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Breaktru Forum  |  eCigarette Forum  |  Modding  |  Topic: My DNA20D Mod
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Author Topic: My DNA20D Mod  (Read 80395 times)

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Offline redwolfe

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #100 on: March 14, 2013, 08:20:42 PM »
Got the cases back from my friend who was nice enough to drill out the holes I needed. Working on putting it all together now. I should have it done later tonight :) Can't wait.

Online Breaktru

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #101 on: March 14, 2013, 09:02:42 PM »
Got the cases back from my friend who was nice enough to drill out the holes I needed. Working on putting it all together now. I should have it done later tonight :) Can't wait.


Great news. Can't wait to see it too  :popcorn:

Offline Dznutz

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #102 on: March 14, 2013, 09:26:02 PM »
Me 2 cant wait to see it :)

Offline kortt

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #103 on: March 14, 2013, 11:02:02 PM »
Sweet!  Love that mod porn  freaked_out:

Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #104 on: March 15, 2013, 12:59:02 AM »
Sounds exciting, look forward to seeing it.

Offline redwolfe

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #105 on: March 15, 2013, 03:46:25 AM »
FINALLY its finished!!!

7-20 Variable Wattage
2 1200mah Lipo cells in parallel for 2400mah
300g round actuator tactile switches for fire/up/down
built in Micro Usb charger
Hammond 1590A Aluminum box
Craig's Stainless Connector

I realize that the screen is off center from the cutout but I was so anxious to finally get this together I didn't care. It's working and vaping just AMAZING. Thanks goes to everyone for the advice on everything. Thanks Craig for the Stainless Connector, I really appreciated it, vaping on it and knowing it will never wear out is a huge plus. Thanks Dave for the tip on the Loctite Epoxy it worked perfectly!  :thankyou:  :thankyou:

This was a fun project and a great start to a new hobby. :)











Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #106 on: March 15, 2013, 05:01:28 AM »
Looks great.  Good to hear you're really enjoying the modding and your first was a success.  Love the USB charging in my own mods, I'm sure you'll be really pleased with it.  I've been getting great longevity out of the LiPo cells.  They seem to hold up really well, better than the round cells.

Online Breaktru

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #107 on: March 15, 2013, 07:06:01 AM »
 :thumbsup: it came out really well. Great job and congrats  :rockin smiley:

Offline kortt

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #108 on: March 15, 2013, 02:03:34 PM »
Wow, looks great!  I'm curious as to vape time on that.  You'll have to keep us posted on performance.

 :rockin smiley:

Offline Dznutz

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #109 on: March 15, 2013, 04:16:48 PM »
Awesome Job redwolfe :)


Craig you ever going to offer those connectors of yours? :)

Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #110 on: March 15, 2013, 05:55:19 PM »
Hmm, probably not.  I had enough made for myself and I've already given away as many as I'm going to part with.  Problem is, it's too expensive to make them.  I'd have to charge more than most people would pay to make it worth my while.  Then I'd end up with a bunch of expensive connectors I have to sell at a loss.

If someone wants to form a co-op for a hundred units, I might be able to arrange something.

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #111 on: March 15, 2013, 06:24:59 PM »
Hmm, probably not.  I had enough made for myself and I've already given away as many as I'm going to part with.  Problem is, it's too expensive to make them.  I'd have to charge more than most people would pay to make it worth my while.  Then I'd end up with a bunch of expensive connectors I have to sell at a loss.

If someone wants to form a co-op for a hundred units, I might be able to arrange something.

I don't blame you Craig. They are awesome connectors though. I wish a vendor would sell something better than the crap they are selling.
I've replaced a few myself because of them wearing out.

The last couple I replaced I used the 510 extension with the nut and flush mounted it (didn't use the nut). I held it in place by cutting grooves in the sides and epoxying them into the enclosure. The grooves allow the epoxy to grab better so it doesn't spin when tightening the atty.
I don't know what they are made of but they seen stronger than the soft brass ones.
Also, I've notice that all 510 extensions are not made the same. I have 3 types and two don't cut the mustard. The last batch I bought have a slot in the center pin and the pin sits a little higher than the other two making better contact w/ the atty. It also has a better insulator. Believe it or not it was cheaper than the others and is a better connector. They were a $1.79 a piece.

Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #112 on: March 15, 2013, 07:03:15 PM »
Connectors are a big source of issue when building your own mods.  I also used the over-the-counter ones for a time, but I got fed up with them failing or wearing out.  I just bit the bullet and payed through the nose to have a bunch custom made. 

To get them down to a price someone would be willing to pay, a supplier would have to produce them in the thousands.  That's quite an investment.  The other thing is the Chinese have an unfair advantage there.  They're able to make stuff for a fraction of the cost anyone else can.  That being the case, they tend to use the cheapest materials and processes possible.  That's why the ones you see for a few dollars are made of plated brass with soft rubber insulators.  They're really cheap to make that way.

I actually sent out to a Chinese machine shop for my connectors.  It would have been cost prohibitive through an American machine shop.  I imagine if I did a run of 1000, I could get the cost down to maybe $5 a connector, but I don't have the money laying around to do that and I don't have the contacts to move them.

Offline Dznutz

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #113 on: March 15, 2013, 09:59:22 PM »
They are some nice connectors in the event :)

redwolfe did you use evolvs charger or another one? 


Has anyone used the sparkfun or chineesr usb chargers with the evolov boards?

Offline redwolfe

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #114 on: March 16, 2013, 12:36:29 AM »
I used Evolv's charger board. It's just small enough to fit in the space in the box. Any other board would have either been to long or too wide.

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #115 on: March 16, 2013, 08:35:19 AM »
They are some nice connectors in the event :)

redwolfe did you use evolvs charger or another one? 


Has anyone used the sparkfun or Chinese usb chargers with the evolv boards?

Yes I used all 3 on both Evolv boards. Any USB charger will work.
Like R-W said, it's the space you have to consider.

Offline redwolfe

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #116 on: May 18, 2013, 05:05:09 AM »
Just thought I'd give a little update on my DNA20 "Brick" as I've been calling it.

With a 1.5 ohm atomizer, which is what I normally use, I got right around 30-32 hrs of vape time, which is incredible. Far longer than anything I have owned or used in the past.

A 2.3 ohm atomizer, I get a whopping 42-43 hrs.  freaked_out: Yes it may sound outrageous but I am not kidding. I can use this for 2.5 days before it needs to be charged again with this load.

Both of these loads above I use at around 9-11 watts.


And finally when I need an extra kick, I load up a 1 ohm dual coil A7 RBA and pump it up to 17 watts. Boy can this thing kick like a mule! Of course vape time does suffer a lot so I rarely use it like this. I get right around 11 or 12 hrs on this load.

All in all I am very happy with it. I took it with me to VapeBash last month and everyone who saw it WANTED one. If you were there, you know why. Some of the DNA20 mods there, were BIG. Much bigger than they needed to be in my opinion.

I even got an offer from a vendor to supply him with the mod to sell them in his store!  I have designed a new enclosure and made it a bit smaller than this one.  This also means that battery mah is less--2000 mah instead of 2400 mah like the original. I only decided this because the li-po cells in mine are twice the cost of the ones I picked out to use for the new one.

I'll keep everyone updated. When I have a prototype in my hand I will share it here.

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #117 on: May 18, 2013, 08:23:51 AM »
Fantastic endurance  :thumbsup:  Li-po's are great

Nice to hear about your VapeBash experience. Must have been great to be there with your cool self built mod.  :rockin smiley:

Offline kortt

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #118 on: May 18, 2013, 09:57:05 PM »
Dang, that's some awesome vape time.  Thanks for the update.  :rockin smiley:

Offline redwolfe

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #119 on: May 18, 2013, 10:15:39 PM »
Yeah the run time is pretty sweet.  In fact just today I was out fishing on Lake Michigan with my Dad. Took a BCC VapeOnly tank and a bottle of juice to refill. The Brick had a full charge when I left and now, 12 hrs later  and according to the battery indicator, it still has 3/4 charge. Not too bad. 


I forgot to mention a few weeks ago the ohm meter on the display stopped showing the atomizer resistance so I had to open it up and disconnect the battery. Super easy since I just clipped the positive wires and resoldered them. At the time I was wishing I would have put in a JST connector to make it even more easy. Its too bad there isn't a hard reset button on the board too. That would make it even less painful.  :laughing2:

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #120 on: May 19, 2013, 08:40:56 AM »
Great run time. Better with the battery soldered to avoid losses w/ the JST connector. No big deal unsoldering and resoldering. I'm sure it's a rare occurrence when you need to do that.

Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #121 on: May 21, 2013, 05:19:28 PM »
I forgot to mention a few weeks ago the ohm meter on the display stopped showing the atomizer resistance so I had to open it up and disconnect the battery.

Sounds like a software bug.  I guess they forgot to put a reset button on the DNA20.  That should actually never happen.  I have a controller reset button externally accessible on my mods, though I've never had to use it other than to reset the hit counter.  The software I run is pretty bullet proof, simple and written in assembly, no software bugs for me.

Offline redwolfe

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #122 on: May 21, 2013, 05:26:36 PM »
Sounds like a software bug.  I guess they forgot to put a reset button on the DNA20.  That should actually never happen.  I have a controller reset button externally accessible on my mods, though I've never had to use it other than to reset the hit counter.  The software I run is pretty bullet proof, simple and written in assembly, no software bugs for me.

That's one of the reasions I want one of your Powebloks Craig. LOL I pray for the day a production run will come for it :)

Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #123 on: May 21, 2013, 05:42:51 PM »
Hehe, maybe someday on the production run.

One thought about the DNA20, as someone who's programmed a number of MCU apps, if I don't incorporate a hardware reset, at the least I always incorporate a software reset.  MCU programming 101 states, "always have some kind of reset."  Usually, it's just pressing a set of buttons simultaneously.  The DNA20 may have something similar, but not documented.  May be something to investigate.  Could save you some trouble next time.

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #124 on: May 21, 2013, 05:45:39 PM »
There is actually an undocumented way to put in a reset button in the DNA.20 Haven't done it because it's quite rare that the need occurs. On two occasions I just removed battery power.
Like Craig, I have never needed to reset my MCU mods although on my first MCU mod I installed a reset button internally.

Offline CraigHB

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Re: My DNA20D Mod
« Reply #125 on: May 21, 2013, 06:16:12 PM »
A software reset is usually adequate and it's a really simple thing to add to your program.  A properly designed digital device should never require a reset, but you just can't always account for every possible condition and program every exception.  For a simple device like an e-cig mod, you can, but more complex devices, not so much. 

For my mods, I use a hardware reset that cycles power on the whole system.  I wanted to cover the digital pot and that's the only way to do it.  Since it was already there, I gave that button the primary function of being a reset for the hit counter.

A reset should never be required, but if it ever does, I want the access.  Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  Especially since the batteries are soldered in and my boxes are sealed shut.  Learned that one the hard way, enclosure absolutely has to be juice proof when circuit boards are involved.  Though the bottom is vented, the rest is sealed and thats good enough to keep things dry inside.

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