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Reusing vape batteries in flash lights? Is this a crazy idea. (lemmy.world)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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So people throw out disposable vapes all the time. I cracked one open to take a look and it turns out they have a 18500 battery in it. So I was thinking of 3D printing a spacer to make it the same size as a 18650 and putting some shrink wrap on them. I just wanted to see what people who know more than me think. Is this a bad idea that is going to burn my house down? a waste of time perhaps?

I did a trial run in my wurkkos fc11 and they seem to work, it charges and looks just as bright.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (13 children)

Just be wary of them as they are likely unprotected cells.

Batteries made for flashlights will have a protection circuit board on it to protect against over & under voltage and sometimes overheating.

Unprotected batteries do not have a circuit board on them and are usually protected by the device that they are installed into.

You can use them BUT you have to be incredibly careful with them as if things go wrong you will be holding what has essentially become a small pipe bomb.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago (6 children)

This is just not true. The circuitry is in the flashlight, not the battery.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

As a rule of thumb flashlights only have LED driver in them and lack any sort of battery protection. Most 18650 batteries that you buy from reputable sources have built-in protection circuits. Cheap cells from ebay et al and recycled cells from old devices are a wildcard, they may or may not have the protection and you need to read the description very carefully or examine the cell in detail to see if it's protected or not. IIRC, even most lithium cell chargers rely on the cell having built-in protection circuit.

I wouldn't use unprotected cells for anything that I hold in my hand or put in my pocket/everyday carry. They're literally marginally stable incendiary devices—I'd feel more safe with a block of C4 in my pocket than an unprotected lithium cell of questionable origin and history.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

As a rule of thumb flashlights only have LED driver in them and lack any sort of battery protection.

This hasn't been true for a quite a while. Most Li-ion flashlights have a low-voltage shutoff.

Most 18650 batteries that you buy from reputable sources have built-in protection circuits.

Also not really true. Top-tier dealers like Illumn and Nkon offer both protected and unprotected options. Some popular flashlights (Zebralight, Emisar/Noctigon) only accept unprotected cells.

even most lithium cell chargers rely on the cell having built-in protection circuit.

No charger anybody should be using relies on that. Correctly charging Li-ion requires tapering current after reaching the target voltage, which can't happen if it trips a circuit breaker.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago

Maybe. Last time I was in market for a flashlight was 5 or so years ago. I don't even have a use for handheld lights anymore.

I still won't trust unprotected lithium cells for use in any device I carry on my person.

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