Performance Evaluation of a Battery Pack Assembled from Used  Li-Ion Cells of Electronic Vape for Small-Scale Applications

Hanif Suhairi; Muhammad Abdullah; Khairul Amri Tofrowaih; Siti Fauziah Toha; Mohamad Syazarudin Md Said; Salmiah Ahmad

doi:10.58915/aset.v5i1.3207

Authors

Hanif Suhairi International Islamic University Malaysia
Muhammad Abdullah International Islamic University Malaysia
Khairul Amri Tofrowaih Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
Siti Fauziah Toha International Islamic University Malaysia
Mohamad Syazarudin Md Said Universiti Putra Malaysia
Salmiah Ahmad University of Doha for Science and Technology, Qatar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58915/aset.v5i1.3207

Keywords:

Battery repurposing, Energy storage, Lithium-ion batteries, Second-life applications, Sustainability

Abstract

Lithium-ion cells are well known for their low mass and high energy density. However, improper disposal of Li-ion cells from disposable vape devices contributes significantly to battery waste, even though many of these cells still retain substantial usable capacity. This study explores the second-life potential of such cells by assembling a 3P4S battery pack using reclaimed 13300-type Li-ion cells for low-power applications. Three configurations were tested: without a Battery Management System (BMS), and with two passive BMS units (BMS-40A-4S-E and HXYP-C47-MA18). The repurposed pack exhibited a nominal voltage of 14.8 V and a rated capacity of 1.2 Ah. Constant current discharge at 0.6 A showed high remaining capacity across all setups, with measured capacities of 1.199 Ah (99.9% SOH) without BMS, 1.255 Ah (100% SOH) with BMS-40A-4S-E, and 1.241 Ah (100% SOH) with HXYP-C47-MA18. Thermal testing revealed safe operating temperatures, peaking at 35 °C during 1.5C discharge. All configurations reached full charge within 67–69 minutes and managed to power a 28 W load for up to 40 minutes. Voltage uniformity, low thermal rise, and stable discharge curves confirm the feasibility of repurposing vape cells into reliable battery packs. While all setups demonstrated acceptable short-term performance, the inclusion of a proper BMS remains essential to ensure safety, protect against overcharge/discharge, and prolong pack lifespan for long-term usage.

References

[1] Whittingham, M. S. History, evolution, and future status of energy storage. Proceedings of the IEEE, May (2012) pp.1518–1534.

[2] Winter, M., Barnett, B., Xu, K. Before li ion batteries. American Chemical Society (2018).

[3] Li, M., Lu, J., Chen, Z., Amine, K. 30 years of lithium-ion batteries. Wiley-VCH Verlag (2018).

[4] Deng, D. Li-ion batteries: Basics, progress, and challenges. John Wiley and Sons Ltd (2015).

[5] Gausden, A., Cerik, B. C. Single-use vape batteries: Investigating their potential as ignition sources in waste and recycling streams. Batteries, vol 10, issue 7 (2024).

[6] Montes, T., et al. Procedure for assessing the suitability of battery second life applications after EV first life. Batteries, vol 8, issue 9 (2022).

[7] Hu, X., et al. A review of second-life lithium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage applications. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (2022).

[8] Salek, F., et al. A review of the technical challenges and solutions in maximizing the potential use of second life batteries from electric vehicles. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), vol 10, issue 3 (2024).

[9] Illa Font, C. H., et al. Second life of lithium-ion batteries of electric vehicles: A short review and perspectives. Energies (Basel), vol 16, issue 2 (2023).

[10] Patel, A. N., et al. Lithium-ion battery second life: pathways, challenges and outlook. Frontiers Media SA (2024).

[11] Kamath, D., Arsenault, R., Kim, H. C., Anctil, A. Economic and environmental feasibility of second-life lithium-ion batteries as fast-charging energy storage. Environ Sci Technol, vol 54, issue 11 (2020) pp.6878–6887.

[12] Sarker, M. T., Al Qwaid, M., Ramasamy, G., Haram, M. H. S. M. Performance evaluation of second-life EV batteries for off-grid solar energy storage system. IEEE Access, vol 13 (2025) pp.148365–148373.

[13] White, C., Thompson, B., Swan, L. G. Comparative performance study of electric vehicle batteries repurposed for electricity grid energy arbitrage. Appl Energy, vol 288 (2021).

[14] Lieskoski, S., Tuuf, J., Björklund-Sänkiaho, M. Techno-economic analysis of the business potential of second-life batteries in Ostrobothnia, Finland. Batteries, vol 10, issue 1 (2024).

[15] Ghazali, A. K., Aziz, N. A. A., Hassan, M. K. Advanced algorithms in battery management systems for electric vehicles: A comprehensive review. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), vol 17, issue 3 (2025).

[16] Kurkin, A., et al. Battery management system for electric vehicles: Comprehensive review of circuitry configuration and algorithms. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), vol 16, issue 8 (2025).

[17] Bashir, H., et al. A review of battery management system and modern state estimation approaches in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicle. 2022 5th International Conference on Energy Conservation and Efficiency, ICECE 2022 - Proceedings (2022).

[18] Duan, S., Xia, K., Li, J., Zhao, Z., Liu, H. Optimization charging method of lithium-ion battery based on multi-2-objective BBO algorithm. (2024).

[19] Braco, E., San Martín, I., Sanchis, P., Ursúa, A., Stroe, D. I. State of health estimation of second-life lithium-ion batteries under real profile operation. Appl Energy, vol 326 (2022).

[20] Gulsoy, B., Vincent, T. A., Sansom, J. E. H., Marco, J. In-situ temperature monitoring of a lithium-ion battery using an embedded thermocouple for smart battery applications. J Energy Storage, vol 54 (2022).