I connected a AA cell to a “Pigeons Nest” flasher more than a year ago, and used it as a trip hazard marker when it’s dark. The cell was a Kirkland brand from Costco. This had been running up until the end of August, even though I had noticed some ‘hair’ building up on one
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I was out walking and saw three AAA cells in the street. All three had been run over by cars, possibly several times; most likely someone discarded them when their camera or whatever had said the batteries were too low. I picked them up and brought them home, and put them to good use at
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I made another battery holder just a block of wood with a screw to tighten against the AA cell. This screw tightens up against the negative end. The positive end just rests against the wood. I plan on putting the wire between the wood and the positive and tightening the screw to hold it there
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I had fairly good success with the Zinc Air (sort of) battery, so I decided to make something using pennies. Prior to 1981, the U.S. pennies were made of solid copper, but 1981 and after the pennies have been made with zinc and a copper coating. I got six pennies, three of the solid copper
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I saw a Youtube video on how to make a zinc-air battery using a zinc electrode and a piece of steel wool for the other electrode. The zinc reacts with the air and electrolyte (potassium hydroxide or KOH) and the steel wool does not, it serves as the conductor. I ordered some KOH online from
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The coin cells are insanely priced. I get five of them on a card from the dollar store for a dollar or $1.50, I forget which. Then I walk into Radio Shaft and I see them for something like $4 apiece! I hardly ever go into Radio Shack any more. About the only thing I
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In late 2000 I bought a digital camera which was demanding of the AA cells, and it used quite a few. I decided to convert to NiMH rechargeable cells. That saved me a good bit of money, but at that time I hadn’t begun experimenting with Joule Thief circuits. This means that I really never
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I think I wrote about this circuit in my late Watsonseblog. This circuit is essentially a Joule Thief with an added transistor to regulate the output – somewhat. It doesn’t have very good regulation because the 6.8k is a resistor (see Note). If this resistor is changed to a Zener diode then it regulates much
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