Stainless Steel Silver Cell _smallsilvercell_

[Palladium]

I run mine around 3.1 volts. No shock hazard that i know of. I run a higher concentration of silver in solution than i think you are. I wonder if that could be the key?

 

[kadriver]

Is this the bowl you use?

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/3-qt-extra-heavyweight-stainless-steel-mixing-bowl-with-bottom-grip-non-slip-base/922MB03.html

jmdlcar:

That looks like the exact same bowl I have, including the rubber coating on the bottom exterior.

I got mine at K-mart for about nine bucks.

kadriver

 

[kadriver]

OK, 3.1 volts - I can adjust mine up to that and the amps will increase as well.

The used electrolyte from the glass cells was concentrated at 120 grams pure silver in 1 liter of liquid.

Plus I added 200 grams more silver for a total of 440 grams - dissolved in 3.5 liters of liquid.

I usually run a higher than recommended (100g/l) concentration like you do.

What concentration do you run with?

Back in a flash with new photos ...

kadriver

 

[jmdlcar]

Is this the bowl you use?

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/3-qt-extra-heavyweight-stainless-steel-mixing-bowl-with-bottom-grip-non-slip-base/922MB03.html

jmdlcar:

That looks like the exact same bowl I have, including the rubber coating on the bottom exterior.

I got mine at K-mart for about nine bucks.

kadriver

Glad you can get local. I can get one in Marysville where I live for about the same price.

Jack

 

[element47.5]

I have one suggestion and boy is it easy. Stainless steel is not the best of conductors. The way you have the "bowl" connection with that alligator clip, you might only have 1-2-3 "teeth" hitting the lip of the stainless bowl. Change the angle of attack such that the clip comes in at a tangent angle and I would submit that you might well end up with a better connection, thus less resistance, thus better current flow. You can easily test the thesis by seeing if more current flows when you change to the tangent angle of attack. (I KNOW you know what angle of attack means!)

And....if it were me, I would be positioning the power supply MUCH further away from the bowl. I appreciate you are trying to get the readouts in the pix.

 

[Palladium]

I'm running 300 grams/liter

 

[rewalston]

kadriver where did you get the power supply from? I think you posted it some place but I can't remember where.

Rusty

 

[kadriver]

Here it is

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30V-10A-10AMP-3010D-Pro-Digital-DC-Power-Supply-Precision-Variable-Adjustable-/330873545740?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0999a40c

 

[kadriver]

I'm running 300 grams/liter

OK, I'll increase my electrolyte to that level - no wonder, mine is less than half that concentration.

What kind of amps to you get with 3.1 volts and 300g/l?

 

[Palladium]

At that voltage about 7.5 - 8.0. To peg it out i usually push 4 volts or just a little above.

 

[kadriver]

I have one suggestion and boy is it easy. Stainless steel is not the best of conductors. The way you have the "bowl" connection with that alligator clip, you might only have 1-2-3 "teeth" hitting the lip of the stainless bowl. Change the angle of attack such that the clip comes in at a tangent angle and I would submit that you might well end up with a better connection, thus less resistance, thus better current flow. You can easily test the thesis by seeing if more current flows when you change to the tangent angle of attack. (I KNOW you know what angle of attack means!)

And....if it were me, I would be positioning the power supply MUCH further away from the bowl. I appreciate you are trying to get the readouts in the pix.

There is definitly a correlation between quality of contact and current flow.

When I adjusted the volts, the amps went up as well, from 1.1A to 1.3Amps.

But then I moved the clips to try and get a better "bite" and the amps fell back to 1.1A and I could not get it to go up.

I think a drilled lug with threaded connections is the best for making good contact, and thus greater current flow.

For now I will adjust the clips as you suggested to get more contact until i can fit the side of the bowl with a stainless lug with threaded connection instead of clips.

The anodes are stacked in the basket and there is potential for poor connections there as well.

Yes, having that power supply so close to the cell made me nervous as well - notice the carboard barrier on the power supply.

When the experiment is complete and the cell is at optimal parameters, the power supply will be placed above and to the side of the cell to prevent damage from fumes and spashed electrolyte.

Good suggestions - keep them coming!

kadriver

 

[kadriver]

Here is the interior of the cell after about 5 hours of operation.

The silver looks good and I am pleased with this setup.

Once I get it tuned up, it will run like a farrari.

kadriver

 

[Palladium]

The thing about all that surface area you have to get use to is that it seems like it takes for ever to see any crystal growth to speak of. That's because it is spread out so far.

 

[philddreamer]

Kad, are you getting more crystals deposited on the clip side of the cathode, or is it even all around?
Phil

 

[kadriver]

Phildreamer,

The crystal growth is a little more dense on the side where the clip is attached.

 

[philddreamer]

Yeap! After more running, they'll be much denser at that point.
When I was setting my cell last year, GSP told me about the crystals been thicker towards the side where the connection was. I did expirience that. I ended placing another clip on the opposite side, and the crystals started concentrating on the other side, too!
Thanks!
Phil

 

[kadriver]

The growth is much greater than that achieved with the graphite cathodes.

Even at 0.6 amps, it is about a 200% increase in current flow over the glass cells with the converted PC power supply.

1.1 amps is a 500% increase in flow.

It is all looking much better than the glass cells so far.

Thanks for all the help you guys!

I can't believe how much fun it is to do something new.

kadriver

 

[kadriver]

Yeap! After more running, they'll be much denser at that point.
When I was setting my cell last year, GSP told me about the crystals been thicker towards the side where the connection was. I did expirience that. I ended placing another clip on the opposite side, and the crystals started concentrating on the other side, too!
Thanks!
Phil

This is another good thing to know.

When i install the threaded connections on the bowl, I'll put two directly opposite each other.

This forum is absolutely the best thing on the internet.

I have met some really great people here.

Thanks Phil

kadriver

 

[philddreamer]

Your're welcome Kad, but GSP tought me that; I'm just sharing.

One thing I'm kicking around is to place the connector on the bottom of the bowl some how... and also making some round anodes. I have some 1"x4"x4" graphite blocks.
Well, when I get to that. I'm remodeling my shed for now.
Thanks!
Phil

 

[nickvc]

I have been running a similar cell for about 2 months now except it's got an 11 litre capacity and I'm using a large plastic colander with a filter cloth in to put the bars onto and to catch the slimes. The solution contains around 100 grams + of silver with a little copper and I'm running sterling bars which are a challenge but with extra nitric additions going purely by the colour of the electrolyte I'm getting 20 kilos of good crystal, xrf shows 9999, or there abouts before I need to change it. The colander works really well and like Phil mentioned I see larger growth near the connection to the bowl so I'll try the double connection. I'm running at around 2 volts but it pulls around 15-20 amps but the cell has around 7 kilos of silver bars in there and my rectifier is a 10 volt 50 amp adjustable one, second hand naturally, and I'm harvesting around 7 kilos a week. The whole purpose for me was the other values, the slimes very aptly named, and the quality of the silver secondary but some of the crystal produced has been beautiful and I'm trying to keep it at 999 for pure aesthetic reasons at present, maybe I'll find an out for the product at a later stage. I did this many years ago while refining professionally, to prove I could, but never really pursued it properly so this is a first for me and I'm enjoying the new challenge.
The costs for the whole set up just over $525 plus acid,distilled water and electricity, the gold from the first batch of slimes have covered the set up costs and I'm hoping as I get to the end all the PGMs will show up as I'm just cementing them with the silver solutions at present to concentrate them and make for a worthwhile recovery, these will be mixed with all the silver and other values except gold from the stock pots and be run with the cemented silver from other projects, should be fun...