From Power Bar to Power Bank

This Instructable shows you how to transform my favorite power bar (Toblerone) to a power bank.

My chocolate consumption is huge therefore I have always packages of chocolate bars lying around, inspiring me to do something creative.

So, I ended up with the solution having two independent power banks in a Toblerone chocolate envelope…… and if the envelope is not looking nice anymore I have a good excuse to eat another one just to replace the envelope of my power bank (smile).

The design of the project is totally simple. Since I was not motivated to solder anything I bought a complete Power Bank DIY Kit for one battery. These kits come without any battery but include all the electronics that you need and are totally cheap. The case has to be round so that it finds enough space in the corresponding chocolate bar envelope that you are planning to use (the rectangular DIY Kits are too big for Toblerone). So, in fact you can just dismantle the power bank kit, include the battery and then place it in a triangular Styrofoam form that is enforced with tape.

Power bank: I found cheap ones (less than 2$) at AliExpress under “Metal Power Bank DIY Kit Storage Case Box”. These cases are designed for one 18650 battery only.

Battery: You can order 18650 Lithium Ion Battery 3.7 v 2900mAh at AliExpress for about 6$ per piece. The cheap alternative is to use salvaged cells from an old laptop.

Additional parts and tools:

· Chocolate bar envelope

· Styrofoam block: Size should be at least 3x3cm or 1,18x1,18inch. The length is according to your power bank

· Soda can to prepare the tool.

· Tape to stabilize the Styrofoam

· Knife & Sissors

Cut the Styrofoam piece to a rectangular shape with a knife. It should be 3x3cm (1,18x1,18inch). The length has to be chosen according to your power bank. Then mark the center of one side of the Styrofoam block and cut from there to the other edges to get a triangular form (see video).

The form is a little bit to big for the Toblerone, but when you cover the Styrofoam block with tape it is reduced to the exact size to fit the chocolate package. It is important to cover the entire block with tape. This will provide the required stability later on.

Now we have to make a hole in the Styrofoam block so we can place the dismantled power bank part inside. To do so we need to prepare a little tool made out of aluminum foil. Take a soda can and cut out a piece. Roll this piece to form a pipe. In order to find the right size, you just place it into the cover of the empty power bank. Then carefully pull out the aluminum pipe from the power bank cover and fix it with tape. The sharp edges of the aluminum roll will easily cut through the Styrofoam.

Place your cutting tool in the middle of the Styrofoam block. Start turning the roll to both sides by applying a little bit of pressure. You immediately feel how the aluminum roll will find the way through the Styrofoam.

Now you can add the battery into the power bank and insert the package into the Styrofoam block. Place the block in the Toblerone envelope and you have your personal individual power bank. In case you want to have two independent power banks just use two. They will fit in one Toblerone.