The latest “take part one battery to yield many more smaller batteries” trick is up on Lifehacker, showing how to get 32 AA batteries from a single 6-volt lantern cell. What I’m wondering is how much charge is in each of those batteries compared to a brand name AA cell like Duracell. If anyone gives this a shot—be careful!—and wants to throw a voltmeter on some of the AAs, that would be swell. [Lifehacker]
Extract 32 AA Batteries from 1 Six-Volt Lantern Battery
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Ok, so I really want to try this, but am I going to get a face-full of acid? Has anyone actually tried this?
Thanks to Google, it looks like running the numbers on this can be kept in the realm of Gedanken Experiments, which means I don’t need to get off my fat ass.
According to Energizer’s data sheet, firstly, it’s pretty clear that 32 AA batteries will fit neatly into a lantern battery (the ANSI 915A or 908A), so it’s unlikely to be a hoax, as has been mooted elsewhere. Secondly, the relative capacities show that alkaline lantern battery AAs hold roughly a third of the charge of regular alkaline AAs. Obviously the numbers might be different for other brands, but I bet it’s not by much.
showing how to get 32 AA batteries from a single 6-volt lantern cell.
Of course, it’s actually 32 AA cells from a single 6-volt lantern battery. Normally I wouldn’t be a pedant about the distinction, but in this case it’s actually significant
Ha. I guess you’re right, Anonymous! I tend to use “cell” and “battery” interchangeably, which is sloppy. Informed!
Note that the lantern battery was a ‘Heavy Duty’ battery. This is not the same battery chemistry as ‘Alkaline’ batteries. ‘Heavy Duty’ batteries are usually zinc chloride, which was cutting edge somewhere around 1960.
You’ll find that an alkaline lantern battery will run you about 10 bucks. Still not bad for 32 AAs.
If those cells are bare, watch those metal sides, the plastic coating on consumer batteries isn’t there just to look pretty. If jam them all together all you’ll have is a small hot plate.
Save the environment and buy some rechargables!
i was inspired by this video (and a young toddler who’s toys virtually eat AA batteries) and tried it. I purchased an Eveready branded battery (it was cheap – about $4). upon opening, i discovered four long batteries about the diameter of a D battery. i guess i’ll have to try another brand, apparently Energizer.
Batteries have always been made that way, but usually they are not the pretty sort of cells seen in the example. Most often they are made specifically to be packed in a lantern battery and won’t fit well in another device. It depends on the brand.
upon opening, i discovered four long batteries about the diameter of a D battery.
Those are “F” sized cells. I think you’ll find that all alkaline lantern batteries contain them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some carbon-zinc (“super heavy duty”) lantern batteries had F cells inside them as well.
@#6: Apparently you can use those to make an arc carbon lamp.
Upon opening a Duracell six volt, four D cells were found. No bargain there.
Like the guy above said, invest in rechargeables. Depending on the brand, range of sizes, and chemical composition of the batteries, you’re looking at between a $25-$60 initial outlay for a kit that will keep you from sending spent corrosive trash into landfills for years.
This video is fake. This is a 6v Walgreen’s battery with the label obscured. I bought the same one last night to test this out despite the video seeming a bit weird. Please add a note to the original post that this is not a possible hack. http://www.flickr.com/photos/58088303@N00/1427218268/in/photostream/
Ditto what The.Arctic said (and the folks on Snopes’ message board, et al) — the video is a fake.
Last time I checked, common household batteries from AAA to D are 1.5 volt each.
32 AA’s would yield a 48 volt lantern battery not 6v. Go figure.
except that in circuits, the total voltage depends not only on the number of cells but the arrangement. many of the cells are in parallel to provide longer life (thats what is different between aa-d bateries, the power inside)
I bought an Energizer 6v alkaline lantern battery for $8 and took it apart. As someone else said there were four oblong cells, not a bunch of AA.
EverReady 6V has the same type of plastic case as one in Vid. It is sealed at the top (solid molded). Had to cut it apart with a cutting wheel on a Dremel tool. Inside were four long batts, not 32 AAs. So…
Confirmed as of about 3 minutes ago. Energizer battery has 4 of those goofy looking D cell type batteries.
Now, what can I do with those?
> Now, what can I do with those?
Get a lantern
“Last time I checked, common household batteries from AAA to D are 1.5 volt each.
32 AA’s would yield a 48 volt lantern battery not 6v. Go figure.”
Not necessarily. Four 1.5V batteries in series gives you 6v, and 8 parallel groups of 4 batteries in series gives you 6V with 32 batteries.
Check again.
This is BS simply for the fact it makes no sense from a manufacturing standpoint to put 32 separate batteries in a case when the same thing can be achieved easier and more cost effectively with larger cells.
A stack of two AA batteries is slightly taller than the casing of a 6V lantern battery. The 32 AAs will not fit inside.
Just buy some regular AAs ya fucking cheapskates
I know for a fact that these are filled with four D-cell batteries. I took one apart when I was a kid. And today I just took apart a Duracell 6 volt and there are four Duracell “D” batteries inside with a cardboard spacer on the bottom. Perhaps off brands use AA but I have not seen one. At any rate, you will not find one that is a single cell filled with acid.
This is a scam.. go to snopes.com and you will see
WRONG… if you try the exact one from the video, the ‘Walgreens Heavy Duty’ battery, it is filled with random batteries, including many AAs.