Battery Contacts - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

julie_m · 29th May 2015, 2:54 pm

Does anyone have a suggestion for a suitable material for fabricating replacement battery contacts?

I have a device where some lousy, cheap disposable batteries have leaked and ruined the contacts beyond cleaning; the only cure is going to be replacement.

Thanks in advance .....

paulsherwin · 29th May 2015, 3:09 pm

Buy a torch or something from Poundland and use the contacts from there?

FIXITNOW · 29th May 2015, 3:29 pm

Farnell and RS keep a range of sizes

alanworland · 29th May 2015, 5:41 pm

I tend to remove the contacts from unwanted battery holders as they will usually be useful at some point.

Alan

llama · 29th May 2015, 6:10 pm

Would a multiple-AA holder fit in the space available? The capacity of a top quality AA is likely higher than a physically bigger cheap cell.
Graham

Nicklyons2 · 29th May 2015, 8:02 pm

I 'pinch' them from the remotes of scrapped TVs ( the ones I can't ever see the need to hoard 'just in case')

G6Tanuki · 30th May 2015, 9:34 am

I've used offcuts of phosphor-bronze draught excluder strip in the past. About 1/2-inch wide - ideal for the contacts on D-cells.

Also, could you perhaps use the springy-bit from an old set of car distributor-points (assuming you can find any...)

FrankB · 31st May 2015, 2:36 am

I have made some from PC board and flat head screws. If it's for 9V batteries, one can pull the terminals from a dead battery, drill out the center, and mount with a screw to the cabinet or PC board. Of its other style batteries, one can use screw heads for one contact and the springs out of a pocket torch or TV remote for the other contacts.
or you could solder in the batteries. PITA to change out though.

dseymo1 · 31st May 2015, 6:58 am

Some ingenious suggestions here, but battery holders are cheap and readily available. If there's insufficient space, ordinary compression springs can be modified to replace the original contacts.
I think we need a better idea of what AJS is seeking to replace.

julie_m · 31st May 2015, 1:12 pm

It's a fluorescent lantern, which takes four D cells side-by-side in a square configuration; so needing four studs and four springs.

Anyway, those are all good ideas for consideration. I'll see if I've got anything that can be cannibalised, first .....

29th May 2015, 2:54 pm	#1
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Battery Contacts Does anyone have a suggestion for a suitable material for fabricating replacement battery contacts? I have a device where some lousy, cheap disposable batteries have leaked and ruined the contacts beyond cleaning; the only cure is going to be replacement. Thanks in advance ..... __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

29th May 2015, 3:09 pm	#2
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,943	Re: Battery Contacts Buy a torch or something from Poundland and use the contacts from there?

29th May 2015, 3:29 pm	#3
FIXITNOW Octode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,975	Re: Battery Contacts Farnell and RS keep a range of sizes

29th May 2015, 5:41 pm	#4
alanworland Heptode Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southend, Essex, UK. Posts: 802	Re: Battery Contacts I tend to remove the contacts from unwanted battery holders as they will usually be useful at some point. Alan

29th May 2015, 6:10 pm	#5
llama Octode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Osyth, Nr Clacton, Essex, UK. Posts: 1,482	Re: Battery Contacts Would a multiple-AA holder fit in the space available? The capacity of a top quality AA is likely higher than a physically bigger cheap cell. Graham __________________ Half my stuff is junk - trouble is, I don't know which half!

29th May 2015, 8:02 pm	#6
Nicklyons2 Octode Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,517	Re: Battery Contacts I 'pinch' them from the remotes of scrapped TVs ( the ones I can't ever see the need to hoard 'just in case')

30th May 2015, 9:34 am	#7
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,998	Re: Battery Contacts I've used offcuts of phosphor-bronze draught excluder strip in the past. About 1/2-inch wide - ideal for the contacts on D-cells. Also, could you perhaps use the springy-bit from an old set of car distributor-points (assuming you can find any...)

31st May 2015, 2:36 am	#8
FrankB Heptode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Olympia, Washington, USA. Posts: 664	Re: Battery Contacts I have made some from PC board and flat head screws. If it's for 9V batteries, one can pull the terminals from a dead battery, drill out the center, and mount with a screw to the cabinet or PC board. Of its other style batteries, one can use screw heads for one contact and the springs out of a pocket torch or TV remote for the other contacts. or you could solder in the batteries. PITA to change out though.

31st May 2015, 6:58 am	#9
dseymo1 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK. Posts: 3,051	Re: Battery Contacts Some ingenious suggestions here, but battery holders are cheap and readily available. If there's insufficient space, ordinary compression springs can be modified to replace the original contacts. I think we need a better idea of what AJS is seeking to replace.

31st May 2015, 1:12 pm	#10
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Battery Contacts It's a fluorescent lantern, which takes four D cells side-by-side in a square configuration; so needing four studs and four springs. Anyway, those are all good ideas for consideration. I'll see if I've got anything that can be cannibalised, first ..... __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.