Cell getting hot fast

[bswartzwelder]

The only thing which will cause a cell to heat up is the power applied to it. Unless it is heating up from mixing water in with your acid or placed on an external source of heat. Using a bulb in series with the cell will limit the current through the cell only if it is wired in series with the cell and power supply.

Plus terminal - light bulb - anode of cell - cell - cathode of cell - negative terminal.

If the light is in parallel with the cell, it will not limit the current at all and full current (minus what the bulb uses) will go to the cell. One thing which may also may the cell heat up quickly is the size of the cell. If the cell is small, it will heat up more quickly because the current density will be higher than with a larger cell with more acid.

 

[MrMylar]

One thing which may also may the cell heat up quickly is the size of the cell. If the cell is small, it will heat up more quickly because the current density will be higher than with a larger cell with more acid.

Thanks for the info because that could be a possible problem too. I didn't think of that, just as I didn't think about the cathode and anode being too close could cause a Faraday, or it could possibly heat up the solution to where it's getting to that point of the Faraday effect.

If you get both the cathode and anode too close, it could make the solution "pop" "INSTANTLY". It happened to me. I connected the positive to the cell, and "POP" and I removed the positive cable. After reviewing the basket, I noticed that the basket was too close to the lead contact as I removed the basket from the cell.

The quickest way to do a "Process-Of-Elimination" is to simply fold your basket at the lip end and post the results after that. It's fast, easy, safe and one way to prove or even disprove a "theory". Just do it. If that doesn't work, then you move on to the next possibility. Read, study, do, and learn from that.

The advice I've received from this forum alone is worth an "UnLimited Amount" of the money I'll ever recover from refining. I would even like to know what your problem could be also because I run a sulfuric cell too. I know that either it'll work correctly or you'll have noticeable problems like whether the cell is too hot. Whether you are dissolving your materials along with the base metals.

Some "seem-so-mysterious" problems are very simple to fix and understand them once they're explained to you.

I know one thing for sure, when I ever do a copper wire mesh basket, I'll always fold my lip at least two times at the rim. It worked for me, and for me, it was and still a lesson learned, that I'll never forget.

 

[chrishawn]

Thanks you guys
I did fold my basket 2 times and ran the last of my pins. It did strip them but did get hot 104-105F after 5-6 min. My cell is in an small dish so that could be the problem. I calibrated my new ph meter and tested my acid and it read 245-265 so I don't think there is much water in the acid. I will be getting more pins soon so I will have to wait to run again. I will post results then.
Thanks again for all your advice
Shawn