By
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- 2 Drywall Nails
- 3 Alligator Clips
- Copper Wire
- Galvanized Nails
- 2 baking potatoes
Step1
Assemble your supplies. You'll need two common galvanized nails; three alligator clip/wire units - that is, alligator clips connected to one another with wire; two short pieces of heavy copper wire; a simple low-voltage LED clock unit; and two potatoes. Obtain a simple LED clock unit that functions from the power of a 1- to 2-volt, button-type battery.
Step2
Open the battery compartment and remove the battery.
Step3
Note that there is a positive (+) and a negative (-) terminal point where the battery was installed.
Step4
Identify the potatoes as number one and number two.
Step5
Insert one nail in each potato.
Step6
Insert one short piece of heavy copper wire in each potato, placing it as far from the nail as possible.
Step7
Use one alligator clip/wire to connect the copper wire inserted in potato one to the positive terminal in the clock unit.
Step8
Use one alligator clip/wire to link the nail in potato two to the negative terminal in the clock unit.
Step9
Use the final alligator clip/wire to link the nail in potato one to the copper wire in potato two.
Comments
Kimo said
on 1/15/2008 So, how does someone stop the potato from going bad? Could you soak it in something?
Anonymous said
on 4/12/2008 A good apple puts out almost 1 volt of energy - almost twice what a potato puts out. Also, try 4-5 glasses of tap water. I haven't tried it yet, but when I hooked a voltmeter up to it, I got a reading.
readit said
on 1/15/2008 wow ok these potateo clocks works cause the starch stores energy and like medal so it flows and the clock likes french fries so thats how it works
readit said
on 2/19/2008 works
readit said
on 2/19/2008 it doesn't work