How to Convert any AA Battery into a C Battery for free.

C batteries are less used today than they were in the past. Still, there are some application where they are needed. Instead of buying new batteries for these specific applications, this article will show you how to use the AA batteries most people already have.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A piece of cardboard
• Scissors
• Scotch tape

1. The first thing to note is that leader brands C rechargeable (NiMH) batteries are quite expensive. Most sell 2-packs for around 10$. Problem is, even if the batteries are bigger, their capacity is equivalent (and sometimes even inferior) to their AA counterpart. AA 4-packs sell for around the same price, so there's actually no justification for buying the bigger ones. In the end, if one of your appliance requires C batteries, and you decide to use rechargeable batteries, there's absolutely no benefit in getting a leader brand C battery. (Note that you can get high-capacity C batteries if you buy them from specialized stores, but they're even more expensive)

2. The first step is actually pretty simple, you'll need to cut 1/2" x 2" pieces from the cardboard. You'll need 4 of them per battery.

3. The tabs you cut will actually be the exact height of an AA battery. Using the tape, stick them around your battery, effectively increasing its virtual diameter.

4. You're done. AA batteries are exactly the same height as C batteries, so no further modification is needed. Just drop your ghetto C battery into any appliance and it'll work as if you just shelled out 5$ per battery (not counting the specialized "family" charger!)