AC Powered Mods

[Polargirl]

I haven't yet come across one besides maybe custom foggers that vape closer to a 1000 watts for YouTube views than any real vaping.

With some battery powered mods going up to 365 watts and people actually vaping near 200 watts at times, an AC powered mod for high power home vaping is a device I am surprised hasn't hit the market yet especially considering the batteries used instead.

The minimum recommended MVA is 20 Amp batteries. That is the amount of current that trips a 120V AC circuit in many US homes. The LG HB6 Pink has a MVA of 40 Amps or the amount to trip a 220-240V electric range or heavy dryer circuit.

It would seem safer to draw power especially current at these levels using AC power with a transformer and DC converter than relying on batteries. A 120V 20 Amp home circuit could theoretically be transformed to power up to 2,400 watts before tripping.

I wish I knew the reason why AC powered mods haven't hit the market yet or if anyone knows of plans for them.

 

[scalewiz]

The AC voltage (120 volts) would be way too much for the coils we use, and you don't want that high voltage near your face and hands while vaping. A 120 ohms coil with 120 volts applied would be 1 amp current flow, but that would be 120 watts of power! Coils at high voltage would have to be a very high resistance.

The voltage would have to be stepped down to the levels we vape at. Unfortunately generating 20 to 40 amps requires a power supply that is much larger than the little Evolv boards we are used to. Then we'd like that to be variable, regulated power and for some, temperature control. Add some displays and knobs and you have a box only suitable for use on the coffee table.

 

[Polargirl]

The AC voltage (120 volts) would be way too much for the coils we use, and you don't want that high voltage near your face and hands while vaping. A 120 ohms coil with 120 volts applied would be 1 amp current flow, but that would be 120 watts of power! Coils at high voltage would have to be a very high resistance.

The voltage would have to be stepped down to the levels we vape at. Unfortunately generating 20 to 40 amps requires a power supply that is much larger than the little Evolv boards we are used to. Then we'd like that to be variable, regulated power and for some, temperature control. Add some displays and knobs and you have a box only suitable for use on the coffee table.

I should have clarified strict AC power rather than dual AC or battery. My OP did say for home vaping use. Every strictly AC powered device has to be near an outlet.

The OP also stated a transformer would be needed. It didn't say that capacitors and other components would be needed to convert AC power to DC but it did mention a DC converter. A simple common power supply similar to one used for laptop computers has all that.

Obviously a much different transformer would be needed since current would need to be both stepped up and down unlike computers but that shouldn't be too hard for electrical engineers.

 

[HondaDavidson]

Because the extension cords would get in the way.

 

[Polargirl]

Because the extension cords would get in the way.

Not likely unless a poor product design.

 

[fozzy71]

I saw Mike Vapes (I think) show some sort of ac powered mod briefly in a video not too long ago. I also just saw this on Twisted's latest vlog. The 'mod' at the end of each cable has a potentiometer dial.

 

[The Cromwell]

Unless very carefully done an AC powered mod could provide a shockingly deadly happening if something went wrong.

 

[Polargirl]

I saw Mike Vapes (I think) show some sort of ac powered mod briefly in a video not too long ago. I also just saw this on Twisted's latest vlog. The 'mod' at the end of each cable has a potentiometer dial.

I believe he was one of the few YouTube people with a custom AC mod that these people like to call foggers. I guess the difference between a fogger and a mod is that a fogger will automatically produce vape clouds without having to pull on an atty or any other human interaction once setup and turned on.

 

[Polargirl]

Unless very carefully done an AC powered mod could provide a shockingly deadly happening if something went wrong.

Most AC powered devices are designed much more carefully than battery powered devices. Take the highest dual powered device I can think of offhand -- laptops. A laptop is far more likely to blow up on battery power than on AC power.

 

[The Cromwell]

Most AC powered devices are designed much more carefully than battery powered devices. Take the highest dual powered device I can think of offhand -- laptops. A laptop is far more likely to blow up on battery power than on AC power.

Yes unlike with Mods laptops and such are regulated by safety standards.
Mods have NO safety regulations on them.

 

[Polargirl]

Yes unlike with Mods laptops and such are regulated by safety standards.
Mods have NO safety regulations on them.

For AC or dual powered mods to be sold in the US, it would have to undergo Underwriters Laboratory testing and certification as well as others unlike battery powered devices like vape mods and 18650 powered flashlights.

 

[The Cromwell]

We need safety regulations on mods.
It is clear that the Chinese manufacturers will not do it on their own.
Take Smok for instance....

 

[Polargirl]

We need safety regulations on mods.
It is clear that the Chinese manufacturers will not do it on their own.
Take Smok for instance....

Oh, I agree. Worse, the big three battery makers will neither manufacture nor market their batteries for vaping use.

Ironic that any attempt at an AC powered mod would require far greater safety research. That is probably the main reason no such mod exists yet.

 

[The Cromwell]

Oh, I agree. Worse, the big three battery makers will neither manufacture nor market their batteries for vaping use.

Ironic that any attempt at an AC powered mod would require far greater safety research. That is probably the main reason no such mod exists yet.

It would be far too big, the power converter would be as big as a laptop power supply.

And if there were standards for vaping batteries that the manufacturers could test for and go by they may just make vaping batteries.
And the mod makers would have to design their mods around those battery standards.

If there were such standards....

There WILL be regulations on mods. the only question is how soon and how restricted they are.
Hopefully they will be reasonable....

 

[Polargirl]

It would be far too big, the power converter would be as big as a laptop power supply.

And if there were standards for vaping batteries that the manufacturers could test for and go by they may just make vaping batteries.
And the mod makers would have to design their mods around those battery standards.

If there were such standards....

There WILL be regulations on mods. the only question is how soon and how restricted they are.
Hopefully they will be reasonable....

Probably too big for a dual powered mod but almost certainly not for an AC only powered mod.

As long as nearly all the mods are made in China, it will never happen. Same with 18650 powered flashlights. Evolv is the only significant US chip maker so they don't have any incentive either to substantially improve.

At least Cree still makes most of the flashlight LEDs.

This is one of the problems with global free trade. The only way around that would be more government and one world. No thanks.

 

[The Cromwell]

I expect there to be fuses integrated into batteries at some point.
go too low on a mech and the battery is trashed.
But no blow yer face off.

 

[Polargirl]

I expect there to be fuses integrated into batteries at some point.
go too low on a mech and the battery is trashed.
But no blow yer face off.

There are already full circuit protection chips in some. Too bad they reduce drain capacity down to about 5 or so Amps.

 

[The Cromwell]

There are already full circuit protection chips in some. Too bad they reduce drain capacity down to about 5 or so Amps.

Yep those are just for flashlights and such.

 

[scalewiz]

Still gotta have AC only???

https://www.walmart.com/ip/20-Amp-V...l12=160590230_10000000473&wl14=variac&veh=sem

 

[The Cromwell]

LOL straight line voltage to the lips
A variac. Have a couple of those weigh around 20 lbs
And NO isolation from the line input and the output.

 

[Polargirl]

Looks good and proves an AC powered mod can be achieved.

 

[The Cromwell]

Looks good and proves an AC powered mod can be achieved.

Ohh an AC powered mod can be achieved and as previously posted do exist.
However they are only feasable for desk or countertop use.

 

[Polargirl]

Ohh an AC powered mod can be achieved and as previously posted do exist.
However they are only feasable for desk or countertop use.

I can see that dual powered devices aren't feasible and AC powered devices would be for home use only as I posted a few times in this thread. Since a majority of vaping activity occurs at home, I am surprised AC powered mods to better accommodate that activity are not on the market.

 

[The Cromwell]

I can see that dual powered devices aren't feasible and AC powered devices would be for home use only as I posted a few times in this thread. Since a majority of vaping activity occurs at home, I am surprised AC powered mods to better accommodate that activity are not on the market.

Cost primarily.
And as others have mentioned if it runs off of the mains it falls under US safety regulations.
Size, Weight.

 

[ShowerHead]

My drawbacks are not the size/safety of the power supply, it is the cord that would have to follow the tank and 510 connector around.
That would have to knock my coffee cup over, sweep the desk clean, just generally be a pain.
Then, I'd have to have several, one for the home office, one in the basement, one in the TV area, one in the bedroom.

There's a reason that cordless drills became popular...

 

[Thejkaz]

I watched a video a while back of a guy who made a 4 mod vaping system using a computer power supply. It was a really cool set up and they guy knew what he was doing.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[The Cromwell]

I watched a video a while back of a guy who made a 4 mod vaping system using a computer power supply. It was a really cool set up and they guy knew what he was doing.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

PC power supplies have good isolation between the mains in and the output.

 

[Deebee]

No need to use such power as full 120v a/c at only 3 amps input draw we are looking at 360 watts.
Ideally a dual or triple cell 18650/20700 mod (or one that runs off high end lipo batteries such as electric RC cars) with an upgraded charge port that will handle 5 or 10 maybe 20 amps @5v DC (25,50,100 watts) that way the mod could sit on it's charger and picked up carried around, taken to work, etc. and be charged very quickly if needed or even remain hooked to a charge cord while sitting your favorite vaping spot.
Another possibility would be one that looks like an 18350 mech. sized mod with a 2 meter or so cord hooked to a control box ,once again a 3000mah 20c 6s lipo could be used to limit the size demand on the transformer / increase safety and allow use of readily available vaping parts.

Either way unless you were making a 20 man vaping hookah, I can't see the need for the 2400watts ac available from a common household outlet. Better lighter batteries, faster and cordless charging, smaller and more efficient atomizers, and such are what future vaping equipment is likely to see.
Unless massive power is required the size, weight, and convience of a battery is likely a better option versus a huge transformer etc.

Although it would be awesome to have a tabletop fogger, with forced vape hoses that could be used by holding a few inches from your mouth so they could be passed around. Or open all the hose ports dump in 30-50 mils and fog out the whole room for parties and such.

 

[Polargirl]

There seems to be plenty of feasible home and office AC powered only mod designs possible. Not looking good for dual powered however.