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Yes. Read below.
Does it have to be 15k?
No. Read below.
Why use a MOSFET?
It’ll handle the atomizer load current so the switch doesn’t have to. It is more reliable, cheaper,
more efficient and smaller than a high amp switch. It also means you can use very small
diameter wire to the switch. I cannot stress enough that the correct answer to the question is
NEVER
“it protects the switch” or “it increases safety”.
The mod is not measurably safer with a MOSFET. In fact, there are failures which can be more
dangerous with a MOSFET, since MOSFETs tend to fail in a conductive state. Proper
construction and operation are what makes a mod safe, not what kind of switching is used.
To say that the MOSFET protects the switch is to misrepresent the very purpose of having one.
It’s like saying your car’s engine protects your feet.
While technically true, it misses the point, and teaches novices to focus on the wrong thing. The
switch enables the MOSFET. The MOSFET handles the load better than the switch can. Stop
fighting me on this. You’re wasting my time and reducing the credibility of the modding
community.
***See the note about metal boxes***
Here is a basic unregulated mod with a MOSFET handling the power switching. Why use a
MOSFET? It can handle much more power than a switch and has a much lower resistance
when conducting. That'll give you more power overall, and more of that power going to your
atomizer. I recommend the one in the spec sheet below:
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/200/irlb3034pbf89505.pdf
What the fuck is a MOSFET?
It's a transistor. A transistor is like a valve for electrons. One pin controls whether electrons can
flow through the other two pins. A MOSFET is a type of transistor with a very low resistance
when conducting. MOSFETS can be made to handle tons of current and use virtually none to
turn on and off, allowing you to use any switch you want. The amount of current that flows
through your switch in this mod is determined by the battery voltage divided by the value of the
resistor we add to turn it off. In this case, that’s:
4.2V/15kΩ=.00028A (.28mA)
In other words, not very much.
***I connected the negative wire to the metal box and my mod just fires all the time. What
the deuce?
One limitation of this design is that you can't let your negative battery terminal (or any wires
connected to it) touch your box if you're using a metal enclosure. That would connect the
negative battery right to the negative 510 connector, bypassing the MOSFET. You can connect
the drain pin of the MOSFET to the box at any point, but never the source.
Can I use the tab portion instead of the drain leg?
Yes. This is why we read data sheets:
Why did you pick that MOSFET?
There are a few ratings you have to be concerned with when using a FET as a switch:
● First, Vds and Vgs need to be above whatever your operating voltage is (4.2, 8.4, etc.)
Those values are the absolute max voltages the FET can handle.
● Vgs(th) needs to be below your minimum voltage (3V, 6V, etc.) That value is the voltage
needed to turn the FET completely on. It’s okay if they have a negative or a +/ next to
the voltage. If you fall below Vgs(th), your MOSFET will start burning watts and can
easily cook itself to death.
● You also want Pd (power dissipation) to be high. 300W and up is very good. It's an ideal
rating, but still illustrates the MOSFET's ability to dissipate heat.
THIS RATING HAS
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ATOMIZER WATTAGE.
● The other thing you have to check for is Rds(on) which is like the contact resistance of a
switch. You want this to be as low as possible. The one I recommend is 2.0 mΩ (.002
ohms). That beats the hell out of almost any switch.
Can I get a MOSFET at [insert local store here]?
I highly doubt it, but you can use the parameters I spoke of above to find out.
Why the 15k resistor and what are those GDS pins?
There are three pins on the MOSFET, labeled G for gate, D for drain and S for source. The
drain and source are the "in and out" pins in this case. The gate is like a valve that allows the
MOSFET to conduct when it sees a certain voltage. One thing about MOSFETs is they like to
stay on once turned on, even if there is no longer an input at the gate.
That's where the 15k resistor comes in. When you release the fire button, the resistor presents a
voltage to it that is guaranteed to stop the MOSFET from conducting. 15k is just a
recommended value for normal switching. You can use one that has a higher or lower value if
that's all you have lying around. The lower the value, the more current you're pulling through the
switch circuit. It's better to go higher than lower.
As for the power rating of the resistor, that determines the maximum power it can dissipate as a
load. Most of the math to determine that has already been done above. Let’s see it again:
4.2V/15kΩ=.00028A (.28mA)
So that’s the voltage of the source divided by the resistance of the resistor and it gives you the
current through the resistor. All we have to do is apply that current to the source voltage and
you get:
4.2V∙
.00028A=.001176W (1.176mW)
Take the source voltage and multiply it by the current and you get the power dissipated by the
resistor. Look at it again. Roughly 1.2mW goes through the resistor on a 4.2V system. Now ask
yourself if a 1/8W (125mW) resistor is okay to use. There you go. Now you get it.
Does it have to be 15k?
No, just like I said above. 15k is an arbitrary number. You could use anything from 1k to 10M for
example. Don’t sweat that kind of shit.
Do I need a resistor?
Yes. Read above.