HOW TO MAKE A UNIVERSAL CELL PHONE BATTERY CHARGER
How to Make a Universal Cell Phone Battery Charger
Everyone has found themselves in a situation where their cell phone battery is dying and they are without their charger. Even worse is having a access to a charger that doesn't fit your phone and can be especially troublesome in an emergency. However, you can actually make your own universal cell phone charger with just a few items even if there is no wall outlet in sight. This should charge most phones, except for the iPhone.
Things You'll Need
3 to 4 AA batteries
4-AA battery tray
Metal paper clip
2 alligator clips
Batteries and Voltage
Take the battery out of the phone to check the voltage. This tells you how many AA batteries will be needed. Most cell phones are 3.7 volts and AA batteries are 1.5 volts. So three batteries, for a total of 4.5 volts, are needed to charge most cell phones.
Put the three batteries in the four-battery tray. If the phone only requires the three batteries for voltage, then the paper clip will be needed in the fourth tray for the circuit to be completed.
Unfold the paper clip and hook one end through the metal spring in the negative end of the empty slot. Bend the other end so it touches the metal contact on the outside of the tray at the positive end of the same slot. This turns the charger on. Move one end of the paper clip away from one of the contacts to turn it off.
Connecting Power
Solder or crimp a red alligator clip to the red wire that is running from the tray. This wire carries a current from the positive battery terminal.
Solder or crimp a black alligator clip to the black wire that is running from the tray. This wire carries a current to the battery's negative terminal.
Examine the phone battery and make note of the small metal contacts that absorb electricity. One should have a positive (+) sign next to it and the other a negative (-) sign next it. Only reference these two contacts. And if they don't have positive or negative markings, use a voltmeter to distinguish between the two.
Clasp the red alligator clamp to the side of the battery so that the metal jaws touch the positive metal contact and the black clamp to the side of the battery so that it's touching the negative. Ensure that the two clamps do not touch each other. The battery should now be charging.
Tips & Warnings
While this should charge most phones, it will not work for the iPhone series. Also, keep the charger and/or materials somewhere accessible to you in case of an emergency.
Keep a finger on the battery as it charges to make sure it does not overheat while it is charging. There is no built-in way to limit the current, so monitoring the battery's temperature will be key in preventing it from overheating. Also, using the homemade charger may invalidate your phone's warranty.
References
Popular Mechanics: How to Make Your Own Battery-Powered Gadget Chargers
Everyone has found themselves in a situation where their cell phone battery is dying and they are without their charger. Even worse is having a access to a charger that doesn't fit your phone and can be especially troublesome in an emergency. However, you can actually make your own universal cell phone charger with just a few items even if there is no wall outlet in sight. This should charge most phones, except for the iPhone.
Things You'll Need
3 to 4 AA batteries
4-AA battery tray
Metal paper clip
2 alligator clips
Batteries and Voltage
Take the battery out of the phone to check the voltage. This tells you how many AA batteries will be needed. Most cell phones are 3.7 volts and AA batteries are 1.5 volts. So three batteries, for a total of 4.5 volts, are needed to charge most cell phones.
Put the three batteries in the four-battery tray. If the phone only requires the three batteries for voltage, then the paper clip will be needed in the fourth tray for the circuit to be completed.
Unfold the paper clip and hook one end through the metal spring in the negative end of the empty slot. Bend the other end so it touches the metal contact on the outside of the tray at the positive end of the same slot. This turns the charger on. Move one end of the paper clip away from one of the contacts to turn it off.
Connecting Power
Solder or crimp a red alligator clip to the red wire that is running from the tray. This wire carries a current from the positive battery terminal.
Solder or crimp a black alligator clip to the black wire that is running from the tray. This wire carries a current to the battery's negative terminal.
Examine the phone battery and make note of the small metal contacts that absorb electricity. One should have a positive (+) sign next to it and the other a negative (-) sign next it. Only reference these two contacts. And if they don't have positive or negative markings, use a voltmeter to distinguish between the two.
Clasp the red alligator clamp to the side of the battery so that the metal jaws touch the positive metal contact and the black clamp to the side of the battery so that it's touching the negative. Ensure that the two clamps do not touch each other. The battery should now be charging.
Tips & Warnings
While this should charge most phones, it will not work for the iPhone series. Also, keep the charger and/or materials somewhere accessible to you in case of an emergency.
Keep a finger on the battery as it charges to make sure it does not overheat while it is charging. There is no built-in way to limit the current, so monitoring the battery's temperature will be key in preventing it from overheating. Also, using the homemade charger may invalidate your phone's warranty.
References
Popular Mechanics: How to Make Your Own Battery-Powered Gadget Chargers
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