Quote from: GeoscienceStudent on April 20, 2008, 08:28:07 PM

Now , have any of you done this around something that involves movement and got different readings?  I keep wondering about that tree.  It has sap and water, and osmosis and diffusion involved... 
Beck

Beck

I  get  some  strange  readings  with my  cap. .......  I can't explain them .
It might  be a quirk of my meter ...........but I don't think so .

With my cap  ....... If I  connect  only one lead  I get  a reading on  AC   V 
The reading  changes   if I move in  relation to the  cap .   
The   readings  are hard to  explain ........ but  consistant .
They  are   very small . ........   If I  connect   the leads to both sides of the cap  I  get .007 V   AC     but  I also  get  .007  V  AC if I  don't  have anything  connected to  the  leads.   

With  a  lead  connected to one  side of the  cap I get  around  .01  V AC   .........If I move  the   AC  voltage  jumps  up  as  high  as .035  .......then  usually  but not always  settles  back to .01 .

magnets  don't  seem to affect  the   readings ....... It  does not  seem to be reading  static charge .   

I really don't  have a clue  about  what   it is reading .



I am doing   non  galvanomic  stuff right now ..... I  won't  be planting  any coils  in the near future ..........so  knowing the soil type  doesn't help me  any right now ................but  it seems to me that it might  be very helpful in   finding hot spots in the future  .........   or it might be helpful in defining  exactly  what a hot spot is .


gary   

@ Bill
I tested my "instrument" with a 1.2v Nicad, the coil attracted the magnet, then when I reversed the polarity, it was repelled.
I was not expecting a push/pull reaction, rather a rotating momention was what I was looking for.

I might take the spring out, and glue the magnet onto the nylon fishing line, but I will have to have the line extreamly tight to prevent it being attracted to the coil.

I'm open to suggestions anyone
Jim

Quote from: resonanceman on April 21, 2008, 03:13:05 AM

Quote from: GeoscienceStudent on April 20, 2008, 08:28:07 PM

Now , have any of you done this around something that involves movement and got different readings?  I keep wondering about that tree.  It has sap and water, and osmosis and diffusion involved... 
Beck

Beck

I  get  some  strange  readings  with my  cap. .......  I can't explain them .
It might  be a quirk of my meter ...........but I don't think so .

With my cap  ....... If I  connect  only one lead  I get  a reading on  AC   V 
The reading  changes   if I move in  relation to the  cap .   
The   readings  are hard to  explain ........ but  consistant .
They  are   very small . ........   If I  connect   the leads to both sides of the cap  I  get .007 V   AC     but  I also  get  .007  V  AC if I  don't  have anything  connected to  the  leads.   

With  a  lead  connected to one  side of the  cap I get  around  .01  V AC   .........If I move  the   AC  voltage  jumps  up  as  high  as .035  .......then  usually  but not always  settles  back to .01 .

magnets  don't  seem to affect  the   readings ....... It  does not  seem to be reading  static charge .   

I really don't  have a clue  about  what   it is reading .



I am doing   non  galvanomic  stuff right now ..... I  won't  be planting  any coils  in the near future ..........so  knowing the soil type  doesn't help me  any right now ................but  it seems to me that it might  be very helpful in   finding hot spots in the future  .........   or it might be helpful in defining  exactly  what a hot spot is .


gary   

Since certain soils have variations of minerals , metals, and other substances, would variations of minerals or metals cause variations in readings?
And what about land use and leaching that may be involved?  If you have high slope or the land has been developed or used for tilled farming, more leaching occurs, thus less minerals.  I wonder if that would make a different effect?
We'd have to have something to use as a control, then try different slopes, land use areas, and soil types with the same coils, or other equipment used to varify whether this really makes a difference.  Thing is, one person could not do the whole test because  there are not enough soil variations in one yard to make a difference.  But if several used the same method then each took readings on soil in his/her area and reported findings and included soil type...
You've got my curiosity peaked.  Something for future thought.
Have you taken readings around anything that would cause interference?  taking magnetic direction has interference if you are near a fence or electrical wires?  I wonder if this would cause interference with your tests too?

Tell you what, for future reference,  I'll look into GIS to see if I can find soil types of all the US.  If I can I'll check the minerals and see if I can come up with a map/database to post for everyone to use.  Is there anyone here from other countries on here?  It's harder for me to find other GIS sites but they are out there, and I'll just have to do some research.  I'll get back with you on this if I can come up with something.  Meanwhile, I'm going shopping for the equipment.  Still sounds like a neat geology experiment.  Maybe we'll learn something about our earth.  Maybe this has already been discovered and there's an explanation for it?  Best way to learn is do it for yourself though.  My opinion.

Quote from: GeoscienceStudent on April 21, 2008, 10:19:08 AM

Since certain soils have variations of minerals , metals, and other substances, would variations of minerals or metals cause variations in readings?
And what about land use and leaching that may be involved?  If you have high slope or the land has been developed or used for tilled farming, more leaching occurs, thus less minerals.  I wonder if that would make a different effect?
We'd have to have something to use as a control, then try different slopes, land use areas, and soil types with the same coils, or other equipment used to varify whether this really makes a difference.  Thing is, one person could not do the whole test because  there are not enough soil variations in one yard to make a difference.  But if several used the same method then each took readings on soil in his/her area and reported findings and included soil type...
You've got my curiosity peaked.  Something for future thought.
Have you taken readings around anything that would cause interference?  taking magnetic direction has interference if you are near a fence or electrical wires?  I wonder if this would cause interference with your tests too?

Tell you what, for future reference,  I'll look into GIS to see if I can find soil types of all the US.  If I can I'll check the minerals and see if I can come up with a map/database to post for everyone to use.  Is there anyone here from other countries on here?  It's harder for me to find other GIS sites but they are out there, and I'll just have to do some research.  I'll get back with you on this if I can come up with something.  Meanwhile, I'm going shopping for the equipment.  Still sounds like a neat geology experiment.  Maybe we'll learn something about our earth.  Maybe this has already been discovered and there's an explanation for it?  Best way to learn is do it for yourself though.  My opinion.

Beck

it would be great to have access to a database of soil type and things like that .

We  really don't know  much about  what soil  works best yet ........but we will learn .


Jeanna and Bill  talked a  little about  coming up with a standard  way to measure .   like  what kind of  metal rod  and how  deep 

I think  having  a standard protocal   is important  if we are going to put together   information that  is useful for all of us .

The protocal  should be as simple as  possable ........something  like  one rod ......or   one   earth battery  wound  in a  standard way .   
I was going to  say one measurement  .........but I  have read that the  readings  change with time of day and other factors ...........so maybe we need some averaging  on each site .


To be honest I don't  think  we are far enough along   to  even   figure out  how to make a   good standard  probe.

My intuition  tells me  that  what we need is a simple   earth battery   with a  simple charging  system  added to it .   This  charging system  could  charge a super cap . 

I am  thniking   of a coil  with  the core extending   6 in  or  a foot  out of the bottom .     you could  ram the  end of the  core into the ground ..........   so it looks like  the coil is just sitting on the ground .     .then come back  in a specified  time  and  check  the   voltage on the cap .


We will need quite a few reading  from different  kinds of   rods and coils to  even  have an idea  what kind  of  test works best .    .....or how to start  making a standard measuring probe .


`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the  strange  AC readings on my cap ........ I did my best to rule out   the possibility  of interference  or  the possibility I was picking  up  AC from the house  wiring .


gary

Bill

Each time I  navagate to this  page I  see this comment

Quote

@ All:

I was going to urinate on my cell to see if it boosted the output but, decided against it. (smile)

It might  be a valid  experment .    but  I am sure we would never hear about it .

After all     a gentleman  doesn't piss and tell .






gary