Epsom salt consists of two metals, calcium and magnesium, combined with two non-metallic elements, carbon and oxygen. It's one of the only salts you can use in an electrolyser and not produce chlorine gas as part of the mix. It also works very well as an electrolyte. The magnesium will coat the cathode though. If you also add some Cobalt Sulphate, it will also coat the cathode as a mix with the magnesium and increase the production from your cell. No need for any other electrolyte.
Why not use some sort of ec or ppm meter to test the water and see if its conductive? This will give you a good indicator if the water is clean or not.
I dont know the solution. I think zero is mostly right. but to know for shure would be a pain for ya , pull one cell and blast it. and test it againt one of the others. or insted of blasing try the chlorine thing. and test it aganst its own previous results. Maybe you can come up with a easier and simplier solution .please let us know what you decide . epson salts ? magnesium sulfate. beats me dude. BTW another great post
What I can't understand is, considering all the work you put into blasting those plates, how you ever let anyone talk you into polluting your cell with NaOH in the first place! The sulfate is going to be so deeply embedded in those plates now it may never fully come clean without blasting again.
Thanks Larry - I've been waiting a long time for you to try your cell without electrolyte - it confirms all the small tests I've run - Keep at it ... I know the beast will win the day.
Take some of the water from rinsing the beast and add a little pool chlorine, maybe check ph before and after. I think you will find you end up with salt water. If so, mix some CL with water, and rinse the cell out with it, and then check it. You may need the CL to pull the NA out of the plate pores, just a though, maybe not.
Conti, you may have to reverse polarity at low voltage, or let it sit over night with a CL mix. Its like a heavily sulfated battery from the sounds of it. And a little espon salt fixes that, with a desulfate charge cycle.
Interesting. See if you can get a flame Larry and observe the color. If there is no sodium, or no potassium, there shall be no color... correct?
KyleCarrington 1 year ago
Larry, can you do a PH test . If not now save a sample for later analysis. Thanks
BTW , steam distilled water is slightly conductive
1TEKTRON1 1 year ago
Steam distilled or filter distilled makes a big difference.
Gary
llewgnal 1 year ago
@llewgnal Gary, This is exactly the same brand I have always used. Unless they changed the way they make it It does not conduct any electricity.
Larry
HHOPWR 1 year ago
Epsom salt consists of two metals, calcium and magnesium, combined with two non-metallic elements, carbon and oxygen. It's one of the only salts you can use in an electrolyser and not produce chlorine gas as part of the mix. It also works very well as an electrolyte. The magnesium will coat the cathode though. If you also add some Cobalt Sulphate, it will also coat the cathode as a mix with the magnesium and increase the production from your cell. No need for any other electrolyte.
mikepowers420 1 year ago
Why not use some sort of ec or ppm meter to test the water and see if its conductive? This will give you a good indicator if the water is clean or not.
stunraider 1 year ago
I dont know the solution. I think zero is mostly right. but to know for shure would be a pain for ya , pull one cell and blast it. and test it againt one of the others. or insted of blasing try the chlorine thing. and test it aganst its own previous results. Maybe you can come up with a easier and simplier solution .please let us know what you decide . epson salts ? magnesium sulfate. beats me dude. BTW another great post
uawwildbob 1 year ago
D3 beat me to it, although the epsom salt trick is new to me.
ZeroFossilFuel 1 year ago
What I can't understand is, considering all the work you put into blasting those plates, how you ever let anyone talk you into polluting your cell with NaOH in the first place! The sulfate is going to be so deeply embedded in those plates now it may never fully come clean without blasting again.
ZeroFossilFuel 1 year ago
@ZeroFossilFuel You can pulse high voltage spikes froma bifilar coil to desuphate just as you would a battery, ina bedini
KyleCarrington 1 year ago
Thanks Larry - I've been waiting a long time for you to try your cell without electrolyte - it confirms all the small tests I've run - Keep at it ... I know the beast will win the day.
Jim
reeseht 1 year ago
freaky man. keep us posted. I didnt think that magnets would have such an effect
BespokeGroupUK 1 year ago
Take some of the water from rinsing the beast and add a little pool chlorine, maybe check ph before and after. I think you will find you end up with salt water. If so, mix some CL with water, and rinse the cell out with it, and then check it. You may need the CL to pull the NA out of the plate pores, just a though, maybe not.
d3adp001 1 year ago
Conti, you may have to reverse polarity at low voltage, or let it sit over night with a CL mix. Its like a heavily sulfated battery from the sounds of it. And a little espon salt fixes that, with a desulfate charge cycle.
d3adp001 1 year ago