Cells used for vaping, are they any good or generally dead

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unclebob

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Jul 11, 2018
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As per the subject, a lot of vape machines seem to be using 18650 cells, anyone had any experience with what state these are in? I have a vape shop close to me so gonna pop in and see if they collect them, but wanted to see if anyone already had any experience with using these cells?

I guess that the vape machine doesn't have much in terms of BMS but never know!
 
I'd say forget about it. Many "vapers" have no technical knowledge and even if they got proper high drain cells they are totally wrecking them. The devices just short the cell on the coil to heat it up. You can imagine what it does to the cell over its lifetime.
 
Yep, agreed. Those cells are designed for low capacity, high amps. Kinda like powertool batteries. But these are even worse. It's like getting a v8 and running it at 7000rpm all the time everywhere you go. It does no good for the engine, just as it does not real good for the cell.

Plus, they probably run them full dead, too. So the life cycles are drastically shortened.
 
Hi unclebob,

I have a different opinion.... Vape users do push the cells, but that causes the IR (Internal Resistance) to rise and thus the cells stop working well for high Amp draw Vape use. .... the vape users then get a new cells casing the big clouds.

But,

The capacities still seem to be good for low Amp draw which is what is advisable for powerwalls.
I am currently collecting Vape cells and seeing some good cells.
 
Bubba said:
Hi unclebob,

I have a different opinion.... Vape users do push the cells, but that causes the IR (Internal Resistance) to rise and thus the cells stop working well for high Amp draw Vape use. .... the vape users then get a new cells casing the big clouds.

But,

The capacities still seem to be good for low Amp draw which is what is advisable for powerwalls.
I am currently collecting Vape cells and seeing some good cells.
Click to expand...

That is most likely the case. Not all people who Vape use high draw devices either. It really does depend. I would treat them like any other cell. Even obtain a few and try your luck.

If you can get them for free, I don't see why not. Most Vape devices have low voltage cutoff, and due to the heavy draw will cut off long before the cell is flat.

I personally use used powertool batteries in my Vape, and a 1.5 ohm coil. It would hardly stress the batteries. Works out about 2.8 amps.
 
I do find that quite a number of the vape cells have damaged wraps. I think it's because people jam them in.
It is a lot slower getting cells from the vape shops. They are 1 at a time applications vs. laptop batteries. So hey get some, make sure you test them.

If they heat or are CID trip. Recycle them.

Happy Vaping (collecting)
 
As far as I know, the condition of the cells depends on how well they've been maintained. If they've been charged and discharged properly and not overused, they should still have some life left in them. But that's my personal opinion.
That being said, it's a good idea to check with your vape shop if they collect and recycle these cells. It's essential to dispose of them responsibly.
I used to stress a lot about minor issues, but then I got myself a cannabis card. It's helped me unwind and find a bit more peace in everyday life.
 
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