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Author Topic: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell  (Read 71363 times)

dasimpson

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #45 on: February 15, 2011, 08:46:55 PM »
i would understand low voltage but as much current as possible but not the other way round
from looking at the image you must have over 3 volts and at least 25ma

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #46 on: February 15, 2011, 11:18:08 PM »
@dasimpson
First let me say that I really do enjoy interacting with you and all the people on this forum.  This dialog encourages thought and since you dealing with a true “newbie” here, it is good to sort fact from fiction.  I started these experiments with many preconceived notions to ultimately prove my own thoughts to be in error.  With that said, these are my thoughts on why I responded earlier the way I did.  Any output less than about 2 volts will not light that LED regardless of the amperage unless you put it on a Joule Thief circuit, which I have done.  My objective is to stress these cells as little as possible to facilitate their longevity.  A more destructive electrolyte (drano, KOH) will pump up these cells like a bodybuilder on steroids, but they don’t last very long.  The reason I am disappointed, in the conduit tests I have performed, I get approx. ½ volt for every 4” of conduit exposed to the copper.  With that formula, each cell should have produced about 2 ¼ volts.  But they only produced around 1 volt.  By the way, you are very close on the output, 3 cells configured for max volts produced about 2 ½ volts and approx 20ma while lighting the LED. 
Thanks, Brad S

dasimpson

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #47 on: February 16, 2011, 12:34:20 AM »
i had a feeling i would be the leds i have used start about 2.5v 20ma
as far as i know the more metal in contact makes more amperage not voltage now if you use carben and zinc i feel you would get higher voltage after all that what batterys are made of

i dont think using thors 2 metals you will get more of a running voltage then about 0.80v if i remeber right

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #48 on: February 16, 2011, 04:25:44 PM »
@dasimpson
The information in your last post is invaluable and totally blows up my linear way of thinking about these cells.  To prove your statement I looked at wikipedia and found this.

“The more electrolyte and electrode material there is in the cell, the greater the capacity of the cell. Thus a small cell has less capacity than a larger cell, given the same chemistry, though they develop the same open-circuit voltage.”

I found this statement to be equally important.
“In practical batteries, internal energy losses, and limited rate of diffusion of ions through the electrolyte, cause the efficiency of a battery to vary at different discharge rates. When discharging at low rate, the battery's energy is delivered more efficiently than at higher discharge rates, but if the rate is too low, it will self-discharge during the long time of operation, again lowering its efficiency.”
Again, so much to learn – back to the workbench for more testing – lol.

dasimpson

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #49 on: February 16, 2011, 09:10:32 PM »
yeah the energy loss over time is a pain more so in rechargable batteries.
thats why they best used in something with high power demand rather then something with low power like clocks or remotes
i will give you an example i have a wireless doorbell i was using the rechargables in it but found that most the time the doorbell had stoped working
 it wouldent see the month out i then had an idea to add a 2.5v solar panel and diode to it the problem stoped then winter hit so had to rethink so i went and got some cheap alkaline batterys been on for 2 month now and no problems when they run flat ill use them in my tourch so no biggy
now i did see somthing on google that was interesting about a water battery what they had done is use rain water when the unit no longer made power they just emptyed the old water and put new in maybe somthing like this would be good

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #50 on: February 21, 2011, 04:02:41 PM »
Weekend Build:
This is to show that real power can be produced from these little cells.  Galvanized conduit, activated carbon, and alum electrolyte.  As the amperage drops off - there will probably not be enough power to drive this little motor, but it should run for a day so. Then LED's can be used for an extended period of time.
@Bizzy credited with cell design.
Charles Caleb Colton Quotes - "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"
Brad S

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #51 on: February 21, 2011, 04:14:13 PM »
Weekend Build #2:
Same concept as obove except using post 1982 US pennies.  34 pennies per cell.  The copper plating has been brushed off the edge of the penny.

Bizzy

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #52 on: February 21, 2011, 04:15:38 PM »
Weekend Build:
This is to show that real power can be produced from these little cells.  Galvanized conduit, activated carbon, and alum electrolyte.  As the amperage drops off - there will probably not be enough power to drive this little motor, but it should run for a day so. Then LED's can be used for an extended period of time.
@Bizzy credited with cell design.
Charles Caleb Colton Quotes - "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"
Brad S
Hi Brad a nice compact design. what kind of  voltage are you getting with it?
Bizzy

Bizzy

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #53 on: February 21, 2011, 04:17:08 PM »
Weekend Build #2:
Same concept as obove except using post 1982 US pennies.  34 pennies per cell.  The copper plating has been brushed off the edge of the penny.
Hi agian Brad
Could you draw us a diagram of your design?
Thanks
Bizzy

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #54 on: February 21, 2011, 04:37:30 PM »
what kind of voltage are you getting with it?
When I first connected the fan right after the build the meter read 2.65V and 1/4 Amp.  Of course, with these batteries the amperage will drop before leveling off.

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #55 on: February 21, 2011, 04:40:11 PM »
Could you draw us a diagram of your design?
It might be later today before I get a chance, but will be happy to post design.  Thanks for asking.
Brad S

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #56 on: February 21, 2011, 06:16:26 PM »
Could you draw us a diagram of your design?
Here is the design as promised.  If any part of this is unclear, please ask.
Thanks
Brad S

Bizzy

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #57 on: February 21, 2011, 06:24:44 PM »
Here is the design as promised.  If any part of this is unclear, please ask.
Thanks
Brad S
Hi Brad
 A very compact and easy design. You have two batteries above are these oenny batteries the ones you got 2.65V and 1/4 Amp?
Thanks
Bizzy

b_rads

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #58 on: February 21, 2011, 06:38:13 PM »
You have two batteries above are these oenny batteries the ones you got 2.65V and 1/4 Amp?
No - the galvanized conduit cells are the ones I was referencing.  I love conduit, just cut off a chunk and build - so fast, easy, and cheap (the six cells running the fan have 35 cents worth of conduit).  The penny batteries have so much more zinc - I will be watching to see how they perform.

dasimpson

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Re: Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell
« Reply #59 on: February 21, 2011, 08:37:43 PM »
from the looks of this unit you are easy producing about 3 volts and over 225mah well done that some power for home made battery
Weekend Build #2:
Same concept as obove except using post 1982 US pennies.  34 pennies per cell.  The copper plating has been brushed off the edge of the penny.