Crystal Cell Research for Experimenter

tgraca · January 02, 2015, 02:23:57 PM

I built a bunch of these cells with 2" pipe and they lasted less than half as long between maintenance cycles.
I built a bunch of these cells with 1" pipe and they had even more frequent maintenance cycles.
So... with my goal of fewer maintenance cycles, it looks like bigger is better.

Also, I have tried a number of ways to maintain these crystal batteries besides a syringe, but so far the syringe is the best method.
The problem with leaving them open to air in any way is that the maintenance cycles go to a matter of days, and some of these
methods involved watering around the mag strips, which made them deteriorate and fall off.

tgraca · January 02, 2015, 02:38:24 PM

I am waiting for some single AA battery holders to build the final version of this and do a video, but here's the schematic.

Pirate88179 · January 03, 2015, 01:30:48 AM

Quote from: tgraca on January 02, 2015, 02:38:24 PM
I am waiting for some single AA battery holders to build the final version of this and do a video, but here's the schematic.

Nice circuit. Just use magnetic battery holders that you can easily build. These work better and, they are universal and will stick to any size battery...AAA, AA, C, or D. I have a video that shows how to make them. It is cheaper than buying a limiting battery holder. I get the feeling that you and I are alike in that money is tight for experimenting and this is a good savings.

I have never made a crystal cell but your work has me very interested in this device. I followed Hutchison's work on this a while back.

Bill

PS I invented these about 7 years ago and Lidmotor, in one of his videos, credited me with coming up with these universal connectors.
Keep up your good work.

tgraca · January 03, 2015, 05:23:26 AM

Quote from: Pirate88179 on January 03, 2015, 01:30:48 AM

Nice circuit. Just use magnetic battery holders that you can easily build. These work better and, they are universal and will stick to any size battery...AAA, AA, C, or D. I have a video that shows how to make them. It is cheaper than buying a limiting battery holder. I get the feeling that you and I are alike in that money is tight for experimenting and this is a good savings.

I have never made a crystal cell but your work has me very interested in this device. I followed Hutchison's work on this a while back.

Bill

PS I invented these about 7 years ago and Lidmotor, in one of his videos, credited me with coming up with these universal connectors.
Keep up your good work.

re: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d31iEWBMh3M
Great video! I have done something similar, but it's kind of clunky at best in that the battery isn't stationed in one place.
The battery holders for AA's and AAA's are really cheap now. I have a full collection except for the singles, which I found for
$1.82 USD for 10 delivered, which is in my budget.. I don't know how they do that. It would cost me over $2+ just for postage
to mail something like that to someone in the US.

I started work yesterday on another version of that circuit to charge my lead alum batteries (about 9V) from a 12V battery bank.
I have built many SS SSG's, but I think a JT circuit would work just as well. I believe all that is needed for good battery charger
is pulsed DC. I have been working in the realm of 1/4 watt resistors for too long and bit the bullet yesterday to order some
2, 5, and 25 watt resistors. No more breaking out the calculator to run a bunch of 1/4 watt resistors in parallel! lol

Yeah... money is really tight, but it seems I can come up with a little here and there to get a few things. I am really struggling on
finding a reasonably priced source for magnesium and carbon. For example: magnesium sells on the futures market for a little over
$1 per pound, but the best price I can find is for magnesium rods, which equates to $28/pound. I don't get it, and at that price, I
can't get it. It would be really nice to have a bunch of 1oz bars of magnesium to play with, but I am guessing it would cost about
$10k+ to take delivery on the $1/pound magnesium on the futures market. That's the plan... don't hold your breath!

PS - today I am making a heat sink from an aluminum sheet I have here for my 2n3055 for this project.
I imagine it will be really ugly like my others... any suggestions?

tgraca · January 03, 2015, 05:52:28 AM

Quote from: tgraca on January 03, 2015, 05:23:26 AM
PS - today I am making a heat sink from an aluminum sheet I have here for my 2n3055 for this project.
I imagine it will be really ugly like my others... any suggestions?

Hey... here's an idea I found for copper heat sinks for transistors... I hope my circuit will look that good! lol