How to Wire a Light to a Battery

Wiring a light to a battery is a great project for teaching children the principles behind electricity. You can also fashion a quick emergency light for those occasions when one is needed. Most of the materials for this project can be found around the home, possibly in the kitchen junk drawer. Various sizes of batteries can be used as the power supply, but a regular D cell type battery will give the small light a longer illumination time.

Things You'll Need

• D cell battery
• 2 pieces (18 inches long) of 18-gauge solid wire
• Wire strippers
• Children's scissors (optional)
• 1.5 volt light bulb (flash light bulb)
• Cellophane tape
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Gather the two 18-inch-long 18-gauge solid wires. This type of wire is relatively small, about a sixteenth of an inch in diameter. Any size of wire will work, but the small wire is easier to manipulate for all sizes of hands. Use the wire strippers, or a pair of children's scissors, and remove three-quarters of an inch of the outer insulation. This will reveal the bare copper underneath.

2. Notice that one end of the D cell battery is flat and the other end has a small hump or raised portion to the metal. The flat end is the negative (-) terminal and the raised hump is the positive (+) terminal of the battery. Likewise, the small 1.5 volt light bulb has a small hump or raised portion on the rear of the bulb's metal housing. This is the positive (+) terminal of the light bulb. The outer metal shell of the light bulb is the negative (-) connection point.

3. Pull four 1-inch pieces of tape from the cellophane tape dispenser. Take one of the stripped wires and place it over the bare metal side, the negative terminal, of the light bulb. Hold the wire in place by adhering it with one of the pieces of tape. This is the negative wire.

4. Make a small coil on the end of the other wire. This should resemble a small spring. Use a pencil and hold the bare end of the wire against the marking end. Wrap the bare copper wire around the end of the pencil. The coil is now formed. Lay this coil over the positive terminal (+) of the light bulb. Apply another piece of tape to hold it in place. This is the positive wire.

5. Attach the other end of the positive wire to the positive end of the battery. Hold the bare copper end in place with the piece of tape. Touch the end of the negative wire to the negative end of the battery. The light should now be illuminated. Apply a piece of tape over this connection to hold it in place.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use a larger type of battery, such as a 6 volt dry cell, and connect more lights into the circuit.

• Although the voltages are extremely low, children should always be supervised when it comes to electrical projects.

References

• Lemelson Center: Make a Light Bulb
• University of Northern Iowa: Science Activities