DIY Life

Disposable flashlights are a great thing to have on hand: they are a useful size, and extremely tough. The downside is that they can get pricey when you toss them after a couple of uses. Unfortunately, they can't be recycled, so every time you dispose of one, it ends up in a landfill.

Just because they are sold as single-use doesn't mean they have to stay that way. Next time you buy one of these $2 disposables, use it up and replace the batteries. They aren't manufactured for this, so it will take a bit of work to get it open. This Instructable has everything you need to replace the standard AA cells and extend your flashlight's life.

When you're closing it up, duct tape will do the trick and be easy to disassemble next time. If you want a polished look, you can easily weld it back together, then sand it down smooth.

The tutorial is done with an Eveready brand disposable ZAP flashlight. If you know how to change the batteries in any other brands, please share your tips with us!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with The Wenzel Co., has issued a voluntary recall of about 3,900 car charging units. The batteries in the unit can overheat and cause the unit to burst, posing an injury hazard to consumers. Although no injuries or property damage has been reported, The Wenzel Company has received one report of the batteries in the car charging unit overheating and bursting.

The car charging units, included with all LL Bean Raised Insta-Beds, were manufactured in China and sold at L.L. Bean Stores nationwide and catalog from June 2007 through August 2007 for about $150. Please check the CPSC press release to see the model number and the recalled car charging unit.

Consumers should stop using the unit immediately and contact L.L. Bean anytime at (800) 555-9717 for instructions on how to receive a free replacement car charging unit, or contact them at www.llbean.com.

It seems to come up a lot that people aren't quite sure how to properly dispose of certain materials. While ideally, we're using less, some consumption is inevitable and the correct disposal of these things is environmentally crucial.

I've collected a list of things that don't belong in landfills, or regular municipal recycling programs and found the right place for them. I'm sure these answers vary from one community to another, so feel free to jump in with your own answers in the comments.

What if you could pop open one of those 6-volt, lantern-type batteries and scoop out about 32 AA batteries -- for the same (or close) price of $5? The video below explains this huge money-saving technique that is sure to become an instant classic for the frugal battery shopper in all of us.

Warning, however. Not all 6-volt batteries are busting at the seams with AAs, as there may be different types of batteries sitting in different types of 6-volt battery brands. But for an investment of $5 (maybe a few times), you just might be able to find a treasure trove of AA batteries on the 'extreme' cheap. Check the easy discovery process out below.

[via Lifehacker]

If there's two things I know kids love, it's fun science experiments and lemons. Well, maybe not so much eating lemons, but I'll bet my bottom dollar they'll enjoy turning one into a battery.

The concept behind this experiment is simple: take two metals that spit electrons at each other (in this case, zinc and copper), shove them into opposite ends of a lemon, and the acidic juice inside the fruit will help create a low-level current. If you're not already familiar with this great little science project, grab a few kids, a couple lemons, and let the LED-lighting madness begin!

Materials

1. Three or four big juicy lemons
2. Zinc-coated nails (one for each lemon)
3. Pennies older than 1982* (one for each lemon)
4. Common electrical wire
5. A red LED bulb
   

Tools

1. It's not completely necessary, but a multimeter will help you determine if one of your lemons is... well, a lemon (as in, a dud).
   

Time

About 30 minutes.

A recall of six different models of power tool battery packs was announced by the CPSC on July 10th. The recall is for battery pack manufactured be the Milwaukee Electric Tool Co. These battery packs can explode and cause a laceration hazard if the vent on them is damaged during use.

There have been several reports of injury including some reports of hearing loss due to exploding battery packs. The packs were manufactured between July 1999 and February 2004 and sold July 1999 through 2005. Batteries manufactured after these dates are not effected.

The effected models include 14.4 and 18 volt 2.4 Ah NiCd Milwaukee Power Plus, Chicago Pneumatic, and Extractor battery packs. Some of the models do not have power plus on the labels however.

If you suspect you have one of these battery packs, please stop using right away and contact the manufacturer for a replacement. You can do so by calling (800) 729-3878 or visit their web site for more information and their press release.

You can find pictures of the recalled battery pack on the CPSC press release.