Ash gaum

Arduino scheme for One Device
Power bank from SUV Li-Ion batetries
Happy soldier with another our power bank

Our idea is to solve problem of single-use vapes (non-chargeable, based on Li-ion battery) disposal. Although, they often are marked as “recyclable”, it’s not true – collected SUVs are stored until someone finds solution.

Our solution is to give Li-ion battery chance for second life. We are making power banks by assembling bunch of batteries. Then we send them to Ukraine to help people there rub through blackouts and solve energy storage problems on battlefield.

So here we have several issues to solve:

issue – sorting. If we have high number of SUVs (10k+), we need to somehow automatically sort them. Commonly, there are several (2-3) form-factors of SUVs with different battery type inside (capacity depends on SUV form). One possible solve is to make sort of AI-controlled plunger which pushes defined SUV out of line, while others go further. It could be optical (from camera).
issue – capacity control. Every battery retrieved from SUV has its own charge, unknown -here is the problem of making chain of batteries. Then battery needs to be tested and charged independently from others. The one possibility to overcome this problem – one device named “battery cycler” with 8+ channels. However, price of this device is beyond the pale. Our idea to make cheap open-source cycler. One Device to set them all, One Device to test them, One Device to bring them all and in the darkness charge them.

The One Device (Ash gaum) plans to be easy-to-made to everyone, even newbie in electronics. Utilizing Arduino controller we manage charge-discharge cycles and measurement of voltage and current of connected battery. Relay switch allows us to switch to charge or discharge mode. If we use 12V PSU, DC/DC step-down converter can be attached to One Device. In addition, One Device could be used for solar panel testing.

There are few applications for the One Device - first of all, testing and charging multiple Li-ion batteries retrieved from SUV; and second - for educational purposes to teach school student electronics and battery sciences. So everyone can make their own battery cycler and test batteries.