#032 C5 MadStu's WPV - First inspection of Cell 5 (Barbie)

[JohnnyOhio]

Thanks for all of you work and for posting. Best of luck on further endeavors...peace...j.o...

[MadStu1978]

Thanks :)

[waynedavisband]

I had the same melting problem with my terminals untill I turned the cell upside down and used what was the bottom of the cell for the output and and top.....if all electrical connections are submerged you dont get a spark to cause ignition either

[MadStu1978]

I agree, I think that's both the best and easiest solution. :)

[blazedkirby]

i have seen liquid electrical tape, that is like a glue, you should think about trying this stuff.

[MadStu1978]

I think you have seen video #033, so don't need to tell you what I've used :)

[blazedkirby]

why yes i have, but i think that the liquid electrical tape would be better than the plastic paint.

[MadStu1978]

I pulled some off earlier which I painted on yesterday, really tough stuff. It says on the tin it's good for insulating electrical stuff too, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

[farroff]

hello stu do you suppose that if you used ss all threaad for the pos and neg post and plastic pieces to set it on that it might not get as hot.good job and keep up the good work your fan far

[MadStu1978]

I had used ss bolts anyway, so the heat would have remained the same, the thing is to use a plastic that wouldn't melt at that heat.

Like they said in the other comments, I could bring the heat down by using fatter bolts. Talking to other people They've also noted that it could have been my connections which need to be very tight.

I think a nylon sheaf would be a good idea, with a nylon washer over the PVC, shielding the PVC from contact.

Anyway, check out my reapirs! Uploading now...

[rezajetpack]

Hi Stu, been watching your videos great stuff, I am about to start building a cell myself, but don't know what configuration for the stainless to use? thought about tubes inside tubes maybe 7 or 9 using outer one as neg and very centre one as pos, with all others acting as neutral rings.

Have you tried this yet?

[MadStu1978]

Hello mate, Firstly, good luck on your build! See if you can video it and upload to YouTube. It'll be easier for people to comment and make suggestions on how to improve it.

There are a few different stainless steel grades you can use, I use 316L and it works brilliantly.

The tubes idea is a good one. If using in an automotive environment you want abour 5 neutrals, so 7 tubes total. make sure you get all the spacing and tube thickness correctly worked out before ordering...

[MadStu1978]

...If for instance you wanted a 1mm gap, between each tube, then you can't just order the tubes with 1mm diamter difference of course. It would be [gap spacing x 2] + [tube thickness x 2] = The difference between each tube diameter for uniformed spacing.

I've never tried tubes though - it's something I want to do in the future, but for now I'm sticking with the plates because I spent a lot on the plates orginally, so I want to get my monies worth ;)

Also, some people say that tubes...

[rezajetpack]

Hi Stu,

thanks for the advise and help, just wondered if you had any problems using sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), it can be very naughty stuff if inhaled according to specs I have been reading on the net. Is baking soda better? or less harmfull?.

[MadStu1978]

I'm sure Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda) is less harmful, yes.

I don't use Caustic Soda though, I use Caustic Potash / Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). A couple of times I've had a strong wiff of it when diluting the flakes down, hehe, doesn't smell healthy and I don't suggest it!

But as far as I'm aware, KOH is the best stuff to use, you can get it on eBay cheap.

[MadStu1978]

...wouldn't be as good as plates because the surface area is smaller.

It should of course be very efficient though, especially if they're long so the percentage of exposed edges are kept to a minimum.

Enjoy your build! :)

[onamissionshifter]

Hi Mate.Bloody Hell, thats is a load of crap in where.

Your doing this the hard way.

Get in touch.

Regards

Karl

[MadStu1978]

Hello mate,

Actually, the water was totally clear, on the video it looks black though, just because of light.

There was some stuff around the sides of the PVC though, like silt, and comes off when I rub my finger over it.

I'm working hard on it today though, I might post a video later with my new idea - depends on how much beer I drink in the mean time ;)

[miked826]

Listen to your daughter Stu, she knows what shes talking about.....you burnt the water mate. LOL

Increase the diameter size of your terminals and it will make them more resistant to heat/current. I had the exact same problem with mine.

[MadStu1978]

Haha, yeah she's already been advising me on just about every aspect - she want's to get it perfect for when I install it into Barbie's Car ;)

The problem I have with the terminals, is the availability of stainless steel bolts in the UK. Nearly all of the stuff we get over here is zinc plated.

[miked826]

Bloody hell youre in Brighton-by-the-Sea mate go to a Chandlery Store. They gotta have all the stainless steel hardware you could want. I used to live in Newmarket in 1985-1987. I know the UK aint that lacking in stuff. LOL

[MadStu1978]

What's a chandlery store?

And believe, finding materials here is extremely hard - I had to get most of the stuff I've got sent from the US.

[miked826]

Its a Marine Supply Store for boating. All their stuff is stainless steel to stand up to the salt water of the sea. They got tons of SS nut and bolts.

[MadStu1978]

Aha! Yes I did a search on Google shortly after I posted last time. I found a shop down at the Marina, will visit there at some point.

[MadStu1978]

Also, seems all their steel stuff would be grade 316 too! Perfect!

[miked826]

No excuses now. LOL

SMR Marine Ltd

1a East Lockside

Brighton Marina

Brighton

East Sussex

BN2 5UG

[MadStu1978]

lol, yep, same place I found ;)

They don't list any normal nuts/bolts on their web shop, but I'll pop down there some point during the week.

[miked826]

Take your daughter with you to the store. She'll show you exactly what you need. LOL

[MadStu1978]

Hehe, ok

[deltahho]

PS Make sure you keep all your conection to the top of your cell are heavy ones because you will make heat if there is any resistance in the circuit to the cell best not to use a jumper cable clamp on it you need a real solded conection will show you how I did it in my next video I've not run the cell over 40oC Yet so I'm yet to find out if it can take the heat :-) Keep up the great work Mate!!!

[MadStu1978]

I only use jumper cables when I'm testing in the back of the van, when it's under the bonnet it's connected by soldered terminals. I ordered a 40A relay last night to, so hopefully have that soon, ready for the next round of testing.

[deltahho]

Hi Stu how is the rubber paint going? my perspex failed again so all I've done now is just coated the bolts in marine goop & have let it dry for a cupple of days I'll try & do a test it on monday with a video I'm going to try a little bit of clear coat car paint and brush it on the edges of the plates at the top opening & bottem opening & see it it stays stuck to the plates I bleave if it works I might hit the 6.00mmw mark hopefully.

[MadStu1978]

I doubt very much it'll stick to the plates themselves..

.. But if they set hard and in shape, it should stick to the acrylic at either end and stay in place that way hopefully.

I haven't tried my rubber paint yet, maybe later today, but might try something else first...

[blazedkirby]

it seems the little girl is smarter than the guy who made this. :P

[MadStu1978]

hehe, I bloody hope so mate! ;)

[H2inICE]

I'm sure you can save it, with all those helping hands you should have it up and running in no time ;)

[MadStu1978]

Hehe :)

Poor Meagan, she doesn't think of this as "The Barbie cell" - she thinks of it as "Barbie's Cell". She tells me Barbie will get upset if I don't finish it for her soon!

[SmartScarecrow]

MadStu, you have come a long way in a very short period of time ... each of your devices gets better ... looking at your autopsy, I think this unit is easily salvaged ... if you can find some heat shrink wrap to take the place of your electrical tape, fixup your electrical connections to make them tighter and re-glue a couple places, that gadget can go back in service ...

well done sir ... very well done ...

[MadStu1978]

I've got some rubber paint now actually, I knew that the elctrical tape wouldn't last and bought this paint a few days ago. Hopefully it should hold up - I am the guinea pig!

And yep, should easily go back into service again. I'm leaving it to dry off at the moment, and will make the repairs and add the rubber coating tomorrow.

I have an idea I want to try out before I put it back into a case though...