diy 03 batteries

8/2/2019 Diy 03 Batteries

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Build Your Own Batteries


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Table of contents

Why should you build your own batteries...........................................................3

Storing electricity.........................................................................................................4

Types of batteries.........................................................................................................6

Battery parameters....................................................................................................12

Safety and maintenance...........................................................................................17

How to build your own batteries..........................................................................18

Deep cycle Battery contruction.............................................................................18

Water Cell Batteries..................................................................................................20

Aluminum Can Batteries / Cells..23

PVC Pipe Batteries27


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Why should you build your own batteries?

What if tomorrow morning

you wake up, you grab your

camera or phone or try to

turn on your laptop

computer and realize, uh, oh,

its not working? Well, think

BATTERY! It turns out your

battery either needs replaced

or recharged.

Thats when we are really,

really grateful for batteries

and how accessible they are

and how convenient they make our lives.

Every device we use would have a shorter life if we didnt have

batteries. We depend on them daily and we just couldnt imagine life

without them. And here comes the ugly part: when we need to

replace them, its not very pleasant. Batteries are not cheap and they

are not easy to find. But not to worry!

We are here to help you!

As you are about to see in this book, building your own batteries is

quite easy and most importantly, it will keep money in your pocket.It is our goal to give you all the useful information gathered by our

experts to make sure you spend your money wisely. So, THANK YOU

for putting your trust in our efforts and rest assured, because you

wont be disappointed!


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Storing Electricity

We will start by explaining how batteries work.

The simplest definition of energy is the one according to whichenergy is a particular property of objects and systems that is

described as conservable scalar physical quantity. Energy is widely

found in nature in a variety of forms.

Thus, according to several criteria, we deal with potential and

kinetic energy, thermal and magnetic energy, nuclear and chemical

energy, magnetic and mass energy and, most importantly for people

as consumers of energy, we also talk about electric energy.

This list of forms of energy is far from being complete. However, the

point is that electricity is a form of energy and, as any other form of

energy, it can be converted into a different form, and it can be

obtained, as a result of transformation, from a different form of

energy, virtually without loss of energy, according to the law of

conservation of energy.

In order to transform one form of energy into another, certain

devices are necessary. For instance, in order to produce energy from

water, a dam is needed. Dams turn gravitational potential energy of

moving water into kinetic energy, and by means of an electric

generator, this kinetic energy is turned into electric energy.

A similar process is implied by the generation of electricity from

wind power, except that in this case water is replaced by wind, and

instead of dams we deal with wind turbines.


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Batteries, at their turn, are able to turn chemical energy into

electricity. But unlike dams or wind turbines, batteries have the

advantage of being designed also to store energy in the form of

electrochemical energy. Storing electricity is, indeed, an issue,particularly with respect to renewable power systems that rely on

somewhat elusive sources of energy, such as the sun or the wind.

These intermittent sources of energy are subject to weather

conditions and, as a consequence, people, as consumers of

electricity, are also subject to such an environmental aspect.

The thing is that when it comes to renewable power systems, we canbenefit from peak periods, when the amount of electricity produced

is higher than the amount we actually need in order to be able to use

the appliances commonly found in any home. The rest of the energy

generated by such systems is to be lost, unless devices for storing

that excess of electricity are available.

Batteries are excellent for storing additional electricity that can not

be consumed as it is produced. This is why batteries should be

comprised in renewable power systems, in order to increase the

load availability. If we decide to employ batteries in order to store

energy within a large range of applications, we may either choose a

primary battery or a rechargeable battery, also referred to as

secondary battery.

The difference between these types of battery is that with primarybatteries, which are able to turn chemical energy into electricity by

means of an electrochemical reaction, this electrochemical reaction

is not reversible, meaning that after the battery is discharged, it can

no longer be used.


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With rechargeable batteries, the electrochemical reaction by which

chemical energy is converted into electricity is reversible, meaning

that at its turn, electrical energy direct current from an exterior

source can be converted into chemical energy within the battery. Atthis moment, the battery is in the charge mode.

Storage of electrochemical energy within the battery

Types of Batteries

According to the electrochemical process inside the battery, we

distinguish between lead-acid batteries, nickel-cadmium and nickel-

metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries,

and zinc-air batteries.

Each type of battery has its own advantages. For instance, lithium-ion batteries have the highest level of cell voltage 3.4 but despite

this level of efficiency, they are not the most widely used.


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On the contrary, lead-acid batteries are the most popular due to a

particular feature, that is, they are less expensive than any other

type, but for that price they prove a high performance all the same.

The main drawback lead-acid batteries have the lowest level ofenergy density as compared to weight and volume.

While the battery releases electric energy that is, when it is in the

discharge mode the water produced reacts with the sulfuric acid

electrolyte, generating its dilution. As a consequence of this reaction,

a decrease of the specific gravity of the electrolyte is triggered along

with a decrease of the state of charge. While charging the lead-acid

battery, the reaction is completely reversed.

Specific energy and energy density of lead-acid batteries

Vertical axis: energy density Wh/liter

Horizontal axis: specific energy Wh/kg

Among lead-acid batteries, deep-cycle batteries are the most

recommended for applications that require full discharge and

charge cycles that must be repeated. Yet, motor vehicles, for

instance, can run perfectly on shallow-cycle batteries, since they


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only need a small and rapid amount of energy in order to start to

work.

But should we be interested in deep-cycle batteries with a longer life

span, or in batteries that tolerate better certain temperature

conditions, nickel-cadmium batteries might be what we are looking

for. However, the main drawback of nickel-cadmium batteries is that

they have what is generally referred to as memory effect.

This memory effect describes the propensity of the battery to

remember and to repeat its behaviors in the past, meaning that if

the battery has been charged and discharged at a certain level of itscapacity for a longer period of time and repeatedly, than the battery

will only charge and discharge until that level is attained, even if the

respective level does not overlap the full capacity of the battery.

Specific energy and energy density of nickel-cadmium batteries




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The long term effect is that the nickel-cadmium battery will lose its

capacity after being subjected to incomplete charging and

discharging processes. Nickel-cadmium batteries are the only ones

that experience the memory effect. But besides this matter, anotheraspect is that nickel-cadmium batteries are debated with respect to

their impact on environment, the main reason for which other types

of electrochemistry are internationally recommended for use.

In nickel-metal hydrate batteries, the concerns linked to the impact

of cadmium on the environment are removed along with the

removal of cadmium from the anode. In this new electrochemistry,

besides such concerns, the memory effect is also eliminated.

But despite these two advantages nickel-metal hydrate has on

nickel-cadmium, its downsides must be mentioned. For instance,

constantly overcharging a nickel-metal hydrate battery can lead in

time to damage. More over, the discharge rate of self-discharge of a

nickel-metal hydrate battery is fairly high.

Specific energy and energy density of nickel-metal hydrate

batteries



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Batteries relied on lithium-based technologies can provide an

energy density which is three times higher than the one proved by

lead-acid batteries, due to the particular features lithium has, that is,

due to an atomic weight of 6.9, as compared to 207, as it is the case

with lead.

Another feature that makes lithium-ion electrochemistry much

more efficient is the cell voltage, which, a 3.5, is higher than the cell

voltage level of lead-acid. Lithium-based technologies refer to

lithium-ion and lithium-polymer.

Specific energy and energy density of lithium-ion batteries




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Specific energy and energy density of lithium-polymer batteries



Another type of battery is the one based on zinc-air. This battery

charges and discharges due to the fact that the positive electrode,

made of carbon, is exposed to the air. While charging, the zinc

electrode is oxidized, since the oxygen in the air is reduced at the

cathode, whereas during charging, the reaction is reversed.

Specific energy and energy density of zinc-air batteries




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Battery Parameters

While choosing or building a battery for a certain application, in

order to make sure the application will run smoothly on the battery

we choose or build, some features must be taken into consideration.

Since it is the efficiency of the entire system that we are looking for,

we should pay a special attention to features like: charge and

discharge rate, charge and discharge duration, voltage and current,

temperatures released while the battery charges and discharges,

and, the number of cycles of charge and discharge expected during

the life span of the battery.

The pictures below illustrate the performance of a battery in

different circumstances.

Charge rate and discharge rates affecting cell voltage

Vertical axis: battery cell voltage


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Horizontal axis: cycle time in minutes

Left side: discharge rate

Right side: charge rate

The internal resistance of a 25 Ah nickel-cadmium cell affected

by temperature

Vertical axis: milliohms

Horizontal axis: temperature in C

Curves (percent): First upper curve (the continuous curve) 40

Second upper curve 60

Third upper curve 80

Fourth curve 100


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However, other parameters must also be considered in order to

make sure the battery matches perfectly the requirements of the

entire system in which it is comprised because, indeed, different

systems impose constraints on batteries. Thus, for a renewableenergy system, we should mind a large range of basic parameters,

other than the ones presented above.

For instance, the type of battery is essential for a proper

functionality of the system. Deep cycle batteries are definitely much

more recommendable and must be chosen of shallow cycle

batteries.

Moreover, the electrochemistry on which the battery relies is yet

another parameter one should take into consideration. A particular

case refers to the above mentioned memory effect in nickel-

cadmium batteries. The picture below shows how this impact of this

effect on the discharge voltage.

Vertical axis: voltage volts per cell

Horizontal axis: depth of discharge percent


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Upper curve: complete discharge before the memory effect

Lower curve: depth of discharge lower with 25% after the

memory effect

Also, various systems have various requirements with respect to

voltage. The load conditions are also to be born in mind, and this is

why one should always be aware of the Ah discharge. If the Ah

discharge is determined, then we can easily calculate the Ah

capacity that we obtain by dividing the Ah discharge by the maxim

acceptable depth of discharge. In order to meet the total Ah capacity,

one should calculate the number of battery packs necessary to attainthat capacity.

Finally, a due attention must be paid to thermal and charge and

discharge rate controls, since we dont want to shorten the life span

of the battery by neglecting these aspects, knowing that all batteries

have a particular tolerance to such aspects.

Temperature is a very important aspect, since it can seriously affectthe particular electrochemistry on which the battery relies. For

instance, lead-acid batteries are functional between -10 C and 50

C. On the other hand, nickel-cadmium seems to have a wider range

of operating temperature, being able to work properly between -20

C and 50 C.

Nickel-metal hydrate batteries have the same operatingtemperature range as lead-acid batteries, and lithium-based

electrochemistry seem to have a rather narrow scale of

temperatures. Thus, lithium-ion batteries work best between 10 C


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and 45 C, whereas lithium-polymer batteries are functional

between 50 C and 70 C.

Operating temperature range according to electrochemistry

Vertical axis: range of temperatures in C

If we look for a battery able to work properly within the largest

range of temperatures, we should definitely opt for nickel-cadmiumelectrochemistry. However, we should not rush into making a

decision, since there are other parameters we must consider.

If we think about overcharge tolerance, we should know that nickel-

cadmium has only a medium tolerance, whereas lead-acid batteries

have the highest tolerance. Nickel-metal hydrate and lithium-based

technologies have either a low or a very low overcharge tolerance.

The point is there are many features we have to consider before

deciding what battery is best suited for our renewable power

systems, and even if a certain type o battery excels from a certain

point of view, it might just as well have serious drawbacks with


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respect to other parameters. But this is precisely why we must

accurately acknowledge the requirements the system we intend to

build impose to the battery.

And since the life span of batteries was mentioned above, it must be

said that it depends on the charge and discharge cycles and on how

properly these cycles evolve. Thus, lead-acid batteries are functional

between 500 and 1000 cycles, and so do lithium-ion and lithium-

polymer batteries, whereas we can only rely on a life span of 200 to

300 cycles when it comes to zinc-air.

The best batteries from this particular point of view are the onesworking on nickel. Both nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydrate

can undergo between 1000 and 2000 cycles before wearing out.

Safety and Maintenance

If we have already decided what battery we are to employ within

the homebuilt renewable power system, some other issues are to be

handled with.

For instance, we always have to supervise the charging process, due

to the fact that overcharging determines loss of water at it is the

case with lead-acid batteries on short term, and the shortening of

the life span, on long term. Since it is extremely inefficient and

almost impossible to supervise the battery in person, charge

regulators or controllers must be employed.

Charge regulators don not only prevent the shortening of the life

span, but they also represent a guarantee that the battery

performance will not be affected. However, its not just the charge

and discharge cycles that must be monitored.


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Other performance parameters should be observed all the same.

Modern control devices supervise, for instance, depth of charge, or

rate and sate of charge and discharge. Voltage and current, as well as

Ah released or consumed by the battery must also be monitored.

As a safety issue, preventing overcharge remains, however, the most

important, mostly if wee talk about employing a battery within a

solar power system, and particularly if no charge controller is used

and if the battery is supplied directly from the PV module.

Due to the fact that overcharging causes overheat, we deal with the

risk of explosion.

How to build your own batteries

As an experiment or, at least as a curiosity, you should definitely try

to build a battery at home. Even if this battery will not be powerful

enough to sustain a wind or solar power system, the building

process itself will prove that virtually all important elements of such

systems can be made at home and on a low budget, since almostevery component of the battery can be improvised or, at least,

obtained for free or for a low price.

Deep-cycle battery construction

What you need:

Sulfuric acid Gloves Glass jar Lead plates, 2 1/2 mm thick Nylon


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Scissors Knife or shears 6-inch lead tabs

DC power source

Step 1:

Pour the sulfuric acid carefully into the glass jar, filling it between

half and two-thirds full.

Step 2:

Cut a sheet of lead that is between one and 2.5 millimeters thick into

10 plates, using a knife or trimming shears that are just the right

size to fit within the circumference of your jar. Cut two more pieces

into tabs six inches long.

Step 3:

Cut a piece of nylon into 18 strips that are the same size as your lead

plates using scissors.

Step 4:

Stack the lead and nylon on to of one another, placing two nylon

strips in between each plate. This will help create enough spacing in

between the plates.

Step 5:

Lower and insert the plates into the jar of acid -- they need to barely

fit into the jar, being able to stand vertically in the jar on their own.

Step 6:


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Cut two slots into the lid of the jar that are six inches in length using

your knife. Slide the metal tabs in and out through the slots and

confirm they will fit before closing the lid on the jar.

Step 7:

Insert the lead tabs back into the slots within the jar. Make sure they

touch the lead plates in the jar along the sides.

Step 8:

Connect a DC power source to the battery, connecting the positive

clamp to one tab and then the negative clamp to the other.

Remember which tab is connected to which clamp to identify the

battery's positive/negative terminals.

Step 9:

Turn on the power source and set its voltage to 2.15 volts. Wait four

hours for the source to charge the battery.

Water cell batteries

There are many uses for homemade water cell batteries. They are

great for Emergency home lighting, as well as running small motors

etc.

First we can start off with the basics, small and simple, but funexperiments to get you familiar with the subject. A much more

sophisticated and powerful system can be made using car batteries

or PVC type.


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Your Fuel will be nothing but rain water mixed with a small solution

of Clorox Bleach that you can buy at any store. Just like when you fill

your car up with gasoline, you fill your batteries up with water. Its a

great and powerful system for indoor and outdoor night lighting.These batteries will last a life time.

You can buy old car batteries at any automotive Junk Yard or build

your own PVC tube type. Do not try to charge these batteries. If you

are going to use 12 volt Car batteries, then be very careful, because

there is acid inside of them. Drain acid out in a safe place away from

animals and humans.

In the picture below, you should get about 1.5 volts DC with a small

milliamp current. The more Bleach you use the more amperage youwill get, but the faster the metals will corrode. The idea is to make

your batteries where they only need to be refueled once every 3

months or so, and the metal will corrode very little.


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To do this you will need to use a teaspoon of bleach to every gallon

of water. But this will not be enough amperage to do anything with

so what you must do is add many cells together in series.

Just as you would with Flashlight batteries. When you refuel, each

cell must be turned over to let the old water solution out. You can

refuel up to 6 months if you use regular tap water with a pinch of

bleach. But again the less bleach the more cells you will need to add

to get the voltage and amperage you want for your particular needs.

The Aluminum and copper will last a very long time, but the

Aluminum will corrode faster than the copper.

To keep your battery system working at it's best, it is suggested that

you take out and clean the metals with water and lightly sand the

copper ones and then replace them back into the containers every 3

to 6 months. We estimate both metals to last about 4 to 5 years and

maybe longer.

Aluminum can be a bit expensive, but you can cut your cost by using

Old Aluminum cans. The aluminum can will be the Negative DC and

the copper pipe will be the Positive. you will get a much more

powerful cell using the can as so.


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Aluminum Can Batteries / Cells

This is a top view of a rotatable wood box assembly. When it is time

to change water (Fuel), you simply turn box over and all the water

will drain out (of course, each can must be glued with silicon, on the

bottom of each can to the bottom of each box).Or the box can be stationary. With a small slit space on both sides of

the box toward the bottom, you can get to each can. And pull out a

small 1/4" cork stopper from each can to let the water drain out.

The drawings below show each can, or battery cell, hooked up in

series. Just like a store bought dry cell battery, when you connect the

batteries in series from positive to negative, the voltage is increased.When you connect your battery cells in parallel the voltage stays

the same but the amperage (Power) is increased!

For parallel connections, connect each cell + to + and - to -.


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To increase the amperage as well as the voltage, connect 6 cells or

more in series which will count as one battery, which equals 6 vdc x

100 milliamp.

Build 5 more of these batteries and then connect them in parallel

this will give you more amperage. You will then have 6 volts dc x

600 milliamps!

Make sure that each cell does not touch the other (Aluminum to

Aluminum) when you are connecting them in series or parallel or

they will short out.

Basically what we are doing here is using water as a fuel to generate

electricity with 2 different type of metals causing a chemical

reaction in each cell. If you use these batteries out side in the

summer in direct sun light you will get even more amperage.

Most everything you will need can be purchased at any hardware

store. The nice thing about using an Aluminum can is, you can get

them Free just by going on the side of the roads and collecting them.

If you buy your Aluminum be prepared, it is not cheap. For

extremely high amperage cells using only 16 cans, use Pure Clorox


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bleach in each cell can. You will get a lot of power for a short time.

(about 48 hrs). The metals will corrode fast but in some emergency

cases you may need it.

A Long Lasting, Yet Powerful Battery! The closer the copper pipe is

to the aluminum or zinc, the more amperage and voltage you will

get. A good way to make this type of cell is to use thin copper foil or

sheeting, which you can purchase at any Art Store, or check with

your local hardware store. If they do not have it they can order it for

you.

If you are still having trouble finding a good Copper or Aluminumsupplier check the web. I would simply type in, Copper Sheeting, or

Copper foil. You may also want to try copper supplies.

At any rate, you can still use the aluminum can technique, but this

time you will need to cut off the tops of all the cans, then you can use

acid to remove the inner can clear coating or sand it by hand using a

wood Dow rod and a small piece of sand paper glued or taped to the

end of the dow rod, you can then sand by hand or you can connect

the wood dow rod to an electric drill.

You will now need to cut your copper foil to fit inside of the can, and

then apply spacers or plastic sheet spacers about 1/8 thick, or 1/8

space in between the copper and the aluminum. The closer the

better! Wood spacer could be used also and glued into place.

Then simply connect each cell in series and fill each can up with tap

water or pure water mixed with a touch of bleach or chlorine.


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You can use Liquid Plumber which you can purchase in most stores.

It is an acid that is used to eat through hair that is clogged in you

Drain pipes. You can use Liquid Plumber instead of bleach as well as

any type of acid such as the acid you find in lemons etc.. You can try

making different cells using these acids full strength as well as

deluting them with water. But your main goal is to use 1 part acid to10 parts of water.

Always use a plastic face mask helmet and rubber gloves when

handling acid.

Again you will need to delute the acid in the water. Never Pour

Water into the Acid, pour the Acid into the water. Read all warnings

on the acid label that you purchase!

When you use Acid it will corrode the electrodes about the same as

using Clorox. We recommend using Clorox Bleach.Please Keep all of

these Chemicals out of the reach of Children.


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PVC Pipe Batteries

Making PVC Pipe Battery Cells is a little more expensive but well

worth it. It is more convenient and produces a lot more power.There

are two ways you can do it using the Aluminum as your negative

electrode. You can use aluminum cans soldered together and placed

inside of the PVC pipe or you can use expensive Aluminum Rod or

bar that you can buy from any hardware store.

We suggest using the Aluminum Cans. The Cells can be as tall as you

like 3 foot to 8 foot. But we prefer 24 cells at 6 foot. They can be

mounted across a garage wall and each one will have an on off valvelocated at the bottom of each PVC Cell.

Each drain will be connected to a PVC 2" or so Drain Pipe which can

be drained and directed to the out doors. The on and off valves you

can buy at any hardware store they are PVC and are Cheap.


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Cut the Bottoms and tops off of Aluminum Coke Cans.You can Solder

them together or cut small slits in each can so they can be joined

together then you can glue them with silicon, if you glue on the

outside of each can then make sure you allow enough space for thecan assembly to fit into the PVC pipe.

Make sure all can are touching. You may have to sand the printing

ink off of the tops of them, Just make sure they are all making a good

electrical connection.

Now that you have learned some basics on how to make a

homemade battery, the following will show you how to make aneven more powerful cell battery, using copper and aluminum

sheeting foil or 1/8 thick or less sheeting.

Simply cut as many copper, aluminum and cloth sheets as you can

and then piece them together. It is best to drill or punch 2, 1/4

holes into the exact same areas on all of the materials, so you can

use 2 wood Dow rods as guides. Cut a 14 x 12 piece of plywood

and then drill 2 holes for your Dow rods to go into and glue them

into place using glue that can withstand water.

Now place your copper plate down first over the Dow rods and onto

the base of the plywood, then 2nd, place your cloth spacer on top of

the copper and through the Dow rods. 3rd, place your aluminum

sheet over top of the cloth spacer as you did the copper piece.

Simply repeat this over and over until you have about 100 pieces all

stacked. Now wrap cloth string around the entire battery to secure it

well, Now solder and or use bolts to connect all the copper leads and

then do the same for the aluminum leads. And you are done, the


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battery is ready to be placed in a water container and immersed in

water.

Congratulations on building your first batteries!

Now you can start saving money on batteries and youve also

learned how to actually build one. Keep this book in a safe place and

make sure you use it everytime you need to replace your batteries.

We hope you enjoyed our projects and are looking forward to

always giving you fresh and useful information regarding efficiently

using energy.

diy 03 batteries

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