Ibpointless2 Crystal Cells

[NickZ]

  Ib2:
    I have not found much advantage in using capacitors in line with the cells. As they only charge up to the same voltage as is being put out by the cells, and don't really hold that charge more than a few seconds. So, I have not found them to be of help much, in conjunction with these cells.
In any case please do try it out, as there is not much to lose, and everything to gain. the circuit mentioned is not so complicated, and would not take long to build.
  I'm waiting for John B to show us his BwJt circuit, using the transformer idea. 
 
   triffid:  Although some cells are working somewhat similar to capacitors, or diodes, as they are all "one way" directional components, but I have not heard or seen any caps or diodes that can do what some of these cells can do. 
   As you will not get much Current from your series connected multi-cell design,  maybe there is something that can be done, using  mostly voltage, as that you can obtain and is what all of us need to learn how to work with, instead of using current.  Have you built an oscillator circuit to use with your cells? If not, that is what you'll need to do, or you'll find that the cell voltage will drop, and since you have very little current, the leds will go out, even after a short while.

[jbignes5]

I've been thinking very hard on how to make a low amp cell useful and I think I may have a idea. We keep seeing these cells as batteries but they don't give much amps at all so we must stop looking at them as batteries but instead look at them as components. I'll include a picture below of a rough draft of a idea I have to use low power crystal cells as components. 


You have C2 fully charged (1.5V) and powering the circuit. The circuit powers a LED and then it dumps it into C3. The crystal cell is in parallel with C3 and it helps to charge C3 too, the crystal cell puts back in the energy that was lost do to heat from the circuit. The Crystal cell "picks up the slack" and thus puts a higher charge into C3. C3 can now be swapped with C2 so that you can repeat the process. The LED will run for a long time if you swap the capacitors over, the Crystal cell will put the energy in that is loss do to the natural loss of circuits.



This is just a rough idea.

Why not make the cell like a capacitor? That way it can self charge and maybe become stronger in the process.

[ibpointless2]

  Ib2:
    I have not found much advantage in using capacitors in line with the cells. As they only charge up to the same voltage as is being put out by the cells, and don't really hold that charge more than a few seconds. So, I have not found them to be of help much, in conjunction with these cells.
In any case please do try it out, as there is not much to lose, and everything to gain. the circuit mentioned is not so complicated, and would not take long to build.
  I'm waiting for John B to show us his BwJt circuit, using the transformer idea. 
 
   triffid:  Although some cells are working somewhat similar to capacitors, or diodes, as they are all "one way" directional components, but I have not heard or seen any caps or diodes that can do what some of these cells can do. 
   As you will not get much Current from your series connected multi-cell design,  maybe there is something that can be done, using  mostly voltage, as that you can obtain and is what all of us need to learn how to work with, instead of using current.  Have you built an oscillator circuit to use with your cells? If not, that is what you'll need to do, or you'll find that the cell voltage will drop, and since you have very little current, the leds will go out, even after a short while.

In the diagram the cell is not in series with the capacitor but instead is in parallel. Putting a cell in series with something is not a good idea. Having the cells in parallel and with a higher voltage will give the results i'm after.

[ibpointless2]

Why not make the cell like a capacitor? That way it can self charge and maybe become stronger in the process.

The cell do act like capacitors. But they hold little charge and putting the cell in series with something like a LED will make the LED go dim as the cell fills up. The cells don't do good in series but they do great in parallel.

[PhiChaser]

Hey all!
Good things are afoot!! I have tested a bunch of cells today and started taking measurements. That is to say I've taken measurements on more than half of the cells I have made (which is quite a few!). (EDIT:Writing in a journal that is heh heh...)

I have something of a discovery to post here which I think is pretty significant:
While building some cells I decided to make a cell with one anode (1/4" aluminum rod) in the center and TWO cathodes (carbon tubes) in the same electrolyte mix.
The mix at this point is mostly irrelevant. What I think is worth notice is that when I hook up the anode to the black test lead, and then hook the red test lead to one of the cathodes, I get about 0.64v which drops steadily, over the course of a couple minutes, to about 0.41v.
Not exciting until I unhook that red test lead and hook it IMMEDIATELY to the other cathode and see 0.64v, the same reading I saw on the FIRST cathode when I first hooked it up!!! No waiting for recharge... So I hook the two cathodes together just now and it tests like just one cathode!!! The same 0.64v and sinking... Those readings are from a mix that wasn't very successful as far as voltage goes but the point of the test needs to be re-proven.

Help me out guys!!!!

Does this mean we can keep adding cathodes (or anodes???) until we run out of room in the electrolyte? Are you kidding me!?!
If this is the case we can use an anode 'case' full of cathodes!!
I have to go build some test cells to see what is up...
Easy thing to test right? Let me know what you find please!

Happy experimenting,
PC