What are Li-Po Cells?
Li-Po (Lithium-Polymer) cells are fully rechargeable batteries found in thousands of devices, from disposable vapes to headphones.
They generally have a high capacity for their small size and cost very little which is why they’re so popular.
In the left most image you can see a vape found on the street stripped down to a rechargeable Li-Po cell and a fully recyclable aluminium casing.
But what can I do with these batteries?
Charing Reclaimed Li-Po Cells
Li-Po Cells are extremely powerful but that also makes them rather dangerous. Overcharging a Li-Po cell could result in a large fire that you can’t extinguish with water.
TP4056 Lithium Battery Management System
This BMS prevents a single Li-Po cell from both overcharging and over discharging which can reduce the batteries life capacity.
Despite this listing claiming to charge the batteries at 1000mA which is too much for many vape batteries, my own measurements read only 100mA which is fine and so far nothings blown up (famous last words) however I advise you to do your own test before blindly trusting a stranger on the internet.
Most vape batteries charge at 1C meaning they should be charged at a current no higher than their capacity. E.G. a 500mAh cell should be charged at no more than 500mA.