some experience as to how things fit in to an enclosure. It is roughly finished wood, decorated (in steam punk fashion) in collaboration with a friend who needed something to do in these covid times.
It has a brand new led power on/off switch, a salvaged momentary switch from an old stick blender.
The wiring is from broken appliances and a wrecked car.
I also bought new, a 12v 8amp power supply, a jack to plug that into, a glass vial, some heat shrink tubing and the IH module. I had the wood lying around in the garage.
The glass vial is held tight by the coil, and can be slid up or down to adjust the height that a vapcap sits in the coil, although this is not a permanent solution as I'm concerned the coating will wear off.
It works well, it heats to the click from cold in 4 - 5 seconds, I can hold it in one hand and the DV in the other while attempting to do a one draw one click bowl (to fast and hot me thinks)
My next build will be a plain wood shell with no decorations and a slightly smaller form factor (I'm hoping). Plus some kind of voltage adjustment, a la TD style.
TommyDee
Vaporitor
I LOVE IT! First and best SteamPunk IH in the Vapeverse! Scary enough that I recognize most of those combonderator components adding all that wizarding functionality.
Glad you found a glass vial to fit. It is a nice way to adjust depth. Don't worry about the coating. It won't short since the wear is at the glass surface. You only need to worry if you put metal in the coil without an insulator.
4-5 second heatup means you have a nice hot setup. Your power brick is delivering power efficiently. You could add the regulator trick to this brick if you wanted adjustable voltage. Mine doesn't even get warm.
I take it the next one will have a different theme?
Glad you found a glass vial to fit. It is a nice way to adjust depth. Don't worry about the coating. It won't short since the wear is at the glass surface. You only need to worry if you put metal in the coil without an insulator.
4-5 second heatup means you have a nice hot setup. Your power brick is delivering power efficiently. You could add the regulator trick to this brick if you wanted adjustable voltage. Mine doesn't even get warm.
I take it the next one will have a different theme?
TheThriftDrifter
Land of the long vapor cloud
Thanks for that great info!
Next theme.... maybe angles or carving.
I am enjoying the quick heat ups and how easy it is to get evenly toasted abv/dcb.