Whether you're in need of a battery in a pinch, or you just want to try and home science experiment with the kids, one cool thing that you can do with household items is create your own battery.
With some copper coins, such as regular pennies, and some vinegar, salt, thin cardboard, aluminum foil, tape, and wire, you can create a charged battery that can put out up to 4 volts of power, which is enough to power an LED light or a television remote control.
The copper coins are cleaned in the vinegar and salt solution, then stacked on top of one another with a later of cardboard and foil in between each other. Then, the stack of coins is taped together with a positive and negative connection, which can be alligator clipped to whatever it is that you're powering.
The power has been said to last a few days to a few weeks, then, it will have to be ‘re-charged,' which can be accomplished by performing the process all over again with the same, or new, coins. Typically, when the cardboard dries out completely of its vinegar-dipped solution is when the power appears to dissipate.
