How to Make a Homemade Dry Cell Battery

Teaching kids about electricity can be fun and easy. Making a simple dry cell battery out of a potato can be a good science fair project or just an educational afternoon activity. This project is safe and uses readily available items. Learning about electricity can help kids understand more complex concepts in the future as well as ignite a curiosity in science.

Things You’ll Need:

• Potato


• Two Pennies


• Plate


• Two foot strand of copper wire


• Two galvanized nails


• Wire strippers


• Wire cutters


• Kitchen knife


• Marker


• Four alligator clips


• Low-voltage LED clock with attachments for wire

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  1. Cut the potato in half. Number your potato pieces “1” and “2” with your marker. Place the potatoes, flat side down, on the plate.
  
  
  2. Push a penny into each potato. Make sure that approximately half the penny is sticking out of the potato.
  
  
  3. Insert one galvanized nail, point first, into each potato. Leave at least half an inch of the nail above the potato. Make sure the nails and the pennies do not touch each other.
  
  
  4. Use the wire cutters to cut the copper wire into three 8-inch strands. Use the wire strippers to strip two inches of insulation off the ends of each wire. Attach an alligator clip to both ends of one wire, and one end of each of the remaining two wires.
  
  
  5. Clip one end of the first wire to the nail in potato two. Clip the other end to the penny in potato one.
  
  
  6. Clip one of the remaining wires to the nail in potato one. Attach the other end of the wire to the negative connection on the clock.
  
  
  7. Clip one end of the last wire to the penny on potato two. Connect the other end of the wire to the positive connection on the clock.