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So far all the salvaged lithium cells I've tested have taken a charge to their full capacity, suggesting they are fresh and quite good quality.  Not surprising given the huge volume of units sold and the high current they operate at.

This makes them very useful for retrofitting into things with tired cells.  But remember that the disposables have no separate protection for the cells.  (Over/under voltage and overcurrent), but the original protection PCBs from the original product's cell could be reused if needed.

I see that some of the prominent brands are already planning for damage limitation when the scandal hits of them putting a massive number of reusable lithium cells into landfill.  Once people are hooked on the brand they are offering a similar looking option with a recharge port and refill pods.

Comments

Anonymous

And eventually we will hit a point where refill costs more than the unit itself. That's where the profit is made.

Anonymous

Last autumn, "Vype" were selling off their branded ePen units in preparation for the switch to the American parent's "Vuse", for £1 each. The new devices are identical, if not a little less reliable in maintaining connectivity, but cost £10.

Anonymous

Why do these manufactures use rechargeable cells at all? Is it simply cheaper?

Dave Frederick

I've collected a handful of these things. I vape mostly using a variety of tanks and "mods" for that purpose. These mostly use 18650s and 21700s. A disposable now and then is fun for a flavor change and also for the recycled battery I remove. I think the disposable products are an interesting and viable option for those seeking to quit smoking however, it should quickly become apparent that disposables are the most costly way to vape. Refillable (and rechargeable) pods and tanks are the way to go and if you decide to DIY your own E-liquid, you can save even more. Too bad they've taken concentrated nicotine off the market, one has to be creative to buy it.

Mike Cowen

In a word, yes. The market is flooded with cheap rechargeables. Given the electrical performance required, it's near impossible to source a one-shot battery that isn't rechargeable.

Anonymous

I have been mixing my own "juice" for years, but I'm nearing the end of my nic supply and almost all of the local shops have closed down and online sales are no more. I've been at less than 1mg for a long time, so I guess I'll go to none for a while and then just fade away.

Anonymous

The VUSE brand sells their battery packs for $1 a pop. I need to crack one open and check it out.

Dave Frederick

Good for you. That's commendable. I wound up getting some nic from a Chinese supplier though it's ridiculously strong both in flavor and concentration (200 mg / ml) Definitely not the same as the smooth and regulated stuff I got here last year. I've been vaping for a while but I'll probably follow you toward eventually being done with it. What will I do with all of these devices? (too many of them) There are still a lot of vape stores here in Idaho.

Anonymous

But now you have ink tank printers. As always, competition creates better solutions.

Anonymous

Where is the protection circuit in the vapes?

Leak

You mean the printers that are piling up on landfills because buying a new one is cheaper than refilling it? (Never mind the fact that the new one obviously is not coming with a full tank...) Maybe Clive should give carbonating printer ink a try? That surely will be the most expensive episode by far...

RonNona

I wonder how many "Karens" there are out there that vape outside a town meeting, toss the vape into the trash or the nearest bush, then go inside and have a meltdown about what lead solder etc. etc etc is doing to the environment.

Jeremy Impson

Seems like battery prices will be going up soon

John Lundgren ~ Acme Fixer

LFP cells don't have nickel or cobalt, which have skyrocketed in price lately. LFP - lithium iron phosphate - will become cheaper and more popular as more EVs are manufactured.

Anonymous

I've been subscribing to HP Instant Ink for a couple of years now, works out quite well (you pay for an agreed amount of sheets printed, HP supplies enough ink to print on those sheets regardless of whether it is black text or full colour A4 prints). Agree that the price of new printers is very low to attract consumers into the product that actually makes the company money, which is the replacement cartridges.

Anonymous

The one that I pulled apart had an S085 controller chip in it. The details on AliExpress shows that it is quite good, with current limited charge capability, under voltage and over current protection. Very useful. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Electronic-Cigarette-Air-Flow-Pressure-Sensor_62167606157.html. The battery charges at 150mA by the way, with the supplied chip.

Anton

I have put many of these to use in "trashy" gimmick electronics where I certainly wouldn't pay to replace the cell, but for free. . . . They also perform admirably for cheap quads (drones). They handle the high current admirably. On a recent trip back to NZ I noticed the disposable ones were hard to get hold of, the common ones being a bayonet capped arrangement with a microUSB port and a neati charge controller IC. I must have 100 of the batteries now, I work at a large employer and put a bucket: "WANTED - vapes"

bigclive

Carbonating ink also sounds the messiest project. Not sure I fancy doing the taste test.

bigclive

I'm intrigued by the high concentration nicotine source. At the beginning of the vape industry you could buy pure (and very toxic) nicotine. Definitely not something you'd want to get on your hands.

bigclive

Not needed due to not being rechargeable, but the controller does cut off on low voltage and flashes the LED.

bigclive

The low charge current is probably to cater for the slim vapes with low capacity cells, and also to reduce heat dissipation from the chip.

Dave Frederick

Indeed. I've always been cautious in it's handling and meticulous in measurement. The sources I was buying in the states here were generally 100 mg / ml and you could order salt based or freebase nicotine. The Chinese supplier had various strengths from 35 mg / ml up to 200 mg / ml. I got the later and it's obviously free base nicotine judging from the flavor in the E-liquids I've made. Diluting it down to 6 mg / ml still has a harsh "throat hit" sort of flavor. Considering the possible lack of regulation they have there, I'm hesitant to continue using it. In shopping around half a year ago, I found one supplier that stated "pure" nicotine but I couldn't get an answer about mg / ml. I want to say in its truly pure form, it would be a solid and very hazardous.

Anonymous

The 10ml bottles of 18mg/ml flavourless that go with the 'shortfill' 40/50ml bottles of nicotine free juice seem to do the trick. A couple of drops of that 18mg/ml in a small glass of drink works well in the company of people who don't smoke too

Anonymous

I was driving home late last night through the neighbourhood and saw a bright point source blue light in the middle of a junction. Looked almost alien like. On closer inspection it was a dismembered disposable vape. The battery is a little oval but seems good. Another one for the collecion!

bigclive

If it's been run over I wouldn't trust the lithium cell as being safe.

bigclive

Even Poundland sells the "nic-shots" here. I've always wondered what would happen if a few drips were put into a drink.

Dave Frederick

Not sure. I haven't really heard of these. On the web, it appears to be a concentrated liquid you'd add to unflavored E-liquid to sort of DIY a batch for use in various devices. So, if you got an 18mg/ml "nic-shot" at ten ml, you'd have 180 mg of nicotine. I think if one were to add it to a drink, doing so in a carefully measured amount might satisfy a craving - I suppose. It would probably be better to stick with patches or gum that's formulated for that purpose. A lethal dose of nicotine is considered to be between 30 and 60 mg though that figure seems to vary. It would definitely be a shitty way to go. Here's an interesting article. I actually thought the LD50 was higher. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880486/