DISPOSABLE VAPES GET BINNED WITH A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY INSIDE - HE BUILDS 100 W POWER BANKS FROM 35 OF THEM
Every discarded vape contains a rechargeable lithium cell — this design packs 35 of them into a 100 W USB-C fast-charge power bank, without soldering the cells together.
by Chris Doel
EnergyOpen-hardware
Built with3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a weekend-plus
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE130 stars
●●●●○ · a weekend-plus · MIT · 130 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a legitimately useful build if you have access to discarded vapes and the patience to harvest cells safely. The cells clip into spring contacts on custom balance-charging PCBs, so you never solder the cells directly, the enclosure is printable, and the 5S7P pack drives a 100 W USB-C PD board without any firmware. The hard part is not the electronics — it is acquiring 35 tested, matched cells and doing it without damaging one. Salvaged cells vary, so testing every single one is not optional, and the README suggests a cell tester to match capacities across each parallel row. If you live somewhere vapes are binned in volume and you are comfortable working with lithium cells, this is a weekend project that converts literal garbage into a fast-charge power bank whose capacity depends on the cells you harvest. If you do not already know how to handle lithium safely or have no source of discarded vapes, buy a commercial power bank. The one thing most likely to go wrong: assuming all salvaged cells are equivalent and skipping the individual test.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —PCB Gerber files, STEP 3D print files for the enclosure, and a full parts list are in the repo
- —No firmware — the BMS chip handles cell balancing, the USB-C PD controller is a module
- —The build video (about 16 minutes) covers the parts, removing and preparing the cells, ordering the PCBs, balance charging, installing the PCBs, wiring the USB board and testing.
- —MIT licence — commercial use permitted
- —The cells themselves are salvaged, so availability depends entirely on local e-waste collection
- —No instructions for safely opening the disposable vapes — the video shows it but the repo does not document the process
Parts to buy
3 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Making a Power Bank from Disposable Vapes: UPGRADED + Extreme Tests!16:28
Full build walkthrough linked from the README: removing and preparing the cells, ordering the PCBs, balance charging, installing the PCBs, wiring the USB board and testing the finished power bank.
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Clone the repo and review the PCB Gerbers and BOM (The README links to the parts list and fabrication files)
- 2.Watch the full build video to understand cell extraction and testing (The video shows voltage testing and spotting damaged cells — this is not optional)
- 3.Order the PCB and components from the BOM(Upload the Gerber, BOM and CPL files to JLCPCB with Assembly checked; order the 5S USB-C power bank board and the conductive tape separately from the README links.)
- 4.Collect and voltage-test salvaged cells(You need 35 cells at roughly matched voltage — mismatched cells will not charge evenly)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Skipping individual voltage testing — every cell must be tested before assembly or the BMS will not balance the pack correctly
- Using cells from different vape brands without capacity testing — internal resistance and capacity vary wildly between suppliers
- Damaging a cell during extraction — the video spends several minutes on removing the cells safely; a dented or punctured lithium cell is a fire risk and must not go in the pack.
- Assuming the repo documents safe vape disassembly — it does not, you need to watch the video and understand lithium handling independently
- Ordering the PCBs without assembly — tick 'Assembly' at the PCB fab and upload the BOM and CPL files as the README says, rotate the connectors to match the video, and confirm the spring polarity if they ask.
- Expecting consistent cell availability — disposable vape bans are rolling out in multiple countries, salvage supply may dry up locally
Do I need 35 cells from the same vape brand?
No, but they must fit the holder: the repo has prints for 30, 35 and 40 mm long 13 mm cells. Testing each cell matters, and the README suggests an optional 8-channel cell tester to match capacities across each parallel row, which improves battery life and lifespan.
Can I solder the cells directly instead of spot welding?
You do not need to do either. The custom PCBs have spring contacts for the cells, so the design does not require soldering the cells together.
What capacity does the finished pack have?
It depends on your cells. The pack is 5S7P, so its capacity is seven times the capacity of one cell at the 5S pack voltage; the creator says to read the mAh rating printed on your cells and set the matching resistor on the USB board so it reports the right capacity.
Is this legal where disposable vapes are banned?
Bans on disposable vapes target their sale; the project only reuses cells from discarded devices. Rules on collecting e-waste and handling lithium batteries differ by country, so check yours.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Disposable vapes get thrown away by the millions, each with a rechargeable cell inside. If you built this, where would you source the cells — street collection, vape shop recycling bins, or somewhere else?
Chris Doel
Chris Doel is a maker focused on e-waste recovery. He first built a fast-charge power bank from 35 disposable vape cells, then released this open-source upgrade that is smaller, lighter, safer and easier to assemble.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the PCB Gerbers, KiCad project, and the BOM and placement files for JLCPCB assembly are all in the repository, along with 3D-printable cell holders and enclosures for three cell lengths and two USB board types. The README gives a clear ordering checklist — PCBs, the 5S USB power board, double-sided conductive tape — and then hands over to the roughly 16-minute build video for the assembly itself. The clever bit is that the cells sit in spring-contact PCBs, so you never solder directly to them. There is no written guide to opening the vapes, so if you have never handled lithium cells before, read the disclaimer and watch someone do the extraction first. The single biggest time sink is not the build — it is testing and matching 35 salvaged cells for the 5S7P pack; the README suggests an optional 8-channel cell tester to match capacities across each parallel row. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.