Rechargeable AA batteries are an increasingly common product and are useful for someone who uses a lot of batteries in such devices as portable audio players, cameras, flashlights and battery-powered toys. Here's a design for a battery charger that can be made out of simple materials and only costs a few dollars in parts. You can use it to charge your AA batteries or nearly any other type or rechargeable battery as well.
Instructions
1. Cut three lengths of wire. Cut two pieces that are six inches long, and one single piece that is 10 inches long. Once you've cut the wire to length, strip the insulation from the ends of the wire so that each end of each wire has about one to one and a half inches of bare wire exposed.
2. Take the wire lead from the silicon diode (See "Resources" below) and wrap it around one of the screw connections on the bottom of the light bulb base. Tighten the screw connection with a screwdriver. Take one of the 6-inch wires and wrap one of the bare ends around the second wire lead of the diode. Wrap electrical tape around the joint.
3. Twist together the bare end of the other 6-inch wire to one of the leads of the electric plug. Cover the joint with electrical tape. Wrap the other end of the 6-inch wire to the second screw connector on the bottom of the light bulb base and tighten with a screwdriver.
4. Twist together an end of the 10-inch wire and the other lead of the plug. Wrap the joint with electrical tape to cover the bare wires.
5. Put the light bulb base onto the piece of wood and fasten down with wood screws. Screw a 60-watt bulb into the light bulb base.
6. To charge your AA battery, tape the two bare wires of the charger onto the battery's ends -- one to the negative, and one to the positive. This should be the wire connected to the light bulb, not the electrical plug. Plug the charger's electrical plug into a wall socket. The charger works slowly, so allow it to operate for two to four hours and then check the charge of your battery by putting it in your device and testing it.
Tags: light bulb, bulb base, light bulb base, charge your, electrical tape