IB since I can't reply to your comment on the other forum I'll say it here.


An analogue meter is passive. Besides low coil resistance the meter is sensitive. I'm going analogue again also. You can see the flow of current better.

Hey what if we used crushed up graphite and carbon? You know a blend of the two... We could use a pure graphite center electrode again with the aluminum or magnesium can.

  The pulverized carbon can be combined with many things, like I do by adding layers of quartz along with it. Graphite powder combined with carbon may work better than just the carbon. It's worth trying. But the main thing is finding the best carbon to use, or no matter what you add to it, it will still be a weak cell.
   To answer your question about the AC readings on the cells: My last small carbon/aluminum cells output 94mV on DC, and 1.250 or so on the AC setting on my meter.  So, the AC setting shows a higher output than the DC output, sometimes almost twice as much. But, the leds will still only light to the same intensity regardless of what the meter reads.

Quote from: NickZ on December 02, 2011, 01:25:54 PM
  The pulverized carbon can be combined with many things, like I do by adding layers of quartz along with it. Graphite powder combined with carbon may work better than just the carbon. It's worth trying. But the main thing is finding the best carbon to use, or no matter what you add to it, it will still be a weak cell.
   To answer your question about the AC readings on the cells: My last small carbon/aluminum cells output 94mV on DC, and 1.250 or so on the AC setting on my meter.  So, the AC setting shows a higher output than the DC output, sometimes almost twice as much. But, the leds will still only light to the same intensity regardless of what the meter reads.

The carbon cell I have made is very low level voltage .45 now but it seems that the pure carbon method is not gonna cut it. When I Look at the dc side it is.45 volts and the ac side say .4 so this doesn't make sense. But when I measure a crystal battery it reads like normal 1.26 volts dc and 1.9 ac??? It doesn't make sense...

Also about different mixes. Adding any electrolyte to the carbon seems to make it eat the aluminum even though it is dry. I mixed carbon and potassium and it ate the aluminum.. Even without water. My alum and carbon got knocked over so I don't know the results of that. I also put a thick layer of silica beads over the carbon to dry it out further. This worked well but I think it is still wet a bit.
The can still looks good so we will have to wait till I dissect the carbon out and check it's formations...

*edit found the other mix and they both ate aluminum foil when mixed with carbon. Maybe we should mix in the borax into the carbon with potassium or alum..

Quote from: NickZ
B-rads- I believe that the correct direction or flow of current in our cells is opposite to the pipeline polarity. And is like the Wikipedia explanation that I linked to before, under their heading "Other anodes and cathodes" that have polarity like diodes, semiconductors, electrolytic capacitors, and such as our cells. Electrode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

@Nick
Sorry to respond to your questions here, but I simply am not comfortable discussing this stuff at ef. The reference cited is referring to primary galvanic cells. I agree that if it can ever be indisputably proven that Ib’s cells are not galvanic then I think your reference to anode and cathode is correct. If it is proven that they are galvanic then I believe the cited information would be correct. In galvanic, a sacrificial electrode is referred to as the anode. It takes much more knowledge than I have to prove Ib’s cells as galvanic or not, but that does not concern me as this has proven to be a very worthy cell regardless what it is.

Quote from: NickZ
Brad, what was not mentioned in your information is if the electrode oxidation can be also be avoided or at least controlled by a lack of Oxygen available, like in a hermetically sealed cell. Or not?

  This is a question I have pondered for a long time Nick. Many of the chemicals we have been using, not only in Ib’s cells, but others as well contain oxygen and hydrogen. Epsom Salt, Alum, Elmer’s Glue, and other chemicals as well contain oxygen, hydrogen, or both. The question is, does the chemical makeup of these materials when mixed or exposed to metals change and allow oxidation even while in a sealed environment or not. I would like to think that as long as the cell is not overstressed that the crystal structure does not break down allowing oxidation to occur at the electrodes. But once again, I think these cells have more than passed the smell test and deserve a place of honor.

Thanks,
Brad S