Ibpointless2 Crystal Cells

[NickZ]

  B_rads:
  Thank you for explaining about the casting resin.  I have been trying to use dry electrolytes for a while now, as the water cells aren't of interest to me any more.  I have read some things about the E-poxy and was hoping that it would work as an electrolyte too. And would still like to consider it again, but it also is non-conductive, like the resin, although the table salt leaches thoughout it as it does with the glue. So, as time goes by, it works better and better.

[jbignes5]

 I did some experiments with water and graphite and a solid aluminum handle of an exacto knife. When I filled the little tupperware bowl with water the voltage peeked at 1.09 volts. when I started to add the borax an interesting thing happened. The borax bloomed into little puffy globs about 1mm in size. These blobs started to press together in a layered fashion that you could see the little interfaces in between. This is how this is working I am thinking. Alum reacted to the Borax gel and even more blobs appeared. Stirring the mix made the blobs smaller and more even in size. The salt substitute I believe is the mode of transfer and that sits in between these blobs and forms a network from what I have been seeing.

When these blobs dry out thats where the magic is. As the crystals form in the spaces between the blobs the blobs gel even further and solidify around the network bringing it tighter into planes of conduction. This is facilitated by the water in setting up the substances. All this was done cold. but the fact remains that even without anything the water is the initial transporter of conduction. No matter where in the water I put the electrodes it was constant 1.09 volts before the adding of anything. So selecting the right materials before making the device is absolutely imperative to the potential of the device from the start.

Somewhere in this process the mode of conduction swaps from bulk water to crystalline conduction. Think of it like this: Bulk water reduces and crystalline water takes over after the crystals form. Apparently this is the reason for polarity swaps some have reported. Bumping the cell after it has dried sufficiently causes it to align to it's bumped direction of flow.

Now this is not what happens in the case of Nick's cell. Since nick's cell is dry from the beginning there is another process happening. That process is more piezoelectric with the interlacing layers forming very sensitive receiver of the medium we float in. Everything vibrates because of that medium and this cell takes advantage of that vibration.

These two processes are not unlike, They are two examples of how to take the minute vibrations of the medium and convert them into energy. The first cell is the same process but the cell uses Flubber to catch the vibrations and apply them to the crystals. You might think the glue cells are hard but I did a test using elmers and borax makes it into a rubbery mass. The heat is used to fuse the crystalline material and when the heat leeches out of the flubber and crystal mixture it solidifies both flubber and crystal. While this event is happening proper use can grow the unit stronger as it leeches the rest of the heat out of the unit.

Let me know what you think?

[NickZ]

  It may be that the process that the quartz/carbon cell works by is something like piezoelectric effect, as when I press the electrolyte down hard the voltage goes up and the led gets brighter. This could also be from better conduction, when further compacted, or from the quartz.  But the main thing is to the find the right combination that will give the best output. I still find the main problem is the impedance after a while. As this may still be caused by the accumulation of hydrogen ions onto the anodes restricting their flow. Different electrolyte materials may help along with the possible addition of Carbonate to the mix.
 
  For those that would like to try my type of dry cells, I recommend first looking for the best carbon to use, one with the least resistance levels, as I have not have a chance to try different sources, so I can't recommend much as far as that goes.  Aquarium charcoal or briquettes have worked for others. Although it may need something more to make it conduct better as they are very dry.  I find that compacting the carbon firmly into a big  capacitor can helps to overcome that. The bigger the can the better.
  Applying the conductive grease  on the inside of the aluminum cans as well as the copper anodes will not only help to conduct, but will prevent oxidation as well. As just air by itself can oxidize metals, like copper, magnesium, or aluminum, and is why I use carbon, where possible,instead. Remember to seal the cells with clear 5 minute E-poxy as exposure to air may still affect any metals.

  B-rads:  Using carbon or graphite powder to make a paste along with the conductive grease may make a usable electrolyte, it's worth a try also. 

[nightlife]

 Here is a video of my small crystal cells. Please note that I said before that I was getting 1v each but I was using the wrong setting. They are actaully .5v

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-3XcK8oNKE

[jbignes5]

Here is a video of my small crystal cells. Please note that I said before that I was getting 1v each but I was using the wrong setting. They are actaully .5v

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-3XcK8oNKE

.5 comes from using copper. Try using graphite. I got 1 volt from graphite and aluminum.