Hi everyone,
I think this is my first post here if not my first thread. I just wanted to post and show you all the 18650 ecig mod I just built.
I wanted to make something to use all of these 18650 cells I have salvaged from dead laptop batteries that I have been collecting and I am planning to order my own tube mod and control unit but I did not want to wait because I was sent an ego cartomizer to try out but had no way to use it since my Ego pass through had died so I made this using the connector from it.
The tube is actually the Dragon Case for the Wicked Lasers Core 5mw green laser pointer. I have had it for about 6 years maybe but have not owned the laser in a very long time. I don't remember exactly what I was doing but I ended up figuring out that once I removed the felt lining from the case that an 18650 battery fit perfectly and all I really needed to do was find a way to attach the battery connector. Once the battery tube was assembled I also had to bore out one end to fit the 18650 through it because the end cap actually slides into the tube decreasing its inner diameter in that spot. One laptop battery I took apart had some smaller diameter batteries that actually fit slightly loose inside the tube but the springs hold it in place really well. So I can use a variety of lithium batteries in it as long as the length is the same or very close.
The case has a screw on cap so I found a spring from an old battery holder and soldered it into the cap so that part was done. The idea was to be able to remove the 18650 battery for charging and replacing. I did a rough measure of things and cut a section of the tube that ended up being much to short. Luckily there was enough left for a second try and realizing where I went wrong my second cut was perfect. The other end of the tube actually slid out once I broke the glue free. I was able to drill a hole and then press fit the battery connector. I took another spring and wired it to the battery connector and used some epoxy putty to hold it in place and glued the cap inside the other end of the tube. With springs on both ends the battery is always held firmly in place and does not rattle or bounce around.
I ended up frying the circuit in the battery connector but left it in place to make easy use of the button. I soldered some wires in bypassing the circuit all together. I lost the light up button, voltage regulation and low voltage cutoff. Not a big deal to me and some day I may be able to fix all of those issues. I figured if I were to remove and charge the battery every 3 days I will be fine and not over discharge it.
I did not really search the forum for 18650 mods but was thinking that maybe by posting this I could inspire others to create their own. You can get a handful of 18650 batteries from a dead laptop battery. Just rip it apart and there they are. You have to disconnect them all though which is fairly easy for any modder. You just check the voltage on each cell, if they are low like 1-2 volts then chances are they are garbage. It only takes one bad cell to prevent a laptop battery from holding a charge. You can also repair laptop batteries by finding and replacing that one bad cell. it is much cheaper than buying a new one but getting the battery apart without destroying the housing is difficult.
So here are some photos, let me know what you think and if you have any questions feels free to ask.
Joye 510, Joye Ecab, and what I like to call the Joey Dragon Tube 18650 since my name is Joe and Joye then Joey...lol.
I think this is my first post here if not my first thread. I just wanted to post and show you all the 18650 ecig mod I just built.
I wanted to make something to use all of these 18650 cells I have salvaged from dead laptop batteries that I have been collecting and I am planning to order my own tube mod and control unit but I did not want to wait because I was sent an ego cartomizer to try out but had no way to use it since my Ego pass through had died so I made this using the connector from it.
The tube is actually the Dragon Case for the Wicked Lasers Core 5mw green laser pointer. I have had it for about 6 years maybe but have not owned the laser in a very long time. I don't remember exactly what I was doing but I ended up figuring out that once I removed the felt lining from the case that an 18650 battery fit perfectly and all I really needed to do was find a way to attach the battery connector. Once the battery tube was assembled I also had to bore out one end to fit the 18650 through it because the end cap actually slides into the tube decreasing its inner diameter in that spot. One laptop battery I took apart had some smaller diameter batteries that actually fit slightly loose inside the tube but the springs hold it in place really well. So I can use a variety of lithium batteries in it as long as the length is the same or very close.
The case has a screw on cap so I found a spring from an old battery holder and soldered it into the cap so that part was done. The idea was to be able to remove the 18650 battery for charging and replacing. I did a rough measure of things and cut a section of the tube that ended up being much to short. Luckily there was enough left for a second try and realizing where I went wrong my second cut was perfect. The other end of the tube actually slid out once I broke the glue free. I was able to drill a hole and then press fit the battery connector. I took another spring and wired it to the battery connector and used some epoxy putty to hold it in place and glued the cap inside the other end of the tube. With springs on both ends the battery is always held firmly in place and does not rattle or bounce around.
I ended up frying the circuit in the battery connector but left it in place to make easy use of the button. I soldered some wires in bypassing the circuit all together. I lost the light up button, voltage regulation and low voltage cutoff. Not a big deal to me and some day I may be able to fix all of those issues. I figured if I were to remove and charge the battery every 3 days I will be fine and not over discharge it.
I did not really search the forum for 18650 mods but was thinking that maybe by posting this I could inspire others to create their own. You can get a handful of 18650 batteries from a dead laptop battery. Just rip it apart and there they are. You have to disconnect them all though which is fairly easy for any modder. You just check the voltage on each cell, if they are low like 1-2 volts then chances are they are garbage. It only takes one bad cell to prevent a laptop battery from holding a charge. You can also repair laptop batteries by finding and replacing that one bad cell. it is much cheaper than buying a new one but getting the battery apart without destroying the housing is difficult.
So here are some photos, let me know what you think and if you have any questions feels free to ask.
Joye 510, Joye Ecab, and what I like to call the Joey Dragon Tube 18650 since my name is Joe and Joye then Joey...lol.
