Lithium cell salvage and teardown of Aquavape.

A coworker used to routinely inject himself with insulin during the day with a little glass syringe. I suppose the main purpose of these sealed units is sterility and dosing. But it does seem quite wasteful. You'd think it would just use cartridges.

Big Clive

Clive would you like me to send you a "Pre filled injection pen" I have a few pens. https://photos.app.goo.gl/uKingQGgRXVu1xiZ7 this is what is inside one. I was a bit brutal opening it back in August. The liquid is in a glass tube with a rubber cap to the needle can penetrate. What I found interesting is they can alter the pen from 0.25mg dose and I am now on 1mg dose Connect the needle twist the dose to the full setting Belly stab Press the back button and hold and it tick as it slowly injects the fluid. What I was amazed at was the complexity for just a simple dose ? at the top are 4 injection caps 0.4mm (one per week) People talk about disposable this sort of thing that happens in the NHS is a bit of madness. My grandmother had diabetes before the NHS and had to buy her own glass syringe and needles all reusable and I still have them as a kid I filled my ink pens with it. It would be funny if you converted it to a Vap device - it not worth the effort. I don't smoke never have but I was born in a pub and started welding at the age of 10 so I do not know what the future medical position is for me. I will keep going until the end ;-)) I used to do a bit of work in the 1980s with DraEger equipment https://www.draeger.com/en_uk/Products/Air-Flow-Tester + gas safety testing at the factory I worked at. The smoke was created with I believe sulphuric acid. all the best John

John Harrison

The protected 18650 would be fine being charged from the solar panel. It's not the voltage that matters, as long as it's in the range of 5V to 12V, it's the current it can deliver. Anything up to 1A in full sun should be OK for bigger cells as that's what they are likely to be charged at in normal use. I'd typically choose a 6V 200mA or higher cell.

Big Clive

You mean like the money in your pocket that has been in many other pockets next to well used hankies and tissues? Or how about the cafe coffee cup that has been used by thousands of people before you and then bulk washed with others. Sometimes it's better not to think about such things.

Big Clive

Not sure about the health risks of finding a discarded one of these and taking it apart - what about diseases which could be transmitted from the user's saliva? Yuk!! Not worth £3 methinks... Anyway nice to see how they work, thanks Clive! :-)

Stephen Eyles

That is really cool! I'm starting to collect some lithium batteries that I would really love to apply to a solar light project or projects. Some are protected, some are not. I realized (late as always) that I can build a far superior solar light than I'm likely to get from some company building them to a price point. Clive, would one be able to use your classic discrete component NPN based solar light circuit using a 6V solar panel on say, a protected 3v 18650 ? I don't have a smaller solar panel so I'm thinking a limiting resistor on the solar panel would help to keep from overdoing the charge into the battery? The concepts I understand, but my design skills need help. That and I'm working with scrap parts and not buying much over the counter. EDIT Well I did just find an old game boy advance rechargeable battery that is more in keeping with that original NPN-based circuit (and my available parts) so the issue is somewhat mitigated, though I'll still try to chase down the numbers on that 18650 idea.

Michael Thompson

I've only had one lithium "incident" and was entirely my own doing (slipped with a knife and stabbed it) while taking something apart. If you use the charging boards they are as safe as a normal battery.

Boris von Shithousen

@MarkT, that's brilliant! I wouldn't hafta worry about DEA helicopters (or Giggle's satellites) finding my crop! I've got a friend who uses e-cigs and I expect he occasionally Vapes so I'm hoping I won't hafta spend £5 for one.

You could alter the device into a tiny rechargeable greenhouse for growing tiny weed plants. Not sure where you can find a tiny, tiny farmer to watch over the plants but there is always ebay.

Mark Trombley

Aw crum! Now I'm going to hafta look into vaping cigs, and AvE just got me hooked on home-grown weed. (Fortunately, harvesting parts from v-cigs should be easier and cheaper than a MaryJane farm.