32 AA size batteries from one 6-volt Lantern Battery

[lctorana]

The logic of these is the same as those 1AA carriers - they might get you out of a hole, but as F cells have nearly double the size of equivalent D cells at equal or less cost, you wouldn't use the carrier if you have access to a proper 4F lantern battery.

 

[Illum]

Did anyone notice that all the cells had no dielectric coating of any kind? The batteries would short out on themselves if not connected in parallel that is a complete BS video. Just so you know.

they might have a very light coat on that matter....the F cells are essentially naked too

 

[lctorana]

I've dismantled heaps of these things, and I've yet to strike a coating.

The F cells I have encountered have either a cardboard sleeve, which resembles a toilet roll in miniature, or the casing has plastic divisions built in, leaving the cells naked but separated.

 

[ampdude]

I have yet to see the ones with stacked cells:candle:
they aren't universal button cells are they?

I took apart a Fuji 9V that had stacked cells.


When I buy lantern batteries for my 6V lantern lights, I try to buy the alkaline ones with F cells. I'll only buy the carbon zinc ones if they are really, really cheap, like $1.99 or less. Some of the 6V lantern batteries, alkaline & carbon zinc, do come with 4 D cells inside, so you have to watch what you buy.

 

[lctorana]

Some of the 6V lantern batteries, alkaline & carbon zinc, do come with 4 D cells inside, so you have to watch what you buy.

I've heard of this of course, quite often. Maybe Australia is different, and maybe it varies from batch to batch, but I have yet to strike this.

As a service to CPF members, could we start posting which brands and battery model nos contain D cells?

For zinc-carbon, this is more of an issue than you might think, as a HD F -cell has over 10 Ah capacity, and can last anything up to 10 years! The equivalent D cell

 

[lctorana]

Some of the 6V lantern batteries, alkaline & carbon zinc, do come with 4 D cells inside, so you have to watch what you buy.

I've heard of this of course, quite often. Maybe Australia is different, and maybe it varies from batch to batch, but I have yet to strike this. I have dismantled Eveready, Acme, Panasonic and Mallory in recent years.

As a service to CPF members, could we start posting which brands and battery model no's contain D cells?

For Zinc-Carbon cells, this is more of an issue than you might think. For example, a heavy-duty F cell has over 10 Ah capacity, and can give anything up to 10 years' service! The equivalent D cell would be lucky to give you half that.

 

[Fallingwater]

Weird, I haven't seen lantern batteries on sale around here. Electronics shops probably carry them, but I doubt they'll be as cheap as $2 a pop.
Too bad, I could use some F cells. One could probably power a wall clock for a decade

 

[Norm]

They are usually on sale at the bigger hardware shops here , Bunnings etc.. You can often pick up a lantern and two batteries for about A$10.
Norm

 

[lctorana]

And all supermarkets.

 

[lctorana]

...F cells. One could probably power a wall clock for a decade

Easily - I'd almost guarantee it!

 

[Illum]

Yep. Though the stack was pretty well bonded together, I don't think there was a good way to extract an individual cell from the stack. Probably no good reason to disassemble it.

well, since no one bothered to put up pics on the 6xF22 9V, heres an disassembly of a "golden power heavy duty"
I um....left my pak-lite on in my backpack for I think the entire day, when I found it it was basically a dim glow from the LEDs.....the cells ruptured and if I was going to disassemble further its going to be an acidic mess.

notice the "bubbles" inside the sealed cell assembly?

the contacts are spiked and only contact the cell at limited points, so no stable contacts there

acid on bottom contact

 

[parnass]

As featured on LifeHacker:

http://lifehacker.com/software/how-to/get-32-aa-batteries-from-a-single-6-volt-battery-301237.php

Debunked on snopes.com.

 

[ampdude]

I picked up another lantern light for $3.50 at Walmart last week for my truck since I gave the one I had in there away.

I would like to get one of those 4D to lantern size adapters if I see one in the store someday. As mentioned above, it may not be as bright or as long running as a lantern battery with F cells, but will get you out of a bind if you have D cells laying around like I normally do. Hey, a 4D Maglite still runs a looooong time. :candle:

 

[Exide]

I have hacked old batteries to rebuild them for my radios, The PP9 contains tablet or as there known over here layer cells. I took apart a Cegasa pp9 an it had six u10 round cells in series at 1.5V each, the same for the 3r12, i have an Ever Ready wallite that uses U10s an if you need them just hack apart a £r12 four half volt battery, there are three in series inside. The zinc carbon pp3 has layer cells but alkaline has six small round cells inside, All old HT batteries will have tablet or layer cells in but the real old ones have round U10s in. LT radio batteries are always zinc rounds in. Now for the lantern batteries, i have hacked many apart to use the old casings for a rebuild for my old lamps, these contain four large round cells in series everytime but i hacked a air alkaline lantern battery an it had four tray cells in with metal covers, the plastic trays had the manganease dioxide mixed with potassium hydroxide as the electrolite, the manganease is that black powder stuff. daft as it sounds i did rebuild a lantern battery with 32 AA cells four wired in series the same with the other four then joined the lot in para, i did the same for the other three chambers that this battery has, it was a tight fit an very labour intensive, No company who makes batteries would do this as the expence is to much an a lantern battery made this way would cost alot. I also hacked apart an Ever Ready four half volt 481 cell to rebuild, it was a 1960s one an had 12 D cells inside, four rows of three, each three wired in series then the lot joined in para to make it last longer, My pics are on here. When i first heard about the lantern battery hack i did not believe it but some did an a few went out an baught these batteries in the hope of finding 32 AAs. You can put those F cells to good use though, you can use them in your old bike lamps that use a twin cell battery thats no longer made, make sure you insulate the cells and be very clever with a solder iron an be patient when adding those strip terminals.