How to Build a D Battery Circuit
D batteries are a great way to power a simple electronic circuit. They have the same voltage as A and C cells but will last quite a bit longer. This makes them a great choice for circuits where space and weight are not big concerns. This article will show you how to make a simple circuit using D cell battery holders, but the instructions would also work with A or C batteries.
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Things You'll Need
- Copper wire
- SPST switch
- Batteries
- D cell battery holder
- Electric lamp
- Motor
- Buzzer
- Christmas light
- Jumper leads
- Solder
- Soldering iron
Instructions
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1
Find a low-voltage load to use in your circuit. The load is the object of your circuit. It is the thing you power. In this case, you want to use a buzzer, small electric lamp or motor. If possible, you should find something that uses 1.5, 3 or 6 volts, since each D battery puts out 1.5 volts.
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2
Get your supplies. Go to a local electronic hobbyist store such as RadioShack and purchase a D battery holder that puts out the proper voltage, along with the batteries. Pick up a SPST, or single-pull-single-throw switch, copper wire solder and a soldering gun.
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3
Observe the fact that each of you components has two terminals. Each terminal will be wired to a free terminal of something else.
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4
Connect a battery terminal to a switch terminal. If you are using insulated copper wire, strip away a little less than an inch of enamel from each end of a piece of wire. Then solder an exposed end of wire to each terminal.
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5
Attach the load to the other switch terminal. Solder the free switch terminal to one end of the load, soldering the connection as in Step 4.
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6
Make the last connection. Wire the open terminal of the battery pack to the open terminal of the load.
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7
Put in the batteries and flip on the switch. The circuit should light, buzz or turn.
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Tips & Warnings
You may not be able to find a power supply that provides the exact voltage your component needs. In that case, find a supply which gets as close to the desired voltage as possible without going over. For example, a 3.3-volt buzzer should work fine with a 3-volt power supply.
You can use jumper leads instead of wire and solder. Jumpers have an alligator clip at either end, which you can clip to the components you are wiring. This is a quicker and less permanent way to make a connection than using solder and wire.
Do not go over the suggested voltage of the load. This can cause it to burn out.
