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Dual power option (internal battery and external power supply)


Nisei

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I have an idea to make a mod that supports both an internal battery and DC power in socket. You have these DC sockets that have a physical switch which disconnects the internal power source when you insert a plug. Pretty easy but the problem is that you can only switch between Battery power and Power Supply through escribe. My question: what would happen if I wire it up like in the drawing below and leave it set to Battery in the power source setting all the time? When powered from an external source the board would still measure the voltage of the individual cells from the battery but get its main power from the external source.

[DNA200_dual_power_zpsmbbhvct7] 

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Thanks John I was planning on setting the DNA source selector to Battery, not Power Supply. Kinda like fooling the DNA into thinking it's being powered by a battery even though it's getting its power from an external source. I think I've explained everything pretty much like what it is: A mod that has a battery inside plus a DC connector that lets it run straight from an external DC source (car battery) without having to change the power source in escribe. All I'd like to know is if this setup would work. But please share your thoughts on this.

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I'm wanting to plug the board in to a car battery then when I'm done driving take that board and connect it to a battery pack how would that work with out escribe

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I hear what your saying but I think you can use the USB as a pass through but I see that you more less want to save the power from the batteries and just use the DC supply saving wear and tear on you batteries

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I think the term "pass through" is usually being used completey wrong. You can charge your battery while vaping but you can never vape directly from a 1A USB connection. When I'm in my car and behind the computer I want to be able to (chain)vape from an unlimited power source, so without draining the internal battery at all. So yes, I want to be able to completely bypass the battery in such cases.

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Well you could use a 12v to 5v module to connect to the USB port to charge the batteries then run some diodes so it's not back feeding 12v in to the batteries the chip shouldn't care where the 12v is coming from and you could leave the escride setting to batteries. But I'm just guessing at this point

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Nisei said:

I wouldn't even consider torturing the USB connector with a 23A current.

i don't think you would cuz the 12v to 5v module would be feeding 5v 1A to the USB port. The module will take what it wants it's no different then using a normal car charger, instead of using a switch use diodes a lot smaller and more automatic even if you are using some power from the batteries once connected to the car, the charger will replenish the batteries might not be a one to one ratio but it would be better then the pass though way
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Nisei said:

I'm not sure what you have in mind. Could you post a drawing? Where do the diodes come in?

im on my phone at the monument but the diodes would go between the battery and the board so when your plugged in to the car the power that goes to the board wouldn't go threw the wire that's connected to your battery. diodes are more like check valves
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Here's a web site what this guy is trying to do it's the same route just replace his voltage with your voltage http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/130986/automatically-switching-from-9v-battery-to-dc-wall-adapter-on-insertion

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Interesting, thanks for the link. However, as already mentioned in the replies, diodes will give a voltage drop, something you really don't want in this case. And to be honest I'd feel more comfortable with a physical switch. Hope a member of the Evolve team can chime in and tell what's the best way to accomplish this.

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I have made many passthru/batt mods in the past with 12v stepdown chips. Always used a high amp toggle switch to select and isolate each source. Having to go and change the power setting thru escribe is a problem with this chip for a dual source mod. All my mods had high amp plugs for the 12 volt in source never the usb ports that were only used for charging the internal battery. I am planning on building just a straight thru dna200 mod for my truck without batteries.

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I have a 30 amp 12v stabilizing regulator on my truck. A friend who builds electronic regulators in his factory gave it to me a few years ago. The price is prohibitive as it is made for precise medical equipment.
30 amps is not the top limit for the dna200 but I will never go over 30amps in my truck.

Something like this should work if available at higher amps.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-DC-DC-Stabilizer-I-P-8-40V-Regulate-to-12V-10A-120W-/271489963053

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vidalcris said:

In my opinion what you said on your first post will work perfectly.
I dont see any problems because you are just changing from battery to external power.
btw at the same time the battery will be unpluged.
I'm pretty sure this is ok ;)

I'm not so sure about that. What if the cell 3 balancing lead terminal is directly connected to B+ on the DNA200 board? I don't have a board yet so I can't check this. That would mean the switch of the socket doesn't actually do anything and you're connecting the DC input straight to the battery... I've sent John a PM asking if someone of the team can answer this but I guess he's too busy atm.
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BJ43 said:

I have a 30 amp 12v stabilizing regulator on my truck. A friend who builds electronic regulators in his factory gave it to me a few years ago. The price is prohibitive as it is made for precise medical equipment.
30 amps is not the top limit for the dna200 but I will never go over 30amps in my truck.

Something like this should work if available at higher amps.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-DC-DC-Stabilizer-I-P-8-40V-Regulate-to-12V-10A-120W-/271489963053

like this? http://www.amazon.com/voltage-stabilizer-converter-waterproof-small/dp/B00M1M1LGC
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Could you wire your dc supply into the charging board and just have the dna regulate? Plug in would simply act like pass through charging? Im- missing the point here I think, but what do you want different then just plugging in your dna to the charging board and charging while vaping??? You want to be able to vape and use the dna without batteries attached to the board?

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I want to completely bypass the battery while still having the battery inside the mod (and without having to change the power source in e-Scribe). Like mentioned before, connecting the DNA200 through the USB connector only means you're charging while vaping. You're not actually passing through anything (I really wonder who came up with the term "passthrough" because in my opinion it's wrong). Let's say your battery has 10% useable charge left and you go on a car trip for 4 hours. There's no way the charger can keep up with your vaping (unless you're a tootle puffer ;)) so after about an hour you're still left with an empty battery and can't vape anymore. Using real pass through you could vape as long as you want and at the end of the trip the battery still has as much charge left as when you stepped into your car.

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balancing connectors are always ground on pin #1, doesn't matter if it's a 2S, 3S or 12S, then pin #2 is the first cell, #3 is the second cell and so on, depending on how many cells. so pin 3 will be voltage potential of cells #1 and 2, compared to ground, it will show only cell #2 voltage if you measure from pin 2 to pin 3. technically pin #4 would be considered the battery + of a 3s pack 

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