YouTuber Chris Doel made light of garbage when he turned disposable vape batteries into a working power wall that runs his kettle, microwave, and computer.
Frustrated with supposedly disposable vapes being discarded, Doel decided to make use of the rechargeable lithium batteries contained within the addictive products. He has built his audience of more than 114,000 subscribers by utilizing disposable vapes in creative ways, building multiple rechargeable power banks and an e-bike battery, for example.
In his latest video, he attempted to power his entire workshop and even his home. After collecting the small lithium-ion cells from local shops, he sorted, charged, and stored the working cells. He then connected over 500 cells using 3D-printed holders and a large wall-mounted system.
As Interesting Engineering reported, the end product created enough power to energize Doel's home for around eight hours or his workshop for up to three days. Hinting that he planned to install solar panels to recharge the batteries, Doel said he could take the home off-grid. "That was a pretty cool project. Surprised how well that worked out," one commenter wrote. "Liked that you added in the little extra explanations about your design process too."
Aside from creating savings on electricity bills, such innovations can help solve an ever-growing waste problem caused by the disposable vape industry. Researchers estimate that nearly 500,000 of these products are discarded each day in the United States, and on top of being littered across parking lots, yards, and elsewhere, they end up in places well beyond — one was even spotted in the mouth of an African penguin. Their batteries have been known to cause fires in sanitation trucks and landfills, too.
By finding creative ways to use discarded vapes, we can not only prevent improper disposal but also implement solutions to lower the cost of electricity and the dependence on dirty fuels that pollute the air and raise global temperatures.
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Pairing batteries made from discarded lithium-ion cells with other clean energy sources, such as home solar, can make these actions doubly impactful, even bringing energy costs down to or near $0. TCD's Solar Explorer can connect you with vetted installers, helping you save up to $10,000 on a system. The Solar Explorer also features subscription programs such as Palmetto's LightReach leasing plans to lower utility rates for $0 money down.
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