Silver Cell Problem

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rabbit60

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2020
Messages
10
Hi Folks,I would appreciate any help you could give me. My Silver Crystal has a brown tint. The middle photo shows a sample compared with a sample from a previous batch.
The Cell has been running at 2.5v which at its max was giving 2.2 amp with new 150g/l Electrolyte.
I am presuming that because of this discolouration I will need to run it through the Cell again, If so can I put it in the Basket as it is or do I need to make it into Bars?
Many thanks.
 

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Hi Yggdrasil Thanks for the reply. I don't think its copper as the electrolyte was new and made with silver crystal at 150g/l.
Well it is greenish, not colorless, Silver Nitrate has no color.
Copper Nitrate is blue.
What is your feed stock?
 
Well it is greenish, not colorless, Silver Nitrate has no color.
Copper Nitrate is blue.
What is your feed stock?
The feedstock was Hallmarked Sterling Silver dropped with copper and made into Bars and before processing this batch the Electrolyte was clear. I must admit this Electrolyte is greener than anything I have had before but I really don't know why.
 
If the pH is too high, discoloured crystal can sometimes form. A pH between 2 and 3 works well.
Sulfur in the incoming feed can also result is a similar brownish discolouration, but that is quite unlikely considering you are refining sterling silver.
 
If the pH is too high, discoloured crystal can sometimes form. A pH between 2 and 3 works well.
Sulfur in the incoming feed can also result is a similar brownish discolouration, but that is quite unlikely considering you are refining sterling silver.
Cheers for that Mudville I will check the pH. would you expect the fineness of the Crystal to still be 999 or is that to much to ask?
 
The feedstock was Hallmarked Sterling Silver dropped with copper and made into Bars and before processing this batch the Electrolyte was clear. I must admit this Electrolyte is greener than anything I have had before but I really don't know why.
There will be Copper from the cementing and the concentration in the electrolyte will increase to a point where it will co-deposit on the crystals.
 
I would suggest too much copper in solution, or else a perforation in your anode bag? You can just run the crystals through again once you have it sorted.
 
I would suggest too much copper in solution, or else a perforation in your anode bag? You can just run the crystals through again once you have it sorted.
Thanks for that Sputins. Do I need to make Bars or can I just rerun the crystal as is?
 
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