Accessories Fluxer Heaters - Induction heaters for Dynavap

[fluxerheaters]

Hi all,

I want to start a separate thread for my heaters so I don't clog up the more general IH thread.

As I said in my VA introduction post, I am fluxerheaters on this board, but I'm more commonly know as mr_cfromcali on FC, r/dynovap, and r/vaporents (and other subreddits).

I was introduced to the Dynavap and induction heating at almost the same time, and I discovered I like both of them a lot. A user on r/vaporents inspired me to build my first IH, and I was fascinated by it - using a shifting electromagnetic field to rapidly heat an object looks a lot like magic the first time you see it. I've been kinda hooked on these heating devices since then.

Anyway, I've been playing around with these induction heaters like a mad scientist, trying to shrink them down to make them more portable, or slow their heating times to make the Dynavap's vapor more flavorful, and I've had success with both of those missions.

I am currently offering two types of induction heaters: desktop units and portables.

My desktop units are available as a straight heater, or with PWM temp control. I describe these in detail on my web site, www.fluxerheaters.com. I am going to skip past the desktop units here, as people seem to be more interested in portables.

But first a few words about my heaters... Unlike the other IHs being sold to DV owners, my heaters have a few unique properties:

• I use custom circuit boards that I designed - these are my own boards, based on my own schematics. I can alter these boards however I want.
• I wire my heaters by hand(!)
• I use through-hole components, which have better heat rejection properties than the SMD components used in Banggood heaters due to their larger size.
• In addition to being larger, I also use better quality components than the cheap IHs that everyone else is using.
• I use better transistors ( LR7843 or NVD5890NL chips instead of the 30N06 used in the Banggood heaters). These are more efficient and have better recovery characteristics.
• My heaters use a push-tip-to-activate switch with an extremely light 200 gram force trigger. Furthermore, I use a high quality, high temperature compatible, MEC-brand tactile switch, not the cheap, commonly used Arduino tactile switches favored by other IH builders. (The Arduino switches cost $0.10 each, whereas the switches I use cost about $3.25 each.)
• My heaters will be as powerful and compact as safety and the circuitry will allow

I have two portable induction heaters that I've been working on, and they're very close to being ready for sale.

The first is a 3x 26650 portable IH in a Hammond 1590BBS enclosure - the Mother Fluxer™ (prototype shown, final version will have a solid cover; I am waiting on a new circuit board and will build a new prototype once it arrives). More details here:

Mother Fluxer, 3x 26650 induction heater for Dynavap:

The other portable I'm working on is the Deluxe, a 3x 18650 IH in a CNC'd Hammond 1590B enclosure.

The Flux Deluxe, 3x 18650 induction heater for Dynavap:

There are video clips of both prototypes in action in the FC thread (Mother Fluxer ; Deluxe ), though the final design of the Deluxe PCB uses a flat heater layout instead of the vertical one pictured above. Also, the Deluxe as pictured above is just the prototype and does not have the charge port or switch, etc.

Both of these portable IHs will have base prices in the $125-$150 price range (there may be a few options as well). I'll announce prices and ordering information in a few more weeks. I would like to have at least one of these models available to order by the end of October, and if testing goes well I may have both ready by then.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I'll update this thread w/product announcement as I make them, and I'm happy to answer questions and/or discuss my heaters.

 

[fluxerheaters]

Hi all, it's Friday and I thought I'd share a few pre-weekend project updates, as it's still Friday morning in my time zone.

The Flux Deluxe: According to DHL, I have some circuit boards coming by 9PM tonight!! This is a surprise, as their expected delivery date was going to be next Tuesday, October 9th, and stuff almost never arrives early! These aren't final candidate boards, but they are a pretty significant check-in point for overall fitment, as they are my first all-on-one-board design. These boards are also an important sanity check to make sure the device still fits in its enclosure, the lid closes, and it doesn't burst into flames or melt when used, etc.. The boards in this shipment will also give me a chance to build a new prototype, as my site - and this thread - could use some new pics.

I'm both excited and nervous about these boards, as they represent a big step forward for my design even if they aren't the final product. I also gambled a bit and completed a potential "final candidate" board that's based on the board that's arriving tonight. So if tonight's board works well, the next board for the Deluxe will be a final candidate for the initial release. And if tonight's board has issues...not so much, lol. I'll try to correct any issues and submit a corrected design ASAP, as the lag between submitting a board design and receiving copies of it is about 5-8 days, depending on the calendar and customs.

I don't want to cut any development corners, but I am very intent on having some heaters available by the end of this month.

The Mother Fluxer: The first "final candidate" Mother Fluxer circuit board has also been submitted for production. It's also NOT in today's DHL shipment, but it should arrive in the same shipment as the Deluxe's FC board, probably next week or early the following week. It's getting close.

I have more than 30 of the correct 1590BBS enclosures sitting in my garage (in a few colors and finishes), and enough other parts to easily do an initial batch of 20 units if the demand is there. I think it is, but I'll have a better sense of THAT once I have some product to ship.

• New Mother Fluxer Feature: I forgot to mention this earlier, but for greater compatibility and flexibility, the MF's can ALSO run on 3x 18650 batteries. The heater circuit sees both battery types as identical 12V power sources and doesn't care which is used. To make this easier for you as a user, I plan on including a set of these 26650-to-18650 adapter sleeves so 18650 batteries are held securely in place and safe to use on the go.

All Fluxer Heater portables:

• All Fluxer heater portables are going ship with a (generic) 12.6V @ 1A wall adapter. The more I looked into this, the more sense it makes to include the wall adapter. These adapters are available with in either a US or a "Euro" flavor (flavour?), but beyond that I will need to wait for them to arrive to share pics, etc.

I think that's it for the moment; thanks again for your interest and support! I'll post another update tonight or tomorrow after my DHL shipment gets here.

Happy Friday, everyone! Hoping you all have great weekends!

 

[LesPlenty]

All Fluxer heater portables are going ship with a (generic) 12.6V @ 1A wall adapter.

As I am in Australia, neither of the wall warts will be much good to me. What is the max DV input voltage? Can I safely charge it from a DC socket in my car? (typically 13-14 volts)
If you can I might just have to get a Flux Delux.

 

[fluxerheaters]

As I am in Australia, neither of the wall warts will be much good to me. What is the max DV input voltage? Can I safely charge it from a DC socket in my car? (typically 13-14 volts)
If you can I might just have to get a Flux Delux.

Cool!

Yes, you will absolutely be able to charge the Deluxe from a car. You do not need much current - 1A at most, and .5a is OK, too. I would suggest spending a little more and getting a Li-Po specific car charger - it will have a charge status light, which is very helpful. The battery management circuit in the Deluxe is good - it's balanced and has a lot of protections - but it doesn't have any charge status lights, as those are on the charger. I'm exploring power/battery indicators, but haven't found any I like that will fit the Deluxe.

BTW, the chargers I am including are 1A chargers. LiPo's are very sensitive and that's as aggressive as one would want to charge them.

Thanks for your support! I posted some updates to the other site (Ef See) over the weekend, and need to post them here, too. Some progress on the Deluxe, with some new pics. It's getting pretty close. Hopefully only a few more revisions - I would really like to get the first version out ASAP. I was hoping for the end of the month, but it may need a bit more time than that. The next PCB version (sent off this evening) should be very close. Guess we'll see in 5-7 days.

 

[LesPlenty]

One of these would work to set optimum voltage and tells you the amps of the device plugged into it;
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5V-2A-LCD-Mini-DC-Power-Supply-USB-Step-Down-Converter-24V-To-1-20V-Adjustable/282654736318?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCD-Mini-D...h=item285bec12d1:g:7CkAAOSw3FBbDYdG:rk:3:pf:0
and a set of these to hook it up;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-5-5x2-...445595?hash=item3fae04201b:g:WNsAAOSw4DxaYY1X
The above are used to power log vapes and other stuff in car/off grid
Also, how hard would it be ro remove the batteries to charge in my Nitecore SC4?
I look forward to the updates

 

[fluxerheaters]

The lid is magnetic, and the batteries are easily accessible, so it’s trivial to change batteries.

I’ll add some new pics when I’m back at a computer.

 

[fluxerheaters]

Hi,

Sorry to have neglected my thread here. I posted this to the other place last weekend. Enjoy :)

Flux Deluxe updates:

Got the latest batch of boards Friday, a few days earlier than expected. The Deluxe is definitely coming along! Check it out:

The 80°C thermal fuse, wrapped in kapton tape, is visible as a small gold rectangle in the above picture, just "above" the work coil. 80°C maybe too low, - I'll know more after the next batch of PCBs.

The LED in the last picture was added after the previous pictures were taken. It's a bi-color LED - it's green when the device is on and available to use, and it turns red when the heater is actively being used.

A few notes:

This thing is getting pretty close. There are still a few issues to resolve with the heater circuit, so it isn't quite ready, but there aren't too many hurdles left.

This is a very, very tight build, with almost no extra room at all, so it will have as much functionality as i can fit, but it's main feature is its small size and full power. It's going to be a solid little device. I think people are really going to like it.

The batteries currently sit about 1mm taller than I'd like them to, and I may not be able to lower them. I may need to use a gasket or short spacer to fill the gap between the rim and the lid. We'll see. I will know more as I get the last few items fitted.

The current build includes a Karcy thermal fuse. The current value is 80°C, which works but may be too low. But it works great - it "opens" the circuit when ti gets too hot and closes again when it cools off.

I am still working out the on/off switch, and there are two more circuits I need to add (electronic trigger switch "de-bouncer", and power fuses), but those are in sight.

Thanks for your support! Stay tuned.

 

[LesPlenty]

The LED in the last picture was added after the previous pictures were taken. It's a bi-color LED - it's green when the device is on and available to use, and it turns red when the heater is actively being used.

That could be your battery warning light, let it stay green whenever turned on and ready and change to red when it gets to 20% charge remaining.

 

[tnt]

it is looking pretty good. i will definitely be getting one of these.

in case you're still deciding on where to have the on/off switch, i think it is better inside the enclosure.

p.s. still using your pwm ih when i have the opportunity. i love it but don't have enough experience with it yet to write a detailed review.

 

[rouxdy]

I signed-up to get in on this. :)

 

[fluxerheaters]

I signed-up to get in on this. :)

Thanks, @rouxdy ! FWIW, I received a fresh batch of circuit boards yesterday for both portables, and I stayed up waaaaay too late last night testing them. The testing went well (!), and I'll be posting an update on both portables real soon - later today, if I can stay awake, lol.

I think I have a good grasp of the stuff that remains to be done for each device, and it's all doable. Technically, the boards I received last night made each device very close to fully functional. In addition to some general testing for safety and functionality, I have one feature that still needs to be added (a signal filter for the tactile switch) and a few component location details I need to correct before I can build out units for production. That said, the latest circuit boards are performing very well for both portables, so this is really just attending to the details that people probably won't notice if I get them right, but will hate with a fiery passion if I get wrong.

Stay tuned - more to come!

 

[LesPlenty]

Nice update, good to make sure everything is spot on before production.
Any chance the magnets in the housing will pull a vapcap tip free?
Looking forward to seeing the final product.

 

[fluxerheaters]

Hi all,

I have a lot of info to share in this post, so settle in.

First, as I said in my previous post, I received new PCBs for both upcoming portable heaters (Mother Fluxer = a 3x 26650 or 3x 18650 powered IH; Deluxe = 3x 18650 powered IH in the smallest possible enclosure). Both PCBs are good, and both devices took big steps towards being finished.

Here are a few videos I made of the two devices in use, along with their current feature sets and anticipated prices. I am very close to offering these for sale! More testing first, though!

If you think you want one and have not yet told me, please send me a PM or email so I can add you to the appropriate list. I have been pretty quiet about these devices on Reddit and elsewhere as I have been developing them, but once they're ready to go I expect to make a broader announcement, so if you think you want one, it might be good to get your name on one or both lists now.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The Mother Fluxer, A powerful, flexible, portable induction heater engineered for use with Dynavap® vaporizers

Key features:

• 3x 26650 (12VDC @ 5,000+ mAh) OR 3x 18650 power (12VDC @ 3,000 mAh; 18650 battery adapters included)
• high performance, 25A-capable battery management system with balanced charging
• custom designed circuit board
• on-demand heating (push the vapcap tip to the bottom of the heater coil to operate the heater circuit)
• thermal fuse protection against overheating (90°C thermal fuse automatically resets when temp drops)
• PTC power fuses protect against shorts and reverse polarity (2x 4.5A PTC fuses automatically reset when fault situation is corrected)
• Tactile switch signal filter protects all four MOSFETS in the circuit and dramatically reduces the risk of MOSFET failure*
• LED power and use indicator
• Genuine Hammond 1590BBS die cast aluminum enclosure; colored enclosures are powder coated
• Mains powered LiPo battery charging adapter w/LED charging status indicator included. You will have a choice of either a US and or Euro version. (More info on the Euro version coming soon.)
• Hand built in the US by me

Cost for the above is not yet final, but it's looking like US$125 for the above, +/- $10. Shipping and batteries not included.

* I will have more info on this signal filter and the other recent feature/safety additions in an upcoming post.

Options for the Mother Fluxer (some will be at additional cost):

"Light plate" with choice of LED colors when activated (options and prices TBD)
Switches (choices of color and style; no charge)
Enclosure (choices of color; no charge)
Corner fastener options (options and prices TBD)

IMPORTANT: The light plate shown in some of the Mother Fluxer's vids is going to be an optional add-on for ~$20 more.







=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The Flux Deluxe, A small, full-powered portable induction heater engineered for use with the Dynavap® vaporizers

Key features:

• 3x 18650 power (12VDC @ 3,000 mAh)
• high performance, 25A-capable battery management system with balanced charging
• custom designed circuit board
• on demand heating (push the vapcap tip to the bottom of the heater coil to operate the heater circuit)
• thermal fuse protection against overheating (fuse automatically resets when temp drops)
• PTC power fuses protect against shorts and reverse polarity (fuses automatically reset when fault situation is corrected)
• Tactile switch signal filter protects all four MOSFETS in the circuit and dramatically reduces the risk of MOSFET failure*
• LED power and use indicator
• Alpinetech CNC aluminum 1590B-style enclosure with magnetically attached lid
• Mains powered LiPo battery charging adapter included (w/LED charging status indicator). I will have both US and Euro versions available
• Hand built in the US by me

Cost for the above is not yet final, but it's looking like US$135 for the above, +/- $10. Shipping and batteries not included.

* I will have more info on this signal filter and the other recent feature/safety additions in an upcoming post.

Options for the Deluxe (some will be at additional cost):

Enclosure (choices of color no charge)
Enclosure engraving (custom 1590B enclosure engraving is available from a 3rd party for additional cost; more info to come!)

(Prototype shown below is missing its LED and switch, but is worth displaying nonetheless)

The prototype in the following clip does not have all of its lights and switches, but it does show performance:



Thanks for your support! More to come!

 

[Fat Freddy]

@fluxerheaters ,

Does the perimeter light turn off in sync with the VC click, as a visual signal, thereby allowing hearing impaired folks to use the VC and IH?
.

 

[fluxerheaters]

@fluxerheaters ,

Does the perimeter light turn off in sync with the VC click, as a visual signal, thereby allowing hearing impaired folks to use the IH?
.

Sorry, but no, it doesn't do that. That would be complicated and expensive to develop, test, and implement, and it would also push the device well past its price point. Great idea, but beyond my abilities to pull that off. Sorry.

The LED is connected to the tactile switch's circuit, but it's connected to a point in the circuit where it also serves to monitor the health of the MOSFET PWM relay, and also the battery management system's "readiness" status. I'll explain this more in a later post.

 

[LesPlenty]

thereby allowing hearing impaired folks to use the VC and IH?

Cheaper fix, but most people with bad hearing have a better tactile response and would feel the Click.

 

[fluxerheaters]

Back with some more updates! I have a lot of pictures and a video to share.

My smaller portable IH, the Flux Deluxe (described here) just passed a big milestone: its last feature is finally done, and the heater is ready for field testing. It seems to work pretty damn well, too, and I am very eager to have these things ultimately see the light of day.

Anyway, here are a bunch of pics of a new prototype I built last night, and a new video I put together today. If field testing goes well, I should be ready to sell these by early December. Maybe sooner. Let me know what you think.

The finished Flux Deluxe circuitry, complete with the final piece, a tactile switch VHF input filter to safeguard the MOSFETs and hopefully prolong their life (on bottom of PCB, to the right of the PWM relay, under the yellow tape):

A closeup of the SMD components:

The Flux Deluxe:

About those vents holes: Real world use revealed that the first version of the Deluxe got too hot when used with the lid on. This makes sense, as the heat had no where to go. D'Oh! Unfortunately, this was tripping the thermal fuse after a few uses, which was frustrating. To remedy this I had to add some air vents near the work coil, which brought the temp back into range. I also increased the value of the thermal fuse. The result is a unit that's still safe and works as you expect it to, but shuts itself down quickly if/when it gets too hot. BTW, if that happens, just take the lid off and wait ~10 seconds. The thermal fuse resets as soon as it has cooled off. It also makes audible noises when tripped and again when it resets. It isn't quite as loud as a vapcap, but it's a similar idea.

It isn't shown in these photos, but the LED changes to red when the heater is actively heating.

Vent holes help things cool after a sesh.

Flux Deluxe introductory video:



Thanks for your support! More later

 

[LesPlenty]

I do not like the on/off switch inside the housing, wouldn't it be more user-friendly to have it turn on automatically with Vapcap insertion? Also, are you going to put mesh plugs or similar in the vent holes you had to drill in the housing?

 

[tnt]

looking pretty tantalizing mr c.

 

[fluxerheaters]

I do not like the on/off switch inside the housing, wouldn't it be more user-friendly to have it turn on automatically with Vapcap insertion?

Hi - thanks for the feedback. It's worth noting that the unit does operate as you describe: when you turn on the internal switch, that powers the LED and makes power available to the momentary switch that's under the coil, but the toggle switch does not make the heater produce heat. The switch that initiates heating is the momentary switch under the coil - press it with the tip of the vapcap to heat the vapcap. The toggle is essentially the safety switch. The unit won't operate without it, but it does not initiate the heater.

Also, are you going to put mesh plugs or similar in the vent holes you had to drill in the housing?

No, the holes will be open, similar to the top of the coil.