Making dummy AA & AAA batteries.

[X-CalBR8]

I'm curious to hear other people's ideas on making AA and AAA dummy cells for a LED conversion that I'm working on. I have a few ideas in mind, but since taking a 4 battery light and converting it to a 3 battery light, has been a LED flashlight issue for so long, I just figured that there would be much better ideas floating around out there than mine. I've read that PVC pipe could be used to make a D sized dummy cell, but would this work well for AA and AAA? Do they make a PVC pipe that is just the right size for that? All ideas are welcome.

 

[Chris M.]

Here`s an idea for AAA and AA cells.

Find some wooden dowel rod in your local hardware store that is the same diameter as the battery. Cut it to the same length as the battery, wrap it in tin foil and presto- instant dummy cell. A more elagent solution instead of using tin foil (which could cause problems shorting to the side of the flashlight body, or getting stuck inside if it got bunched up), would be to drill out the core of the cut length of dowel in a drill press (or probably it can be done carefully by hand) and insert a long piece of wire, cut it flush with the wood and push a small thumb-tack in each end. That would be a better way I reckon. Still cheap and quick-ish too.

 

[X-CalBR8]

Thanks for the neat idea Chris. I like the idea of the wooden dowel a lot. I think something else cool to try would be to put a long machine screw through the middle of the dowel and that way it would work best for flashlights with metal bodies. I just hope I can find a drill bit long enough without having to buy one. Wish I had a drill press.

I also tried to find a place that sold dummy cells thinking that this would be something that enough people would be interested in to find some, but to my dismay, I only found one place so far and they want $2.00 + shipping per cell! I could buy a Lithium AA for less than that price, so I think I will just make my own using the dowel idea.

Thanks again for the cool tip.

 

[KenBar]

I take half a wooden clothes pin, a paper clip, and self healing electrical tape. I cut the colthes pin the exact size. Then form the clothes pin so contacts line up properly. I also have used a resistor in place of the clothes pin when I needed it. Then wrap it with the rubber self sticking tape the right diameter. It makes kind of a funky dumbell looking thing that has worked fine for me. Is this sort of what you were after. I also use pvc all the time for stuff.

 

[Badbeams3]

If there is enough slop in your light...I just use a AA bat...put a piece of tape on both ends so it won`t short and wrap foil around the batt...super fast...sort of sad, but it works great.

 

[sflate]

Here is how I did it. I went to Sears Hardware (any hardware will do) and found that they sell little nylon spacers in different lengths and diameters that are hollow. They are usually by the nuts & bolts that they sell individually from boxes, not bulk packed. If you can't find the correct length, stack up several making sure to keep it just a hair shorter than needed. Then I put a 6-32 round head screw through the spacer and put a nut on the end. Cut the bolt to length and it acts as the conductor.

 

[X-CalBR8]

sflate: Hmm... Now there's an idea that I've not heard of before. I'll have to check into that the next time I make it to Sears. BTW, do those spacers come in the diameter of an AA or AAA battery?

 

[Brock]

I just looked at some of those spacers I have and they are very close to an AAA cell, but I remember them comming in a lot of differnt sizes. That is a great idea. I have some that are ceramic and some that are hard rubber material.

 

[Coherence]

Speaking of dummy cells, anyone make a 123A dummy? You could put an E1 lamp module into an E2 and have a 15 lumen light.

Maybe you could rebuild the components of the Brinkman LED circuit into the 123A dummy. Build a lamp module similar to Brad's LED conversion that has three contacts on the bottom: negative battery power, and 2 for the LED.

You would have a bright, almost indestructable LED light without wasting juice on a resistor.

 

[Brock]

Ok, I didn't make them but I have the Surefire 123 spacers. It is just a blank 123, but looks really nice

I got them to run 3 cell and 2 cell lamps from my 12PM. I beleive the part number is Z-20?

 

[Coherence]

Brock, would those Surefire spacers happen to be hollow and you can get access to the inside?

Also just remembered that I have some AA dummies, got them from Radio Shack when I bought a walkie-talkie that could run on NiCad or alkaline. Might look around there for anyone that doesn't want to make their own.

 

[DavidW]

You can get AA dummy cells at Inner Mountain Outfitters. Go to www.caves.org and follow the IMO links. It's in the bulb section of the online catalog.

I've seen D Cell dummies also. I'll see if I can find the website again.

I've never heard of AAA or C dummy cells. That doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

[vcal]

Holly Solar co. (in Calif). also provides "dummy" AA size spacers for adapting their PLW-3 from white LED to their green or red modules-which they sell separately.I don't have their web address though......

 

[DavidW]

http://www.hollysolar.com/ledflash.htm

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Copper tubing is another option. I haven't tried it yet, but should work fine.

For AA's, 1/2", for AAA's, 3/8". Both these are common diameters of tubing. Most hardware type stores sell it by the foot. Be sure to get flexible copper, not the rigid stuff.

Cut it about a 1/8" longer than a battery. Take one end and cut 2 slots an 1/8" deep. Make them at 90 degrees to each other to make 4 short tabs. Bend these over to make the diameter smaller at one end. Tap with a hammer to form the "negative" end of your dummy battery.

Cut slots a little deeper for the "positive" end. Maybe 1/4" or so. Bend the 4 created tabs in to join in a point.

I'll try to get a pic soon.

 

[napalm-2002]

ive made some AA dummmies out of standard semi-rigid plastic tubing sold i 4 foot lengths at lowe's.i worked great.but the best part is its hollow so your sat cure kit will fit in there.its a tite squeeze but it will fit.

 

[lightlover]

I bought one of these lately – green transparent plastic, not the sturdiest bit of kit, but it works – an AAA fits closely into an AA case, then that all fits into a C size case. To upsize that into a D, the whole C thing fits into the D size outer shell, with a light spring to ensure contact.

QUOTE from website –
....... need a battery, it always turns out that you don't have the correct size, especially in an emergency....... From AAA to D Cell, the Upsizer allows you to insert a smaller battery into a shell to upsize....... example, place an AA into a C Cell, which can then be upsized to a D Cell ......... battery life will be shortened when up sizing......
/QUOTE
http://www.gadgetshop.com/

BATTERY UPSIZER - £1.95
Product Code:10538

must be available somewhere in the States

Jahn

 

[X-CalBR8]

I've found the best, cheapest and most reliable way so far (that I know of) to make a dummy AAA cell. I was at my local Auto Zone and found what is called Posi-Lock connectors for 12-18 gauge wire. Well, the more I looked at them, the more they looked like AAA batteries to me, so I got the idea to screw a #6 machine screw into either end then took my trusty Dremel tool (gotta love these things) and cut the bolts on either end to exactly the correct length and there you have it. It fits perfectly into a AAA DoubleBarrel flashlight and is plastic on the outside so that it doesn't contact with the sides. To think that Radio Shack wants $4.00 apiece for their dummy batteries and they can only even get them in AA size and not AAA! These Posi-Lock connectors cost under a dollar apiece and with the cost of the machine screws bring the total cost to about $1.00 even apiece. If anyone else gets a chance to give this method a try, let us know what you think versus other methods of making dummy AAA batteries that you may have tried.