On Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:38:00 -0700 (PDT), Joe wrote:

On Mar 19, 7:39*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
My Dad showed me how to do this, when I was a boy. Take a
flash light bulb (PR-4 is good, the old screw in 112 is
better, more close to the proper voltage). Then, take about
six or seven inch long piece of #10 or #12 solid wire. Wrap
one end of the wire around the bulb. Curve the rest of the
wire, so it looks like a letter C, or G.

Touch one end of the battery to the lead spot, on the bulb.
Touch the other end of the wire to the other end of the
battery. If the bulb lights, the battery is OK. Works for
AAAA through D cells. Have to bend the wire a bit, for
different sizes.

After using this for a while, you can also roughly guess the
battery state. New, used, weak, dead. By how bright the
light is.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

Here's an even older test method I got from a regular army old time
communications sergeant back in 1940: if you need to check the
batteries in your EE8A field telephone, wet your finger and place it
on the bottom of the battery, then touch your tongue to the center
electrode. A good battery will give you an 'electrolytic' taste which
will quickly let you know which batteries to pitch and which can be
used. No tools needed, works every time, even with artillery shells
whoofing overhead. It's a bit much for cells over 6 V or so, not
recommended for 9V. I doubt if many of today's squeamish citizens will
have nerve enough to try it, but this is just for the record and
people with a git 'er done attitude.

Joe
I've used a similar method for many years. To test 9V batteries just
touch your tongue to the two contacts simultaneously.