Did anyone try magnesium chloride? It's very hygroscopic so it might increase the moisture content of "dry" paper.

Day Ten!

Great work everybody!  I am really surprised at the success some of you are having with copper.  I never could get the copper core batteries to work very well long term.

Here is a video of my current long term air batter test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCdj9TJCZd4

Here are some pictures showing better details:

Nice construction layout on the motor, maybe add some build details (number of turns/wire size) etc for others that want to build one.

Thanks Lasersaber.
Your video is great, and these close ups are really excellent.

I made the suggestion on the video that when it finally stops you could scrape the crud from between rows of ribbon to see if it helps.
I think the bubble shape of the crud is because you are making H₂ inside the mg. That H₂ is lifting the wet mg up until it collapses as crud. My guess.

@all,
I also want to say the big one I made has only a thin spiral of tape holding it down and therefore it can get dry, which it has done.
The 1/2 inch one is still going strong moisture-wise. I completely covered that one with tape and I thought it didn't work, but I needed to thoroughly soak it to get it really going. It is still wet enough to work after 3 days from the soaking.

I also have had a carbon mg one that is only 2 1/2 inches that is continuously running a jtc, so ...

These really work.
Thank you for sharing this 'invention'.


jeanna

hmmm I guess I am glad I had to get a few of those reed switches to satisfy the mim order!
Next job is to invent a new reed switch? 

I have been playing for a week with this stuff and what I see there is a oxidation going on by the water with some kitchen salt on the magnesium ribbon (see pictures down under)

When I wanted to peel off the ribbon it broke between my fingers. I used a lot of water so I think the less water the longer the coil will last. I've got 0.53 volt 22 mA on one of these sticks. I used one thin layer of elastic bandage. I pulled the graphite rods out of an old battery.
I saw a guy doing that in this video http://www.youtube.com/user/NurdRage#p/search/2/knc1lSupAwQ
I heated the rod with a little flame several times to get out the tar that is in the rod. Just heating and cleaning the tar with a tissue. A cheap way to get these rods, the structure is soft. Thanks Lasersaber, you got me going with this stuff
Kind regards,
Leon.