Stubblefield Earth Cell Battery Demonstration

This is a demonstration of Nathan Stubblefield's invention, the Earth Cell Battery, patented in 1898 (patent no 600,457). It is a coil that when immersed in the earth's surface taps telluric currents of the earth that can be read with a voltimeter. This is a demonstration only, so please take note of the deepness of the hole that was dug, which was about 11 or 12 inches deep, as large tree roots were below. Also notice the Secondary winding on the battery is not complete, as I was running out of time and needed to get it in the ground before it got dark. This was a camping trip in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. I felt this location to be a great start for my experiment, as the battery's origin was approximately 30 miles south, in Murray, Kentucky. Please excuse the shakiness of the camera, this experiment was performed on a fairly steep hill, it was hard to keep my balance!
This battery is comprised of concentric windings of uninsulated steel wire and insulated copper speaker wire (the speaker wire was a theory of mine that I thought would be suitable for this application, as it has multiple strands of copper wire). I used sterile gauze as insulation in between each layer of windings (including initially in between the 10" bolt and the first winding). The point is to not let the steel wire touch any part of itself as it is being wound. The spacers used are 2" x ½" vinyl with holes drilled through for the four terminals.
As you can see, the initial voltage reading, dry, above ground, is .08v.
Next voltage reading, dry, underground, is .41v.
I poured a bucket of water over the area and waited a few minutes (water acts as an electrolyte). I tested the battery not on film, it was .91v. A moment later I tested it once more while filming, it was .88v.
2 hours later, I did a final testing, it was .92v. I then removed the battery from the ground and put it in a bucket of water, the voltage reading was much lower than when it was in the ground, about .82v. The ammeter function in my multimeter is busted as I found out during the tests, so I could not take a reading on the current, which sucks. One thing I forgot to film is that when the terminals were switched, the DC voltage reading was also switched to negative of the same values. For positive readings, the copper is plus and the steel is minus. This is a fairly simple and cheap project, so do some research and have fun!
The last clip of this film was taken in Murray, Kentucky, as I am currently looking for a new home and good graduate program. The statue is of Rainey Wells, a man that attended many of Stubblefield's demonstrations of his wireless telephone. I say "hello, Rainey" because these were the first words heard by Wells from Stubblefield during a demonstration in 1892. Rainey Wells was 17 years old at this time. The building in the background is the Forrest Pogue Library, an archive of information on Stubblefield and his work. The inscription on the building reads, "The Whole World Here Unlocks the Experience of the Past." The Nathan Stubblefield memorial is west of this location of the Murray State University campus.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• earth
• battery
• demonstration
• nathan
• stubblefield
• murray
• kentucky
• free
• energy
• coil
• solenoid
• copper
• steel
• camp
• camping

[rainmanp7]

concerning Stubblefield :) Keep up the great work man :) maybe the animals running around the yard urinating on the trees & ground making acid = created acid earth to create more power :) try making a home made step up transformer :) from simple buy at the store materials :) or trash...

rainmanp7 aka cryogenics. Keep up the great work :)

[brimstone033]

You are absolutely right, there are many variables that could alter the output of the coil. Thanks for your interest.

[ka0spm]

This is just a start on the Stubblefield battery, the voltage is just eh chemical reaction of the iron and copper at .92 volts. The power that Nathan Stubblefield got was way more, enough to run arc lamps. There are several steps the author did not do that are in the patent to draw up the current from the ground. It just might be that there are some things left out to prevent patent stealer's from using ideas he had to really create energy.

[brimstone033]

Yes, he also ran a small motor for some 60 days with his battery. It does seem that there is much more to be uncovered with his patent. Although, the book is a wonderful read.

[Br0kenMan]

I have a question. If your meter is connected to copper one side and iron the other, in an electrolyte, how do NOT measure the chemical reaction between them? The electrons will try to move due to the potential voltage difference of the metals. I think this is a simple redox reaction using the natural moisture and electrolytes in the soil. When you added water you increased electrolyte concentration and voltage grew. If you dropped your capacitor in a bucket of cola you would get the same efefct

[brimstone033]

Well heres the thing, the copper winding is completely insulated (the copper winding in the inside, not the crappy copper enameled winding). It is speaker wire, so the copper never touches the earth. This particular coil was used to test induction (telluric currents) rather that conduction (chemical reaction). I made another coil that used 20awg enameled wire, scraped off in spots. A greater response with the water, but very little peak voltage, around .2V, if this helps, thanks for the interest

[casstete1]

@ka0spm

rubbisits earth magnetic energy revolving around the earth ..  and iron and copper never touch and have between them earth

[myleftnutts]

@brimstone033 nice effort brim,however i was wondering did u dope your copper wire???.

[valveman12]

Are you using a pourous insulation for the copper wire such as cotton? I read in order for this to work, the copper must have a pourous insulation and the iron wire wither bare or a pourous insulation as well. This is so the exchange of electrons occurs in solution to produce a current.

[sunjinn]

like honestly if ypu had some salt and water u can step up the voltage and abit of acide will helt but if you had a bunch in parrelle you will grt more volts its pritty nice try it out.

[littlemanisme]

I'm not lying but I'm related Nathan Stubblefield. I was born in Murray, almost all the relatives on my father's side of the family live in Calloway County where Murray is. Also, my great-grandfather was his cousin or something of the sort.

[jhr001]

Book name? :)

[rahc09]

this is our lovely earth,.. love him.

[Pirate88179]

Check out my earth battery video where I light up a 48" long fluorescent tube from it. You can see it on my channel: Pirate88179.

Bill