Free Li-Po batteries

[Riss]

In disposable vapes (electronic cigarettes), there are batteries with low internal resistance. Their capacity is from 280 mAh to 850mAh . They are excellent for powering metal detectors, even small drones. A charger for lithium-ion batteries - https://simplemetaldetector.com/batt...?cn-reloaded=1 - it is a current generator. With resistors R4 and R6 - to be above 1 ohm, the charging current is adjusted. I never charge the batteries quickly - for example, I charge a 550 mAh battery with a current of no more than 100mA. I attach the batteries with paper tape in a set. Both poles of each battery go to the female connector (To avoid accidental short circuit) of the set formed in this way (there is no electrical connection between the batteries). The connection to the female connector is like this - pin 1 is connected to + on battery one; pin 2 - + on battery two; pin 3 is - on battery one; pin 4 is - on battery two; pin 5 is + on battery three; pin 6 is + on battery four; pin 7 is - on battery three; pin 8 is - on battery four. The male connector that connects them in series has shorted pins 2 and 3; 4 and 5; 6 and 7. pin 8 is minus, and pin 1 is + 16 volts. I charge them in parallel with another male connector, on which pins 1, 2, 5, 6 are shorted - they are connected to + on the charger. pins 3,4,7, 8 are shorted - to - on the charger. According to this principle, I charge 2 batteries to power a multimeter (instead of the expensive 6F22, 9V). This method of operation completely eliminates the appearance of a difference in the battery charge after several charge-discharge cycles. It is even better if the + terminal of each individual battery goes to the + of the charger through a resistor of 1 to 4.7 ohms (this is done if the batteries are from different manufacturers or different production series). I have been working with these free batteries in this way for more than 6 years. By changing one resistor in the phone (smartphone) charger, I reduce the battery charging current. My Nokia 6070 - manufactured in 2006 - still works with the original battery ! I charge it with a current of 150 mA. True - now it lasts about 3-4 days between charges, but this is at least 18 years of operation!

[getsa]

Sounds interesting!...
Could you depict your ideas schematically, so to get a better notion on that?
Really useful things deserve attention and broad discussion...

[Riss]

female connector (connected to the battery pack) - https://www.amazon.in/sense-2-54mm-F...0CD7V4Z61?th=1 or other similar ones from consumer electronics. There are quality connectors in old VCR-s ( VHS ), TV-s. A diagram is not necessary - I have explained everything in detail - take a piece of paper, read, draw. It's very simple ... https://bg.egqvape.com/disposable-el...ape-smoke.html - 280 -350 mAh ; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicotine-Fl.../dp/B01DFJTO3Q - here it is 850 mAh

[Skippy]

You may find this thread interesting:

E-cigs, vape pens, puff bars : Trash Tech - Geotech Forums

I need to add an update to it, there are new things to report on.

[Riss]

Thanks Skippy, I didn't know about this thread. Lithium batteries are toxic. Vapes are more dangerous than cigarettes - doctors have presented data on this. They also contain carcinogenic substances. They started putting Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or other opiates in the tanks of these electronic cigarettes - in my country there was a death of a 14-year-old child and many cases of fainting children. Vapes do not help to quit smoking. From an environmental point of view they are similar to electric cars, solar parks and wind generators - the harm from them is much greater than the benefits. The most environmentally friendly means of transport (Their numbers are drastically decreasing in Europe ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opa7tgNVUpc I've heard that they refuse to go through minefields...

[Skippy]

Quote:" Lithium batteries are toxic"
One thing I quickly noticed: if a foil-pouch Li cell is ruptured, (for example as a result of being from a damaged vape), the cell gives off a distinctive sickly sweet smell. If you smell this, do not use the cell, discharge it slowly and recycle it. It's not always easy to detect this smell on cells from vapes, as they can stink of the "mango/pineapple/passionfruit razz ice blah-blah" vape liquid. Washing the reclaimed vape cell usually removes most of this 'flavouring'. Usually the cells are clean and uncontaminated, and if they look undamaged, they are good to use. It is vehicle-squashed ones that are usually trouble. If in doubt, don't use it, there are thousands more of them out there to find.

[Riss]

Many grocery chains (hypermarkets) have battery recycling bins. Unfortunately, few homunculi leave their vapes there, but throw them everywhere...

[Riss]

I had connected 4 batteries in parallel (two red, two yellow) 18650 with the same capacity (measured at a discharge current of about 180 mA , not the one written on the case!). The batteries were from 2 different laptop packs. I started charging these four with a current of about 0.8 A. After about 3-4 hours, the red ones had at least 2 degrees higher temperature than the yellow ones, which did not heat up at all when charging. When I started charging them through 4 resistors 1 ohm to (+) on the charger, they stopped heating up when charging, even at a charging current of 1 A...

[Pete61]

I find that some of the non-rechargeable vapes are higher capacity than the ones with a charge port.
Here in South Africa we get a 900 puffs tube vape called an e-xhale that has a 1000mah 18350, its not the standard in a can type but a cylindrical pouch type with contacts at either end.
In contrast, the ones that have a charge port are typically 550 to 800mah.

But, Its not just batts that can be harvested from dispo vapes.
I found a MCU that has 2x the power of an Arduino Uno, the PY32F030EK28 made by PUYA SEMI.
Both the Nasty Bar 20000 puffs from Malaysia and the BLVK Bar 20000 have the PY32F030 chip.
Theres a repo on Github that details the Arduino core for this ic and it can be programmed with Arduino IDE, searches for PY32Duino will find related repos of interest.

Then the tiny switch that activates the coil, which most people call a microphone or vacuum switch is actually a capacitive touch switch in a housing with a very fragile metallic diaphragm.
If you cut off the can body then you have a basic capacitive switch with a led on the pcb that indicates when its being activated.

Finally, if you remove the juice sponge and rinse it out with water, you can fill it up by standing it in a saucer with a sugar and borax solution.
This makes an effective ant trap, when it dries up, you just refill with water to activate it again.