Compact AA Battery Holder - Works without springs

thingiverse

I required a compact AA battery holder and lacked one, so I visited Thingiverse and examined several options, but they were all unsuitable due to the tolerances involved in maintaining proper spacing and pressure on the cells with regards to whatever contacts are being used. This design eliminates that problem by dividing it into two halves and using a long M3 screw to pull them together, effectively clamping the contacts to the ends of the battery. The center of the assembly is designed as a diagonal "key" that can only be assembled one way, ensuring that batteries cannot be accidentally shorted if installed in the proper orientation. I utilized 6mm nickel strips for my purposes as the contacts. I inserted the strips through the battery holder and secured them to the backside with a quick solder using a very hot iron, working rapidly to prevent melting the plastic. A dab of superglue would likely work equally well. If nickel strips are not available, wire can be used instead; however, it is essential to maintain a consistent thickness as you wrap it around the slots so that when the two halves are clamped down, uniform pressure is applied to the cells and no gaps are left that need to be overcome by applying more force.