Managed to find one outside of work, about 2 yards from the nearest bin. Annoys the hell out of me how people just throw things on the floor! Anyway asked my work collegues to keep a look out for anymore.
We sell different Vapes so might be different batterys, but its a start!
Cells charged from a voltage below 3.2 (?) V are dangerous, so far as I know. A while ago I read about growing whiskers from one electrode trough the separator when charging and the voltage is to low. If they reach the second electrode you have a short, high temperature and fire. The short may occur later, after charging.
Ludwig
Interesting. I have 14x 13400 cells and picked the 6 with the highest voltage when found for my first pack. I knew I didn’t use the one that charged up to 4.2V and I’ve just reviewed the unused cells.
13400: 3x > 3.2V, 4x 1.1V to 2.8V and 1 showing 4.12V (the one charged from 1.1V)
13350: 4x > 3.4V, 1x 1.6V
20400: 2x > 3.6V
I’ll keep the low voltage ones separate and they’ll probably go for recycling. As they cost nothing it doesn’t seem sensible to use possibly dodgy devices.
Now to find one more good 20400 and I can make a pack that will run my QCXminis for probably over 6hrs 
Now I know what to call it when the neighbor’s lasses come over each morning for their buscuits.
They’ve even followed me on a long hike to the local SOTA summit for some high altitude dogging!
From Saturday 1st April, Tesco will be accepting any vapes returned to store for recycling.
Me, I’ll be looking out for any big ones with the 18650’s in them!
Good on them. This is the one you want to dig out Fraser.
It has a 20400 1500mAhr cell in it (2cmx4cm). 6 of them would make a 3S2P 3Ahr battery that would drive a KX2 for some considerable time.
Hi all,
While acknowledging that not all LiPo cells have exactly the same chemistry, all the data I’ve read indicates that charging to 4.2 and discharging to 3.0 V is fine. You don’t get a lot of Ah out of a cell below 3.3 V so that’s not a bad limit to use. But discharging to 0 V won’t cause the cell to explode unless you insist on dragging out a lot of current using a constant current load. It will reduce the number of recharging cycles.
Overcharging at high charging rates or excessive high current discharge (short circuit) or abuse with a hammer can lead to the cell exploding. You can charge to 4.4 V instead of the recommended 4.2 V and this is safe for modest charge rates but this will not gain much Ah and will shorten the number of recharge cycles.
I now have three good sized cells that after charging to 4.2 V at 0.5 A yield around 2.7 Ah. This may be circa 80% of original capacity so very pleased with Andy’s heads up.
I may add a fourth cell and a regulator.
73
Ron
VK3AFW
PS. Andy. Very brave of you to come out on this reflector. You look very fetching.
Glad to have given you a useful idea and there’s a tiny bit less e-waste in the world.
The other day I received 5 emails from allegedly 5 different ladies (different English sounding names) all with the same text “I have an urgent business proposal to discuss with you” and the same picture of a quite attractive lady to my local radio society email address. I thought of just how much energy had been wasted in sending this spam to so many people around the world that I would recycle the image for my avatar.
Admit it - the only reason you used this photo was to encourage us elderly gents to join you on a joint activation 
Andy,
Top marks for another recycling project.
I have one of the original Nigerian scam letters complete with envelope and stamps. Posted to my work address.
73
Ron
VK3AFW
I have the T-shirt… The front says “My money went to Nigeria and all I got was this T-Shirt!” and the full text of the emails being sent is on the back.
I was wearing it a gig I attended in a club in Glasgow and the guitarist (Walter Trout) was in full-on solo mode (vintage Stratocaster into a Mesa-Boogie amp) when he saw the T-Shirt and read the slogan. It completely spoilt his flow and he had comp some chords till the giggles subsided. 
In reality she probably looks like the rear end of a pit bull!
(Avoiding the obvious continuation… 
)
Brian, I think you’ll find the picture is just something scammers lifted from Facebook or Pinterest. The poor woman probably is unaware her image is being used for nefarious purposes.
That’s my guess, too, I should have put inverted commas round “she”. Once your image is on the web it could be used in some remote country to advertise anything from shaving cream to Haemorrhoid suppositories and you would have no idea!
I will soon have a plentiful supply of these batteries, without the effort to collect them as im walking round. Next door goes through 3 or 4 of them a week at least! so if anyone needs batteries, give me a shout as ill soon have LOADS of them!
EDIT Daughter in law has them too, so more collecting is being done!! haha ill have more than i know what to with soon!
Cheers - Alan
Ok, So I have established i can get the batteries, but what do i actually use to charge them?? there is a bewildering array of charging stuff all over the internet, and if im honest I dont fancy blowing the house up with a Lithium explosion!
Thanks
I have my 13400 cells wired as 3S2P and use either of these chargers.
This is a very simple LiPo charger that supports 2S or 3S arrangements and runs from 12V (13.8VDC). Charge current is about 200mA per cell and is automatic. You connect the JST balance connector to the unit and off it goes, stopping when full.
I have 2 from 2009 and they were about £6 each inc P&P from the Middle Kingdom. As the charge current is low, cell packs do not get beaten into submission but charging can be slow for high capacity packs.
Or this:
Mains or DC, chargers LiIon, LiPo, LiFePo, LiHV, NiMh and SLAs. All params are changeable. I use it for my LiFePo packs. They’re 4Ahr but tend to charge at 1A even though then can be fast charged.
that top one looks simple enough, looks like i got a lot to learn about how to build the packs! and connect them together, balance connectors and all of that… any decent websites you know of Andy that explains it a bit more??
Thanks buddy
For anyone looking at this and thinking hmmmmmm… I found this! Pretty useful, and shows various configurations and how to connect balance leads ETC ETC… Lipo Wiring
Cheers - Alan
Alan, two words, BE CAREFUL. Even the tiniest LiPo cell contains a lot of energy. A short circuit will result in the wires getting so hot so quickly that the PVC insulation will melt and catch fire in an instant. Overcharging and over discharging can cause cells to fail and it’s possible for LiPos to catch fire. Once burning it’s unlikely you will be able to extinguish a Lithium fire at home. That could result in your shack and or house burning down.
So care with assembly, soldering, physically mounting, shock/crush protection. FUSES, FUSES and more FUSES. A BMS (bettery management system) is a good investment.
Just take it all slowly and carefully whilst you are learning. That way you can maximise the fun and minimise the tears.
