Starting a new batch

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Well, it looks like you used more than a couple drops lol, but the darkness looks right, and the dark red is a good indicator if it wasn't there before the test, that you have silver content. So you could go ahead, and shot it up for the anode basket.
 
Usually it looks black with a single drop, and if you use multiple drops, like it looks like you did, it'll get a dark red on the outside edges of where you did the acid test, but a darker blackish color where the drop made contact.

I look forward to the progress.
 
I will add, that once you get to sterling silver grade levels, the drop of nitric acid should appear a white color. It still does turn green if there is copper impurities.

Edit* Spelling.
 
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I certainly turned white on the top ! I have current, the cathode is frosting up..
 

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Going to literally pull the plug on the electrolytic cell, something is amiss, I might go back to my original rig, this new one doesn't seem to be functioning properly or perhaps operator error, I will update soon.
 

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the cathode is far too close in that design, it will short out in no time. Other than that whats the issue, check out my thread regarding a nice cell in a 2 liter beaker. I processed about 20 kilos through it with no issues.
 
The anode/basket should be 4.5in.-5in. from the cathode. What is the ohm resistance of your cathode/circuit. You should be hitting on numbers like 1.5v-2v, 1.5-1.8 ish amps, on your power supply.

Edit* Typing.

Edit, edit* With your voltage at 3.55, what was your amp reading, as well as ohm resistance?

Edit, edit, edit* I swear the last edit lol.- I saw the reading on your power supply when I zoomed in on the picture. If you were getting 0.018 amp while in operation, that is way, way too low. Something is either shorted, not connected right, or may adjusting the knob will allow you to turn up amps without changing the voltage.
 
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The amps that low during operation would be a really good reason why you're not seeing crystal growth. Turn your amp supply up to the 1.5-1.8 range. Without amps, there is no oomph behind the power. In engine terms, volts is the size of the engine, amps are the horsepower. You can still have higher horsepower in a smaller engine.

Edit* Grammer.
 
Gwar said:
It is strange, this is only the second time I have used Canadian coins, the last time the 13 Canadian dollars I used left behind a inner round piece of metal, exactly identical to what we see here, it's like the coins are made different than the U.S. Mercury / Roosevelt dimes that actually leave no trace whatsoever after the Nitric and Distilled mix..
Click to expand...
Look like it has some cheaper metal core. I will put a magnet on it :) suspecting nickel or iron/nickel alloy.

It is common still today. 1, 2 and 5 Euro cent coins have ferromagnetic alloy core, which is only copper-plated :) for example. You pull a magnet and "copper" cents attach to it.
 
I must've been really tired last night. I should've just said volts is how current of power is carried, amps are the force of the current being carried.

You need the amps to get past the resistance of that cathode, and 0.018 amps was definitely not doing that. You could still try with your container setup, but you will have to clean the crystals out of it more often.

I knew I should have zoomed in on those pictures earlier in the day when I was working, I would've caught the amp thing then when you started. You can't see it unless you're zoomed in, not on a phone anyways.

Have you adjusted it, and started again since the last post? I'm still on the phone but a little more available today. It shouldn't take long to start seeing more progress once your amps are where they need to be.
 
Hello AMS-Pro, I just stopped, I think I am at the point of a new design for starters and a FRESH batch of electrolyte, for some reason I feel the new power source isn't working as good as it should, and that's probably my fault as it is a bit confusing to calibrate, I still have my original set up (power source) and may switch to that during the next try, I will be starting again in next few days, I really appreciate all the comments / help this thread has generated, again thanks and I'll be posting very soon, G
 
I think if you went back to the jar thing you were using, that would be good. I wouldn't give up on the power supply though. That 3rd knob down from top (A-Course) should adjust your amps and get you into the ball park. The 4th knob down (A-Fine) should allow you to fine tune the amps. Clockwise to raise, counter clockwise to lower.

Your electrolyte solution should be fine if you did your math right, your bar source should be fine as it tests good. Honestly, I think it was just low amps, I would move back to the jar thing you had, but give the new power supply another chance.
 

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