Non-Chemical Silver Cell details

[scrapman1077]

Junkman Jim, Thanks for the pics.

 

[Anonymous]

is the tantalum a solid chunk inside the capacitor? do you know were to sell the tantalum?

thanks.

 

[Junkman Jim]

is the tantalum a solid chunk inside the capacitor? do you know were to sell the tantalum?

thanks.

Jim,
Yes it is a solid chunk, the size varies with the value and voltage of the capacitor. I did a bit of research on the web but could not find anybody that was buying it. One site said if was worth $100.00 per kilogram. Tantalum is heavy, 16.69 sp. gr. and melts at a very high temp 5463 degrees fahrenheit. If you find a buyer let me know.
Thanks,
Jim

 

[Lou]

I know of a buyer. Here's their number: 1-779-297-6591

Other people: http://www.centauruk.co.uk/tantalum.html

Pure tantalum is worth much more than $100/kg. Also be on the look out for hafnium too (min. 300/kg).

 

[Junkman Jim]

I know of a buyer. Here's their number: 1-779-297-6591

Other people: http://www.centauruk.co.uk/tantalum.html

Pure tantalum is worth much more than $100/kg. Also be on the look out for hafnium too (min. 300/kg).

Thanks for the lead Lou, speaking about hafnium, I have a small amount, just less than an ounce. How do I melt it without it oxidizing and bubbling? It may not be quite pure but at the temperature that it melts everything else should have vaporized.

 

[Junkman Jim]

I know of a buyer. Here's their number: 1-779-297-6591

Other people: http://www.centauruk.co.uk/tantalum.html

Pure tantalum is worth much more than $100/kg. Also be on the look out for hafnium too (min. 300/kg).

Lou,
I tryed that number, I can't get through, they want a remote personal ID number. Any ideas?
Jim

 

[Lou]

Beats me really, I just had the number in my rolodex with "tantalum buyer". Albeit the number could be very old.

The other people were recommended by a friend.

As for melting hafnium...you don't. It's very, very hard to melt, and it will form a durable oxide long before that. Only way you'll be melting it and keeping it pristine is in an inert atmosphere via arc or ebeam melting. Maybe induction might work.

 

[Anonymous]

Your transformer must be larger than it appears. I cut the secondary out of one today 70va and tried to wrap with #12, I could only get 5 wraps in the space and .345 volts so I went down to #18 and managed to get .876 volts. The primary amp draw was only .01 amp.

Can you tell me the VA rating of your transformer, please :wink:

 

[Junkman Jim]

Your transformer must be larger than it appears. I cut the secondary out of one today 70va and tried to wrap with #12, I could only get 5 wraps in the space and .345 volts so I went down to #18 and managed to get .876 volts. The primary amp draw was only .01 amp.

Can you tell me the VA rating of your transformer, please :wink:

Yes it is bigger, I believe it's about 200 VA, it's about 4 inches on all sides. Be careful, the current carrying capacity of No. 12 in a transformer is only about 9 amps, if you build a full wave rectifier with two diodes, one on each side of a center tap that figure doubles.
Looks like your transformer delivers .07 volts per turn, larger transformers deliver more voltage per turn. The secondary on my transformer is only 4 turns on each side of the tap, that means about 1.25 volts per turn. The wire of choice for a transformer would be enameled copper, I didn't have any No. 8 enameled so I went with insulated stranded. Insulated stranded wire is much easier to work with, it's much more flexible and enameled wire is susecptable to scuffing increasing the chance of a short. You could put several secondaries hooked in parallel to obtain the desired current. Be sure all have the same number of windings.
Hope this helps,
Jim

 

[netseeker]

I know a buyer for Ta scrap. Exotech, Inc in Pompano Beach, Fl. buys Tantalum and other rare metals including Hafnium. Been doing business with them for several years. David Gussack is my contact. Their phone # is 954-917-1919. They also also have a web site. They have always done well by me and I've sent them a LOT of scrap so they've gained my trust. David is always interested in buying scrap.

 

[Junkman Jim]

I know a buyer for Ta scrap. Exotech, Inc in Pompano Beach, Fl. buys Tantalum and other rare metals including Hafnium. Been doing business with them for several years. David Gussack is my contact. Their phone # is 954-917-1919. They also also have a web site. They have always done well by me and I've sent them a LOT of scrap so they've gained my trust. David is always interested in buying scrap.

Thanks for thr lead, he wants Ta by the ton.
Jim

 

[Anonymous]

could you post a pic of the capacitors? Thanks

Scrapman,
Here's a couple pics of the solid tantalum caps to look for, the two on the left have solid silver cases (worth more than a buck apiece), the next one is silver plated brass (worth much less), the two on the right are solder plated brass (only worth the value of the tantalum), and the case on the one in front is solid tantalum.
I tryed to find the price of scrap tantalum, as near as I can tell it'a somewhere around $45.00 per pound.

Hi, I am total n00b to this stuff so please bear with me if I ask dumb things!
Where would one look for these types of caps?

Thanks!

 

[Junkman Jim]

could you post a pic of the capacitors? Thanks

Scrapman,
Here's a couple pics of the solid tantalum caps to look for, the two on the left have solid silver cases (worth more than a buck apiece), the next one is silver plated brass (worth much less), the two on the right are solder plated brass (only worth the value of the tantalum), and the case on the one in front is solid tantalum.
I tryed to find the price of scrap tantalum, as near as I can tell it'a somewhere around $45.00 per pound.

Hi, I am total n00b to this stuff so please bear with me if I ask dumb things!
Where would one look for these types of caps?

Thanks!

These capacitors were made in the 1960s and 1970s and since replaced by solid tantalum caps dipped in plastic (orange drop). Look for old surplus military or FAA equipment.

 

[usaman65]

I would try ebay on the hafnium .......

kev

 

[Anonymous]

Could you elaborate a little more on your design? This might work for something I am working on.

 

[Refiner232121]

Question 1.
would it not be enough to buy a battery charger like this one
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Deltran-Battery-Tender-12-Volt-1-25-Amp-2-Bank-Charger_W0QQitemZ130312741769QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item1e573ea389&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1215|293%3A1|294%3A50

and connect it to the anode and the cathode


Question 2.
What kind of a metal it the cathode

Also
I cant understand what these terms are doing in this subject
capacitors,transformer,diode, tantalum, hafnium

 

[Junkman Jim]

Question 1.
would it not be enough to buy a battery charger like this one
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Deltran-Battery-Tender-12-Volt-1-25-Amp-2-Bank-Charger_W0QQitemZ130312741769QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item1e573ea389&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1215|293%3A1|294%3A50

and connect it to the anode and the cathode

Answer 1. Too much voltage, not enough amperage. It only takes just over one volt to plate silver. The power supply that I built varies from zero to five volts at about 80 amps.

Question 2.
What kind of a metal it the cathode

Answer 2. Stainless steel.
Also
I cant understand what these terms are doing in this subject
capacitors,transformer,diode, tantalum, hafnium

The tantalum capacitors are where I obtained the silver. The transformer and diodes are part of the power supply.
Regards,
Junkman Jim

 

[Refiner232121]

Hi Jim
Thanks for your reply I really appreciate that.
I guess I can buy one of these contraptions from Ishor or an jewelry tool suppliers
Thanks again

 

[Refiner232121]

Hi Jim
1 other thing
I am not sure about this
The unrefined silver that's hanging in the cell looks like when the silver was in an molten state you placed a peace
of steel that's has a hook shape.
Is this correct or did you do something else
Thanks

 

[Junkman Jim]

Hi Jim
1 other thing
I am not sure about this
The unrefined silver that's hanging in the cell looks like when the silver was in an molten state you placed a peace
of steel that's has a hook shape.
Is this correct or did you do something else
Thanks

I poured the bars then drilled a hole in the end. I then screwed the stainless steel hooks into the bars. The hooks can easily be made from a one eighth inch stainless steel welding rod. Keep the rods out of the electrolyte, they will desolve into the solution.