# Electrolytic Cell Construction



## MathewW83 (Aug 28, 2010)

Hello all I have a question. Can you use a fish tank to make an electrolytic cell? and if so can it be used to take off gold plating? TY


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## Barren Realms 007 (Aug 28, 2010)

I wouldn't chance it. Not sure how the acid would effect the seals. 

A plastic tub will work fine for the job and is less weight and less of a chance of Murphy's law.


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## nickvc (Aug 29, 2010)

Pyrex dishes are useful too and allow visibility and will take any heating of your solutions during your processing, if your going to use Lasersteves sulphuric cell be very careful with the acid it's nasty stuff , and make sure you use concentrated acid or it will dissolve nearly all the metals not just your gold plating. I will give you the warning I got when I tried it ,concentrated sulphuric will absorb water from the atmosphere if you leave it uncovered so make sure to cover your cell when not in use. Whatever you do wear proper protection when messing with sulphuric it's not fussy wear it gets it's water from and as we are mainly water it reacts very quickly to your skin!


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## philddreamer (Aug 29, 2010)

Another thing you'll need is a way to filter your acid. Check out the posts in TECHNIQUES: "Re: Whatman glass filters for gold stripping cell?" 

Phil


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## Barren Realms 007 (Aug 29, 2010)

philddreamer said:


> Another thing you'll need is a way to filter your acid. Check out the posts in TECHNIQUES: "Re: Whatman glass filters for gold stripping cell?"
> 
> Phil




Or fiberglass insulation packed in the neck of a funnel.


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## 4metals (Aug 29, 2010)

The problem with packing a funnel stem with fiberglass insulation is the fine particles are often sucked in so deeply to the insulation that transfer is difficult. I would vote for glass papers if you want to do this on a routine basis.


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## MathewW83 (Aug 29, 2010)

Thanks guys some good stuff to think about. I have definitely decided to NOT use the fish tank considering it says on the warnings panel to not put and acids in it!!!!! So I a guessing someone has tried this before and it did not turn out to well for them. I like the pyrex idea but do they make pyrex containers that big?


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## butcher (Aug 29, 2010)

wallmart sells some large glass canisters ( 1 gallon or 2 gallon) with lids, as long as you are not useing on hot plate these work great for refining, if solutions need heat I use fishtank heater.


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## rfd298 (Aug 29, 2010)

Walmart / Target also sell Polypropylene tubs (aka Tupperwares). They are cheap, reliable, and easy to double up. I currently have a 3L silver cell. It handles the heat from the amps just fine. I plan on upgrading to a 5L cell shortly. I would not use those big glass jars that are for gum balls etc. I have a couple but they are a B!tch if you have to pour out of them.


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## philddreamer (Aug 29, 2010)

4metals wrote:
"The problem with packing a funnel stem with fiberglass insulation is the fine particles are often sucked in so deeply to the insulation that transfer is difficult. I would vote for glass papers if you want to do this on a routine basis."

This is very true; what I do is, I save all my filters that I've used for filtering the sulphuric in the funnels & @ a given time I run them in HCL/CL & recover the gold that was trapped in them.  

Phil


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