# Recycling Tealights



## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

I have a bunch of battery-operated tealights and the batteries are dead. What do you generally do with yours: replace the batteries, or recycle the tealights some way?

The thing is...you can get *24 new tealights (with 2 batteries each) for the price of 10 new CR2032 batteries*. Economically there's no contest, but the thought of just throwing the old ones out feels sooo wasteful and irresponsible to me.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks.


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## dudeamis (Oct 16, 2011)

where are you getting your tealights and batteries? Dollar Tree has 3 packs of Sunbeam button batteries that size.


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## CrazedLemming (Oct 18, 2011)

I've used them to add eyes to monsters. I just broke the plastic housings, wired the lights to remote battery packs, and glued them in the heads.
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=33481

And to build little flickering lamps
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=29015

The wires are a little tricky to work with since they're so small, but the lights make convenient LED sources when you get them cheap enough.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

I built some flickering candles with dollar tree tea lights, as well as a lamp sculpted on the front of a tombstone. They work quite well off of a 4.6 volt wall charger. Can't remember the amperage right off, but I want to say 500mA


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

I also upcycle them. Eyes, larger grouped candles, simulated flame under an object...


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## DreadKnightswife (Oct 16, 2011)

I too have seen batteries 3-6 packs for 1-3 dollars, I have yet to see a 10 pack of tea lights that cheap. I usually replace the batteries and if they break throw them away...however after seeing this I may try eyes...


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

We do the battery replacement thing. They don't seem to go bad too often.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Ugh. My Dollar Tree has the batteries for the same price as new tealights. I can't do it without massive consumer guilt!!!


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## Georgeb68 (Mar 26, 2013)

Yes but arent they a pack of 3 ....saving 2 more seems like the thing to do!


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

I too get the batteries from the dollar stores. I do agree with you that it is cheaper sometime to buy the tealights considering if you have a 40% from Michaels or AC Moore. But when I'm in the dollar stores, I just pick up the batteries because I don't need all those tealights just lying around. However, a few of the suggestions above are really good for other uses too.


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## Palmdale Haunter (Mar 3, 2012)

I have been adding a resistor and some wire and an RCA jack to mine to run them off of 12 volts... It is not just the battery cost but time associated with turning them on and off and replacing when they are dead...


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