Most people throw old laptop batteries away or leave them in a drawer. Since 2016, one man has been collecting them by the hundreds. Today, more than 1,000 of them sit in a shed near his house, and according to reports on his project, they help power his entire home.
In short
- A DIY enthusiast known online as Glubux started his project in November 2016.
- He began with around 650 used laptop batteries and now has more than 1,000.
- They’re charged by solar panels and stored in a shed about 50 meters from the house.
- After eight years, there have been no reports of fires or swollen batteries.
How it started
In November 2016, Glubux began documenting his project on the Second Life Storage forum. “I already produce a part of the electricity that I need,” he wrote at the time, as Interesting Engineering reported. His setup then: 1.4 kW of solar panels on the roof, an old 24V forklift battery, and around 650 laptop batteries.
His project became one of the best-known examples of what DIY enthusiasts call a “powerwall”: a home battery bank built from recycled cells rather than bought new. The principle: laptop batteries contain individual lithium-ion cells. Many still work when the battery pack is thrown out, because only a few cells have failed. He tested them, discarded the weak ones and grouped the rest into blocks of about 100Ah.
From 650 to more than 1,000
The system grew over the years. According to Interesting Engineering, he added 24 more solar panels rated at 440 W each, and the storage capacity went from 7 kWh to 56 kWh. The cells, now more than 1,000 of them, are kept in a dedicated shed about 50 meters (164 feet) from the house, with the charge controllers and inverters. TechSpot added that not a single laptop battery cell had needed replacing, according to the reports on his project. The system runs at 24V and feeds a 3 kVA converter.
Eight years without a fire
That’s the most surprising part. After eight years of operation, TechSpot noted that there were “no reports of fire hazards or swollen battery issues.” Glubux “claims he can power his entire house from it, including the washing machine.”
Why it speaks to so many people
With energy bills climbing every winter, the idea of reusing what others throw away is appealing. It’s the same logic behind many simpler ways to save, like choosing the cooktop that uses the least electricity or finding the right thermostat setting.
The limit
This is not a project to copy at home without serious electrical knowledge. Lithium-ion cells can overheat, swell or catch fire if they’re damaged, badly matched or poorly managed, which is precisely why he keeps them in a separate shed. His setup also relies on years of testing, solar panels and space most homes don’t have. For most people, the safe move with old laptop batteries is to drop them at a battery recycling point.
That’s the story.
