How To Recharge Dead Batteries

How To Make Cordless Drill To Crank Charger
See how you can use a cordless drill as a crank charger to recharge batteries, even alkalines!

Step 1: A Clever Idea
It's the holiday season and everybody knows what that means: lots of dead batteries. But, don't throw them out, recharge them. Here's how. A cordless drill can also be used as a generator.
Connecting the battery leads inside to a volt meter, and simply turning it, will show this.

Step 2: Obtain The Parts
All we need now is a voltage regulator. You'll find the perfect part inside a cheap, outdoor solar-powered garden lamp.
The battery holder inside has a circuit board attached, which charges the battery from the solar panel. This is exactly what we need.
The rest of the parts cost about $3.00 total, and include a C and D cell holder, some alligator clips, and a length of wire.

Step 3: Attach The Wire To The Circuit Board
Although I prefer to sauter them, you can attach the alligator clips by stripping about a quarter-inch of wire, and using a pair of pliers to firmly clamp them into place. Now, attach or sauter the other end of the wires to the red and black leads on the circuit board.

Step 4: Make The Hand Crank
I made a hand crank from bending a metal bar that attaches to the drill just like a regular bit. Now, the cordless drill will work just like a hand crank generator. Attach the alligator clips to the battery post and we're ready for testing.

Step 5: Test The Machine
Let's start with a completely dead NiCad battery. With only 30 seconds of cranking, it's already holding a charge.
But, what about non-rechargeable batteries? Here's a dead AA Alkaline battery. It only takes 10 cranks to bring this back to life.
For the final test, I took two D cell batteries and charged them for about 30 seconds each, then put them inside my two-cell MagLite flashlight. They lasted well over half an hour before needing another charge, which is a lot better than just throwing them out and buying new ones.
Have fun and thanks for watching!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Drill
• batteries
• charger
• crank
• howto
• volt
• meter
• voltage
• cell
• circuit
• wire
• recharge
• dead
• battery
• AA
• AAA
• electricity

[ramsessilent]

Really the point of a hand crank is you don't need to plug it in . i was just with out power for a week after last snow storm. that being said all motors can be used for this application provided thy are big enough to produce the charge needed. this was just a real easy and clear way to show how it can be done if needed. and the charge regulator from the solar lamp is brilliant i doubt you could build one from radio shack for less then the 3 bucks one of those lights cost.

[Gtiddy]

this is a free method sounds cool, you would be paying to charge your batteries from your wall

[steveeee85]

thanks for this trick,cool video

[bassem650]

ok nice

[sexypoetry]

@ramsessilent ....did you know that this method is also used for composing the songs currently on charts? .....i seek pole shift survival group

[narutojose2]

Yeah cuz i got a solar power lamp in my APARTMENT

[izwandy1994]

Nice!!! Gotta LOVE the Dead Batteries XD

[Laurencia7]

u should sell a kit to people, and make several on how to recycle their batteries.

[gothmaniow]

awesome!! gonna try out this !! "watch this space"

[melisantika]

Nice Video That You Share , So Very Nice Thanks You See how you can use a cordless drill as a crank charger to recharge batteries, even alkalines

[Onepissite]

I Really Like The Video From Your See how you can use a cordless drill as a crank charger to recharge batteries, even alkalines!