Water battery with similar metals?

Bizzy · February 22, 2011, 06:14:48 AM

Quote from: ibpointless2 on February 21, 2011, 06:29:17 PM
I've also used graphite in distilled water and work fine. A lot of metals will work, the only important thing is that you use similar metals instead of dissimilar metals, if you don't then you merely created a galvanic reaction. The voltage will be low but thats due to the galvanic reaction being eliminated. With cell like your magnesium/carbon batteries they get most of their voltage from the galvanic reaction and due to the galvanic reaction the magnesium will soon corrode away and the battery will stop working. This is what i'm try to get rid of so that i can have batteries that will last for a very long time. As to why i get electricity is from my theory that water is a electret.

That does sound very interesting. I have some carbon rods I could use in place of the magnesium rods. I may have to try that later this week.
Thanks
Bizzy

Bizzy · February 22, 2011, 07:53:17 AM

Quote from: ibpointless2 on February 21, 2011, 06:29:17 PM
I've also used graphite in distilled water and work fine. A lot of metals will work, the only important thing is that you use similar metals instead of dissimilar metals, if you don't then you merely created a galvanic reaction. The voltage will be low but thats due to the galvanic reaction being eliminated. With cell like your magnesium/carbon batteries they get most of their voltage from the galvanic reaction and due to the galvanic reaction the magnesium will soon corrode away and the battery will stop working. This is what i'm try to get rid of so that i can have batteries that will last for a very long time. As to why i get electricity is from my theory that water is a electret.

Good morning
That sounds correct. It is my goal to produce a usable battery with little or no metal degradation. I am now wondering if we can also use simiilar metal in earth batteries as well. This may be another avenue to explore once the thaw arrives. For metals in eaqrth batteries I am thinking either copper and copper or carbon and carbon
Thanks
Bizzy

Bizzy · February 22, 2011, 08:27:14 AM

Quote from: ibpointless2 on December 28, 2010, 10:47:05 PM
Thanks, thats about what i'm getting too. I've seen up to .600 volts sometimes.

Hi IB
This sounds very interesting and I hope to delve into this soon. I do have one question if you are using similar metals how do you determine which is cathode and which is the anode/ Especially if you are hooking them up in a series you would have to know polarity.
Thanks
Bizzy

ibpointless2 · February 22, 2011, 09:51:22 AM

Quote from: Bizzy on February 22, 2011, 08:27:14 AM
Hi IB
This sounds very interesting and I hope to delve into this soon. I do have one question if you are using similar metals how do you determine which is cathode and which is the anode/ Especially if you are hooking them up in a series you would have to know polarity.
Thanks
Bizzy

It can be hard determine + and - but sometimes the small thick one is negative and the big thin one is positive, but i can change and it seems the water determine whats positive or negative. Just test it with a meter before doing series and parallel.

Bizzy · February 22, 2011, 09:54:41 AM

Quote from: ibpointless2 on February 22, 2011, 09:51:22 AM
It can be hard determine + and - but sometimes the small thick one is negative and the big thin one is positive, but i can change and it seems the water determine whats positive or negative. Just test it with a meter before doing series and parallel.

Hi IB
Thats what I was thinking originally just to meter it first. I was also wondering if a vbridge rectifier would also help define the polarity. Although it cost some minor voltage. there would be no guessing afterwards.
Thanks
Bizzy