How to Wire a Battery Holder for Middle School

Battery holders come in many different configurations. Battery holders hold specific size batteries, typically AAA batteries, AA batteries, C batteries or D batteries. Each of these battery holders are designed to hold a specific number of cells: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc. Battery holders can be wired in series to increase voltage, in parallel to increase available current, or in series-parallel to increase both voltage and current.

Things You'll Need

• 8 Single, D-cell holders
• 1 spool, AWG 18 "Red" stranded copper wire
• 1 spool, AWG 18 "Black" stranded copper wire
• Wire cutters
• Wire strippers
• Soldering station or soldering pencil
• Soldering sponge
• Rosin core solder
• 8 1.5-Volt D-cells
• 6-volt bulb holder
• 6-volt light bulb

Instructions

Connecting four 1.5 Volt D-cells in series to produce 6-Volts

1. Turn on a soldering station or plug in the soldering pencil and allow it to reach operating temperature. Clean the tip by wiping it on a wet soldering sponge and "tin" the tip by applying a fresh coating of rosin core solder. A properly tinned tip will appear "silvery" in color, which is essential to make good solder joints.

2. Arrange four of the D-cell holders on your worktable with the positive terminal of one facing the negative terminal of the next. Cut three 4-inch lengths of red wire and strip 1/4-inch of insulation from the ends of each piece.

3. Connect the jumpers between the negative and positive terminals on the battery holders and solder in place.

4. Cut a 12-inch piece of red and a 12-inch piece of black wire. Strip insulation from the ends and use these wires to connect the lamp holder to the open terminals on the first and last battery holder in the series, placing the black wire to the negative and the red to the positive terminals.

5. Screw the bulb into the socket and insert the D-cells into the holders. The bulb illuminates and shines brightly.

Wire the series-parallel battery circuit

1. Repeat steps one through three above using the remaining four D-cell holders.

2. Place the second series circuit next to the first on your worktable. Cut two more 4-inch lengths of wire, one red and one black. Use the red wire to connect the two ends positive terminals together and the black one to connect the two negative terminals together, paralleling the two series battery circuits.

3. Place the remaining four D-cells in the battery holders.

References

• Seties and Parallel battery connection
• Batteries - Series and Parallel Connections
• Soldering Guide