One of the problems is that if I set the volts to 3.6 the amps are at 0.001 or 0. I've tried to set them to where they should be and have even tried to short out negative an positive (which will give me 1.amp but the leads become extremely hot and so I disconnect them
Per the bold print - you may very well have "burned out" your power supply(s) by doing that
Some power supplies are made to provide "overload" protection so that if a "direct short" (connection) happens between the negative & positive it doesn't "over amp" the power supply & burn the power supply out - AND - (generally) that overload protection is NOT automatic - there is a "procedure" you have to do - in setting up the supply so that the overload protection is actually working
In other words - if you don't go through the procedure to set the supply up with overload protection - when a direct short occurs - it will burn the supply out
Generally - power supplies that proved for setting up overload protection are more expensive --- I had to pay $1,000 for my supply that provides for setting it up with that overload protection
That was after burning out 2 cheap $100 supplies that did not provide for setting up that overload protection
Both of those cheap power supplies burned up when the silver crystals grew from the cathode (negative) to the anode (positive) thereby making a direct overload short to the power supply (which is the same thing as connecting the positive lead direct to the negative lead) & because those cheap power supplies did not provide for overload protection it burned out the power supplies
One of the problems is that if I set the volts to 3.6 the amps are at 0.001 or 0.
It's just that when I turn the voltage to 3.6 (as in the video) the current drops straight off to 00.1 or completely zero
So - one of two things is happening when you make a direct connection of the positive lead to the negative lead
1) IF (the BIG IF) your power supply does have overload protection - when you direct connect the negative/positive - it is overloading (over amping) the power supply - which is shutting down the power supply (due to the overload protection) which is why the power supply is only putting out 00.1 to zero amps
1) or - if your power supply does not provide for overload protection - when you direct connect the negative lead & positive lead it will likely overload the supply & burn it out because there is no overload protection
How to tell if you have burned out your power supply
Hook the supply back up to your cell (with the power turned off)
hook positive lead to the anode (only)
hook negative lead to the cathode (only)
before turning on the power supply turn your
volt setting knob to
full off - then turn your amp setting knob to about 2/3 to 3/4 of full on
turn on the power supply - then start turning the volt knob up - as the volts start increasing you should also start seeing your amps increase - if they (amps) don't increase as you turn the volts up then your power supply has likely been burned out
Kurt