I finally purchased some aligator clips on long leads.

I got a solid steady voltage from my set up which is now 3 copper pipes connected to 2 zinc things. Kinda flaky maybe, but it was not any more than just one but for the first time the voltage didn't drop to zero for some reason?? I clipped the graphite pencil to the mag block and got a usual 1.09v.

Bill, did you get a multiplication from multiple pieces of graphite without the charge? I think not. But you also did not get zero .

I am frustrated that I don't have enough for a led. (I must live in a low conduction area or something) so, I found a little piezo buzzer. I was able to hear the most remote click when connected between the copper and zinc.

Ahh - something!

But not much. I don't want to waste this sunny day but I think I will read the patents.

jeanna

Oh and I moved the mag block around. It didn't make much difference but it was its highest in the East - west as well as the north - south directions. Interesting?

double zip on these last 2 experiments.

I don't have red enamel to paint on my pipes, so, for now, I wrapped the pipes and zinc in plastic bags and I got zero volts. Now, there was no earth inside the pipes and the zinc was not inside the pipes, just 4 inches apart but in series. == zero just like inside the house.

then with no plastic bags (just to be sure) just a series of cu zn cu zn and zero v

Thing is it isn't a short I don't think. a short on my meter shows an "I" for infinity over on the far left of the screen.

I am going to have to buy a graphite rod, I guess. I want to find some coal. maybe charcoal will work...

jeanna

Just a thought on your experiments.

How about using your water pipes as one of the terminals. There are many miles of steel pipe buried in the ground that are electrically connected to your pipe system in the house.

You would not be able to connect your batteries in series, as one side of the circuit uses a common terminal, but a parallel arrangement could work.

As I said, just a thought.

Hans von Lieven

@ Hans:

I just popped in for a minute and read your last post.  Do you mean to say to use the miles and miles of underground pipe already there to "soak" up this telluric current on one side of the battery?  That is an excellent idea!!!!!  I guess we would have to figure out if it was + or - but that would depend on the materials we are using on the other electrode.  My carbon rod would still be + I am guessing.  One quick thought, what about all of the ac being dumped into the ground via the water pipes in residential houses?  I wonder what we will see?  I am going to have to make up a pretty long lead to reach from my plumbing to test but...wow. Great idea.  I think we all owe you a beer for this one.

@ mramos:

No, I don't think anyone has hit higher than 2.5 mA SO FAR.  Ha ha, we are just getting started.  And, that is IF the digital meters are reading it correctly.  I am going to check with the analog meter but it was too dark when I got in to do it today.  I can already light 2 leds...that's something anyway isn't it?  If Stubblefield did it, I believe we can do it.  I hope your equipment is ok, sand can be a real pain sometimes.

Bill

@jeanna:  Coal won't work.  I tried it, but what does work and gives some interesting results is activated carbon (used in filters, etc).  It has a huge surface area like a carbon rod, but it comes in powdered or granular form.  I sprinked some on the earth and stuck my probe in it, it did give me a voltage when measuring against a copper rod.