Ibpointless2 Crystal Cells

[NickZ]

  @Triffid:
   If you use pencil leads (or 1/4" to 1/2'" copper tube), and wrap aluminum wire or magnesium ribbon, as the two electrodes, you should get at least a volt.
But not using pencil leads and copper wire. 
  The most important point is not to let the glue touch both metals, (or the metal and pencil leads), or you are going to short circuit the cell every time. 
There MUST BE A ELECTROLYTE SEPARATOR between the two metals or metal and pencil leads, but NO direct contact between the two electrodes.
  I would recommend using the carpenter pencil leads and aluminum wire as the electrodes, but with a single layer of wet paper towel separating them. 
Once you get this to work, then you can brush on or spray on the salt mix onto the paper electrolyte, and once this has totally dried out you can seal the cell with white glue, 5 minute E-poxy, or casting resin, but, don't let the two electrodes make direct contact with the glue, as it has water in it, and will short out the cell.
  I believe that this has been your problem up to now.
   Good luck,
                     NickZ

[triffid]

Its 8:19pm(22 hours) and the latest cell has dropped to .430 volts.So I will make two more cells tonight and see if I get the same results.
triffid

[triffid]

Bad news that voltage dropped to .22 volts this morning.I must be using low quality aluminum?I did not use store bought aluminum wire cuz I had some junk aluminum on hand.That said,I will try to get aluminum wire from somewhere and some magnesium metal strips from somewhere and keep trying.I did not short out my electrodes and the pencil leads are too thin and fragile to wrap anything around them.I did make two more cells last night.They are drying now.I will not test them until tomorrow.And post the results here in the interest of open-sourcing.triffid

[NickZ]

  There are videos on YouTube showing how several of the thin pencil leads can be wrapped with aluminum foil to make a cell. It can be done using just the wet paper towel between the electrodes at first to see what you get, If you add any salts to the paper electrolyte the aluminum foil will quickly get eaten up, as it is all expose to the open air. Any cells using salts needs to be sealed airtight.
  Carbon rods can be obtained at some crafts or artist supply stores. But the highest voltages have been obtained from the thin pencil leads, or carpenter pencil leads.
  I use empty aluminum capacitor cans filled with wood carbon or charcoal briquettes, and pencil leads for the center electrode, and get about a volt. These are non-galvanic cells, and can be placed in series to obtain the voltage needed.


   @ Ib2:  What is the current output of your first "Blue cell", now?

[triffid]

I put together two new cells today using aluminum wire and copper wire.It seems the glue sets up faster than I thought.In about ten minutes its pretty hard.It could be Im not using enough epson salts?If I dont get the proper voltages here.I will increase the amount of epson salts next.The next time I make more cells that is.triffid