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Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploit it

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    Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploit it

    I know, this comes in late, Big Clive did a video on them a couple years ago, but it is just last year that the disposables market has exploded here and I literally only have to walk for 5 minutes to find at least one.

    On one hand, 5 of the cheapest disposables will buy you a basic pod vape which is 100x better and the replacement pods are half the price of a disposable once you burn the heater, but on the other, they are getting better (I'm starting to see better builds, ends that don't just fall off but are actually quite stubbornly fit and 550mAh instead of 300mAh batteries on almost all of them), so everyone should be happy and snag them whenever they find them lying around.

    I have found at least two between Christmas and New Year's where I literally used them over 12 hours outside in the cold, with real smoke, drink and sleep breaks of course, but still, that means they were basically new. But most I've found could be used at least 1 hour more indoors after the battery warmed up and recovered some charge. I have blown a few of them from forgetting the little ones on charge with straight USB, this problem was solved since they switched to the 550mAh batteries.

    I use a thinner cable now and still can't be arsed to even stick a TL431 or 1117 in line to drop the voltage, I don't even damage them anymore like this, let alone have them catch fire - and also, four little 550mAh cells in parallel make a healthy 2000mAh cell - you catchin' my drift? Free cells for reconditioning laptop batteries, especially since they have switched to the flat style now. They don't fit your wannabe Macbook? No probs - make an external power bank, since USB-C with power is on basically everything now.
    Last edited by Th3_uN1Qu3; 02-05-2023, 07:46 PM.
    Originally posted by PeteS in CA
    Remember that by the time consequences of a short-sighted decision are experienced, the idiot who made the bad decision may have already been promoted or moved on to a better job at another company.
    A working TV? How boring!

    #2
    Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

    use a lithium charger like a TP4056 module

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

      I have yet to find any to harvest

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

        Originally posted by stj View Post
        use a lithium charger like a TP4056 module
        I use what I have around. I have over 50 TL431s and 1117s - I don't give a single crap about that. It's not fitted inside a complete PS board? Forget it.

        I also have two TI Launchpad boards and a few MSP430s. Used to be a PIC guy but I forgot where I put the programmer for those. I can code my own charger. Can't be bothered to.

        There is too much other stuff around for me to fix from what I have already picked up or gathered in 15 years - and every day I find more.
        Last edited by Th3_uN1Qu3; 02-05-2023, 09:11 PM.
        Originally posted by PeteS in CA
        Remember that by the time consequences of a short-sighted decision are experienced, the idiot who made the bad decision may have already been promoted or moved on to a better job at another company.
        A working TV? How boring!

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

          Originally posted by Th3_uN1Qu3 View Post
          I know, this comes in late, Big Clive did a video on them a couple years ago, but it is just last year that the disposables market has exploded here and I literally only have to walk for 5 minutes to find at least one.

          On one hand, 5 of the cheapest disposables will buy you a basic pod vape which is 100x better and the replacement pods are half the price of a disposable once you burn the heater, but on the other, they are getting better (I'm starting to see better builds, ends that don't just fall off but are actually quite stubbornly fit and 550mAh instead of 300mAh batteries on almost all of them), so everyone should be happy and snag them whenever they find them lying around.

          I have found at least two between Christmas and New Year's where I literally used them over 12 hours outside in the cold, with real smoke, drink and sleep breaks of course, but still, that means they were basically new. But most I've found could be used at least 1 hour more indoors after the battery warmed up and recovered some charge. I have blown a few of them from forgetting the little ones on charge with straight USB, this problem was solved since they switched to the 550mAh batteries.

          I use a thinner cable now and still can't be arsed to even stick a TL431 or 1117 in line to drop the voltage, I don't even damage them anymore like this, let alone have them catch fire - and also, four little 550mAh cells in parallel make a healthy 2000mAh cell - you catchin' my drift? Free cells for reconditioning laptop batteries, especially since they have switched to the flat style now. They don't fit your wannabe Macbook? No probs - make an external power bank, since USB-C with power is on basically everything now.
          They have really taken over here in the USA as well. Only hardcore vapers like me still have actual tanks or subohm devices, and blow clouds for that matter.

          My girlfriend has been buying a new disposable every few days for $20 to $30. No, she won't listen to reason.

          I use a lab DC power supply to determine how dead or full the battery is based on how much current it draws. Those that have USB-C or MicroUSB charging ports.

          Next, I restore them entirely by simply squeezing (homemade) nicotine juice right into the mouthpiece, shake, wait, shake, and this can be done several times until eventually the oxidation layers on the coil foul the taste.

          So you use thin wire so as to function as a fuse?

          When taking the apart, there are definitely 1 or a few ICs in there doing something.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

            Still haven't found any!

            Where's my free Li-ion batteries! Need more to replace batteries in my Garmin!

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

              look around the places where there is the biggest infestation of tourists

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Disposable e-cigarettes, lithium pollution and why you should be happy and exploi

                Not sure about the great muricaah but in EU, you can just return such ewaste (lightbulbs, batteries, e-cigs and much more) to stores for free. So many places have buckets full of these things. So I just asked for hundred or so.

                Comment

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