EDM carbon and nickel cell questions on results Please provide input if possible

[ydeardorff]

With my new test bench up and running I was for the first time able to get MMW readings on my cell.
Although my MMW is very low 1.54 Im attributing this to my manifold system and tubing being too restrictive. Ill be remedying this soon.

What puzzled me, was I switched to KOH at a strength of 3 tspns per gallon of distilled water, from K2CO3. I wanted to rule out the possibility of CO and CO2 being released by the cell due to the construct of potassium carbonate.

When I was finished running my tests, I filled a small water balloon with gas and took it outside to test the gas quality. I expected the typical "CRACK" Ive seen so often on you tube, but what I got was a whoomph, and a large amber flame. It was a relatively slow burn, similar to that of gasoline vapor.

Im wondering if the carbon is somehow converting the reaction to either pure hydrogen, or methane. Or if possibly the carbon is somehow making CO, and or CO2 and polluting the gas quality.

But the absence of the near firecracker pop of the balloon surprised me greatly, and seeing the bright amber flame was not what I expected.

I have no way to get the gas tested, so I thought I'd chime in here to see if someone might be able to lend some educated thoughts on this.

The inputs are:

Anode: Carbon
Electrolyte: KOH
Cathode: Nickel

My chemical pondering here has led me to think The cell is making  CH4 and NI(OH)2, or Ni(OH)2and H2, with a C- left over as ash in the electrolyte.

Fire away!