How to Make a Homemade Battery. Four Methods: Making a Soda-powered Battery Making a Saltwater-powered Battery Making 14-cell Water-powered Battery Making a Hand-powered Battery Community Q&A. To make your own battery at home, all you need is two different types of metal, some lead wires, and a conductive material. Many household items can be used as the conductive material into which you place your metals — for example, saltwater, a lemon, or even dirt.