How to Make a 12V Battery Into 24V
A 12-volt battery can power a 24-volt device, but it is not particularly efficient. Whether it will work at all depends on the amount of energy the 24-volt device requires to operate. For example, a 12-volt battery will illuminate a 24-volt bulb, but if the electrical device is motorized it is unlikely to operate properly. However, the simplest and most effective method to get 24 volts from a 12-volt battery is to wire two 12-volt batteries together so you get a 24-volt battery.
Things You'll Need
- 2 12-volt batteries
- Tape measure or ruler
- AWG 16-gauge single-core wire
- Knife
- Wire strippers
- Electrical tape
Instructions
-
-
1
Put two 12-volt batteries on a table next to each other. You're going to wire the two batteries using a method known as "series" which adds the voltage from each 12-volt battery to make 24 volts.
-
2
Measure the distance you need from where you intend to place the batteries and where your electrical device is using a tape measure or ruler. Measure the distance between the negative terminal of the first 12-volt battery and the positive terminal of the second 12-volt battery using a ruler. The negative terminal is marked "-," and the positive terminal is marked "+."
-
-
3
Refer to your measurements and then cut three strips of single-core wire using a knife. You need two pieces of the same length, the distance from the batteries to the device. These wires will connect the 12-volt batteries to your device. The third piece should be the length you measured between the battery terminals.
-
4
Use wire strippers to remove ½ inch of protective covering from the ends of the three wires. The copper core is exposed, which connects to the 12-volt battery terminals and your device.
-
5
Place one end of one of the two equal-length wire strips onto the positive terminal of the first 12-volt battery. Put a strip of electrical tape over the wire and the terminal so it holds the wire in place. Cover the copper wire and terminal completely; use another strip of tape, if necessary.
-
6
Place one end of the other equal-length wire strip on the negative terminal of the second 12-volt battery. Hold it in place using electrical tape as before.
-
7
Place one end of the third strip of wire onto the negative terminal of the first 12-volt battery and hold it in place using tape. Place the opposite end of the positive terminal of the second 12-volt battery using the same method. Your 12-volt batteries are now wired in series to produce 24 volts. Connect the opposite ends of the two equal-length wires, attached to the first and second 12-volt batteries, to your electrical device.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
