{"id":30584,"date":"2025-11-12T12:15:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T12:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/?p=30584"},"modified":"2025-11-12T12:15:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T12:15:38","slug":"uk-engineer-powers-home-using-500-recycled-vapes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/post\/uk-engineer-powers-home-using-500-recycled-vapes\/","title":{"rendered":"UK engineer powers home using 500 recycled vapes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A UK engineer and YouTuber has repurposed 500 disposable vapes into a working powerwall capable of running both his home and workshop.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project<\/a>, created by Chris Doel, uses lithium-ion batteries salvaged from discarded single-use vape devices to show how e-waste can be transformed into usable energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doel\u2019s setup delivers around 50 volts and roughly 2.5 kWh of usable capacity – \u201cenough juice for up to eight hours of home usage or three days of work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From vape bin to power bank<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The process began with collecting hundreds of used vapes returned to stores or picked up from recycling drives. Each unit had to be stripped down to its core components, a laborious task that involved removing the internal circuitry, desoldering the wires, and extracting the rechargeable lithium-ion cells. \u201cA battery is more or less useless if its charge drops below 3V,\u201d Doel explained, meaning each cell had to be carefully tested before reuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the viable batteries were identified, they were sorted by capacity and connected in parallel inside 3D-printed modules. Several of these modules were then linked in series to form a wall-mounted battery pack. The array was connected to an inverter that converts the 50V DC output into standard 240V AC – the same voltage used in UK homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finished powerwall now powers lights, tools, and testing equipment in Doel\u2019s workshop and also sends electricity back into his house to run computers and appliances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tackling the vape waste crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The project arrives amid growing concern about the UK\u2019s disposable vape problem. A December 2024 report<\/a> by Material Focus estimated that 8.2 million vapes – including single-use, pod, and \u201cbig-puff\u201d models – are discarded or improperly recycled every week. Each contains a rechargeable battery that could be recovered and reused but often ends up in landfill, where it poses fire risks and adds to the country\u2019s e-waste burden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UK\u2019s ban on disposable vapes, which came into effect in June 2025, was introduced partly in response to this growing environmental issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campaigners have pointed out that the same lithium that powers these throwaway devices could instead be feeding the renewable energy industry, in home batteries, electric vehicles, and grid storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doel\u2019s creation joins a small but growing movement of DIY engineers and makers experimenting with reclaimed cells. Similar \u201csecond-life\u201d battery projects have used cells from electric scooters, laptops, and even discarded EV packs to create low-cost energy storage for off-grid or backup use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not one for beginners<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While Doel\u2019s work highlights what\u2019s possible with ingenuity and persistence, he cautions that it isn\u2019t a beginner-friendly project. Working with lithium-ion cells carries serious fire and safety risks if done incorrectly. Proper insulation, balancing, and a battery management system are essential for safe operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, his powerwall stands as a striking example of how innovation can turn waste into wattage. With the UK\u2019s disposable vape ban now in force, Doel\u2019s project offers a glimpse of how yesterday\u2019s throwaway tech can help power tomorrow\u2019s homes – one battery at a time.<\/p>\n

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A UK engineer and YouTuber has repurposed 500 disposable vapes into a working powerwall capable of running both his home and workshop. The project, created by Chris Doel, uses lithium-ion batteries salvaged from discarded single-use vape devices to show how e-waste can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":990005,"featured_media":30585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[],"slider":[],"class_list":["post-30584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/990005"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30584"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30592,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30584\/revisions\/30592"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30584"},{"taxonomy":"slider","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/slider?post=30584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}