Recharging disposable batteries with lemon juice.
It never fails. Your battery dies at the exact moment when you need it. Neither a recharger nor a spare pair of disposable batteries is available. Before you declare the situation hopeless, try these creative ways to recharge a battery.
Trickle Charging
According to Instructables, an online instructional guide, you can recharge most batteries using a slow charge known as trickle charging provided that you do not overcharge the battery. A low current charge is considered one amp for an ordinary device, such as a cell phone, iPod or digital camera. The website suggests using alligator clips to connect the battery to a current regulator, like a flashlight or Christmas lights. Place an alligator clip on the negative terminal (-) and another clip on the positive terminal (+) on the battery needing charging and connect the other clips to a charged battery (i.e. 12 volt) or current regulator. Hold your finger over the battery, so you can manage the temperature of the battery as it's charged. If the battery gets too hot, terminate the recharging process. Turn on the current regulator and give your battery some time to recharge.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is not just a natural cleansing agent, but it can also recharge batteries. Do It Yourself, an instructional website, says that lemon juice when it covers an alkaline battery can reactive the electrons in the old battery. The website recommends immersing a dead alkaline battery in a cup of lemon juice for an hour and the acid in the juice should jump-start your batteries, recharging up to 85 percent of its original energy. This method works well for AAA batteries.
Freezing
Although rechargeable batteries are slowly replacing disposable batteries for most electronic gadgets, a number of devices still rely on disposable batteries, such as remote controls, alarm clocks and hand-held video games. To preserve and prolong battery life, Do It Yourself suggests storing batteries in a plastic bag placed inside the freezer. While this recharging method does not recharge a dead battery, it does add energy to a battery that is not completely depleted. The website states freezing disposable batteries extends battery life by as much as 5 percent over time. Remove the battery from the freezer before using it to allow time for it to defrost.
Tags: disposable batteries, current regulator, lemon juice, alkaline battery, battery current
