Hookups for 6V dry batteries (4R25)?

Dec 01, 2005 10 Replies

This is as basic as it gets.



I need to build a bank out of three of these 6V dry zinc/manganese (I think 4R25 is a proper ID or just lantern battery) for an application. Question is: how do you hook them up reliably? The batteries have spring terminals at the top, and I presume most devices that use them (like emergency lights or flashlights) simply have matching pair of contacts on the inside of the case cavity. In my case I would have to use a makeshift case and therefore have to figure out some way of reliable hookup. Had anyone ever seen a holder for those batteries sold anywhere? What are my other options, other than the simple alligator clips?


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Dmitri Abaimov, RCDD http://www.cabling-design.com Cabling Forum, color codes, pinouts and other useful resources for premises cabling users and pros http://www.cabling-design.com/homecabling Residential Cabling Guide -- ##-----------------------------------------------## Article posted with Cabling-Design.com Newsgroup Archive http://www.cabling-design.com/forums no-spam Web and RSS interface to your favorite newsgroup - sci.electronics.basics - 27861 messages and counting! ##-----------------------------------------------##

In the US, we can get those same batteries with thumbscrew binding post terminals. You might have to shop around a bit.

Failing that, if you're handy with tools, if you could build a sort of L-shaped frame that they could sit on, kind of like an open-sided display case, with sort of a hinged lid with 6 strips of copper tape stuck to the bottom and connected appropriately. Arrange for a way to lock it down at the right pressure, of course.

Good Luck! Rich

I think they make batteries like that with brass knurled nuts on top rather than springs. I thought it would be easy to find a "lantern battery holder", but I am striking out.

In the old days uhh ~70s as I remember you could still get those 6V lantern batteries with nuts on top of them also earlier you could get them with the clips. This was when they were used for the filaments of "portable" tube radios. For quite a while after they still had the screw tops as the lanterns they were made for had a little adapter plate that screwed to the tops of the batteries. Gradually it became cheaper I guess to just have those springs on top and they clipped into the lanterns. I just Googled them they're still made, here's a whole page of them.

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I see Eveready still makes them. I set off more stuff with one of those... I recently built a back up using rechargeable lead acids like a scooter battery. Cheap and available in 12 and 6 volt. Richard

I wonder if he isn't talking about the old fashion "fanstock" clip? If so, it might be better to plan soldering to them.

Albert

on

makeshift

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Aw, Dood - that's just a google search! Feh! I could have done that myself! ;-D

Cheers! Rich

Y'know? Speaking of Fahnstock clips, I wonder if anybody still makes them? I have an application in mind, where they'd be ideal. It's a macroscopic breadboard type of thing (yes, on an actual wooden board, with thumbtacks and little strips cut out of a coffee can lid), and Fahnstock (Fahnestock?) clips would be ideal for on-the-fly configuration.

Thanks! Rich

Hi, Rich. Look at Mouser -- they still stock 'em:

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or
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Also, you might want to look at the mighty HH Smith's P/N 539.

Have fun Chris

Lots of ways to do it - here's one. Make a contact plate, like this:

Top view, wood ------------------------------ | * * * * | | * * * * | < Wood lath or plexiglass with two | * * * * | holes for the springs to pass ------------------------------ through and notches at ends

Edge view, wood + PC board with battery underneath pppppppp pppppppp

I just used a battery at American Science on the 2nd page of this URL for a backup for a client:

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It looked pretty new and ran down at 90% of it's rating. A lot cheaper too, shipping would have been $6. Richard

Thank you all who responded here. After reading suggestions here and looking at some battery prices I decided to think outside the box, so to speak. It looks like I will spend a little fortune replacing those batteries, and therefore it makes perfect sense to go with sealed lead acid re-chargeable batteries. Those, fortunately, present no problem in terms of the hookups. Thanks again, everyone.

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-- Dmitri Abaimov, RCDD

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