I want to run the silver crystal thru my silver cell a second time. Do I need to melt the crystal and pour it into shot or feed in the crystal as is? Any information will be appreciated.
Silver crystal refining
- Thread starter rolltstide
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I guess that all depends on what type of cell you have. Are you planning to re-refine the Silver in the same cell and electrolyte it came out of originally or are you setting up a second high purity cell?
I'm using the same cell with new electrolyte.
I'm using a homemade 4qt. Silver cell. This is my first run.
So it is a thum cell and the anodes dissolve out of a basket. If that is the case you could compress the crystals tightly and they should be fine. If your contact bar was sterling you may want to make sure it doesn't dissolve when and if it contacts the solution.
Contact bar is pure silver. Thank you for the information.
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Here's a photo of my setup. Cathode is a 4qt. Sst bowl. Anode is a 3 oz pure silver bar. I'm new to this and have just made my first run. I heard running the crystal through a second time made it 4 or 5 nine fine if you do it correctly. Is that correct? Thank you for your help.
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I also have a inline fuse installed. Right now it a five amp fuse but I'll change to a three amp soon.
We can see you are running just a hair over 3 amp.
If you put 3 amp fuse it might blow given a little time.
You may want to just lower the voltage a "smidge" or so just to bring the current below 3 amps.
Otherwise it appears near perfect to me.
If you put 3 amp fuse it might blow given a little time.
You may want to just lower the voltage a "smidge" or so just to bring the current below 3 amps.
Otherwise it appears near perfect to me.
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After reading through this, I suspect I've been setting my cell wrong. I was under the impression that you set the volts to 3 and let the amps fall where they may. My set-up runs at 4-5 amps.
What setting should be the fixed variable to yield the highest purity from a thumb cell?
What setting should be the fixed variable to yield the highest purity from a thumb cell?
I've heard 3.3 to 3.8 volts and 1 to 2.9 amps is the ideal setting. I don't know how accurate that information is.
You're doing fine. Set the voltage. The amperage will vary depending on your anode and cathode size, spacing, temperature, etc.
Dave
Thank you Dave.
Tony
Tony
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you were correct dreamer, set the voltage to where you would like to limit it. you can either control the voltage or the amperage, not both. generally speaking, you set your voltage to the density you would like, and the resulting amperage changes with the overall resistance of the circuit. that will vary depending upon the concentration of your electrolyte, the surface area of your anode basket, temperature, and other variables that will change the resistance of the circuit. the best example of this i can think of right now, is a video that sreetips did when he made his new/large cell, and he had to lower his amperage by lifting his anode basket out of the electrolyte, thus reducing it's surface area. that was how he lowered his amperage, by raising the resistance.
even, when you begin using the amperage limiting function on your power source, it is going to lower the voltage to compensate for your high-threshold of amperage. it will not hold the same voltage and magically lower the amperage. i suppose you could do the same by putting an in-line resistor with it, but there are plenty of other solutions. frankly, in-line resistors are just a waste of power.
anyhow, getting back to the subject at hand, looking at the large picture of things, the voltage is what you really the first thing you need to set. the lower you run your voltage, the slower your cell will run, and the more dense crystals it will make. if you like light and fluffy material, run the voltage more towards the 3-3.5V range. if you like it smaller, and more dense, run it lower towards the 2-2.5v range. after that, you can play with the other variables i mentioned to get your amperage flow at the speed you would like it. playing with it, and learning how you like to run your own system, is part of the fun!
good luck, and happy refining.
even, when you begin using the amperage limiting function on your power source, it is going to lower the voltage to compensate for your high-threshold of amperage. it will not hold the same voltage and magically lower the amperage. i suppose you could do the same by putting an in-line resistor with it, but there are plenty of other solutions. frankly, in-line resistors are just a waste of power.
anyhow, getting back to the subject at hand, looking at the large picture of things, the voltage is what you really the first thing you need to set. the lower you run your voltage, the slower your cell will run, and the more dense crystals it will make. if you like light and fluffy material, run the voltage more towards the 3-3.5V range. if you like it smaller, and more dense, run it lower towards the 2-2.5v range. after that, you can play with the other variables i mentioned to get your amperage flow at the speed you would like it. playing with it, and learning how you like to run your own system, is part of the fun!
good luck, and happy refining.
Is there any way to remove the copper from the electrolite in the silver cell after a run? I tried iron but no results. I assume that is because the % of copper is so low.
Can you get a higher purity running your crystals/bars thru the cell again?
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the copper will drop out when you're treating your waste. you can always gather it then, and run it through a sulfuric copper cell, if you would like. what have you been doing to treat your waste, if not dropping the copper back out?
you can get a higher purity by running them through again, but it depends on how well you are performing your rinsing. rinsing can be just as important in producing high-purity crystals as running them through again with cleaner electrolyte.
you can get a higher purity by running them through again, but it depends on how well you are performing your rinsing. rinsing can be just as important in producing high-purity crystals as running them through again with cleaner electrolyte.
I was under the impression that you cemented the silver back out of the used electrolyte. Is that not so?
You can do that with Copper.
Then you Cement out the Copper with Iron when you treat the waste.
Yes copper is used to cement the Silver out of the electrolyte when the electrolyte is no longer producing fine silver. I have never effectively been successful using iron to drop copper from a nitrate solution.
You can add sulfuric acid to a copper nitrate solution and distill off nitric acid and crystallize copper sulfate. The copper sulfate can be used to produce a copper sulfate cell to produce electrolytically pure copper. A lot of work for a small setup. nurd rage video
You can add sulfuric acid to a copper nitrate solution and distill off nitric acid and crystallize copper sulfate. The copper sulfate can be used to produce a copper sulfate cell to produce electrolytically pure copper. A lot of work for a small setup. nurd rage video
Rinsing is more effective if the liquid is spun off rather than rinsed through. This makes a significant difference in commercial Silver refining but for the little hobbyist refiner a salad spinner with a cloth liner to keep the fines in is very effective. The solution you are rinsing off the needles from a Silver cell contain copper, enough to contaminate your Silver when it dries on from incomplete rinsing and is melted into the bar. The electrolyte seems to find the small nooks and crannies of the crystals of Silver and does not rinse easily. The centripetal force of the spinner is more effective at removing the last of the rinse water.
