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21
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: availability of Soda and capping agents
« Last post by aquataur on March 23, 2024, 07:40:10 AM »
Thanks.
I made a batch today, and all looked well.

I usually heat the DW (not quite to boiling point, but hot) and then continue without further heating, lacking any such facilities.

You say that with room temperature the 20ppm boundary gets hit. I found that after the calcultated time the solution is still very hot, at least hot enough to not want to hold the glass, so I might go on.

What happens if the process ist not stopped after that time? Ist there any indicator that tells me to stop?
22
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: availability of Soda and capping agents
« Last post by kephra on March 22, 2024, 10:47:13 PM »
Today I have all the things fixed as they should be: correct distance (37 mm), correct amount of electrolyte drops (5 for 250ml), 1/2 teaspoon of maltodextrin. Heated up, but not boiling. No stirring.

I started of with a 2mm stainless steel cathode, and the voltage immediately collapses. As suggested, I raised the cathode until I was below 10V, but this way it is only 10mm below surface. I noticed some brownish looking (definitely not grey) "smoke" emanating from the anode. The current is at 6mA, anything below and the voltage goes below 10V again.

Unfortunaely, this way the desired distance between the electrodes has risen considerably and varies over the height. The 37 millimeters are only maintained towards the surface.  After 15 minutes, the result is a beautiful yellow.
So you were making about 250ml of24ppm?
10mm cathode distance sounds about right.  Without stirring, it only has to touch the water.
Quote
While I go and find a .6 mm copper wire, the liquid has changed to deep orange that concentrates around  the anode, but no more brownish smoke whiskers.

I throw it away. There is quite a residue on the glas and a slight light umbra deposit on the anode.
I make a new batch with the .6 mm wire, and it clearly goes farther into the liquid, but not much. 2 cm and I have the same conditions as above.
Smoke coming off the anode indicates the anode is too small for your current.
You might try folding your anodes in half so they don't go so far low in the water.  Of course, stirring would probably eliminate the problem also.
Another thing, 10 volts is not the target.  More than 10 is the target.  Try 15 or 20 if possible.
The smoke is caused by the silver exceeding the solubility limit in the boundary  layer between the anode and the bulk water.  Voltage is what moves the silver ions out of the boundary layer.  So more voltage is always beneficial. 
If you get plating on the beaker, hydrogen peroxide will remove it unless you let it turn into a mirror.
Some people use an aquarium air pump to keep the solution stirred as a cheap alternative to a magnetic stirrer.
...
23
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: availability of Soda and capping agents
« Last post by aquataur on March 22, 2024, 04:20:06 PM »
Today I have all the things fixed as they should be: correct distance (37 mm), correct amount of electrolyte drops (5 for 250ml), 1/2 teaspoon of maltodextrin. Heated up, but not boiling. No stirring.

I started of with a 2mm stainless steel cathode, and the voltage immediately collapses. As suggested, I raised the cathode until I was below 10V, but this way it is only 10mm below surface. I noticed some brownish looking (definitely not grey) "smoke" emanating from the anode. The current is at 6mA, anything below and the voltage goes below 10V again.

Unfortunaely, this way the desired distance between the electrodes has risen considerably and varies over the height. The 37 millimeters are only maintained towards the surface.  After 15 minutes, the result is a beautiful yellow.

While I go and find a .6 mm copper wire, the liquid has changed to deep orange that concentrates around  the anode, but no more brownish smoke whiskers.

I throw it away. There is quite a residue on the glas and a slight light umbra deposit on the anode.
I make a new batch with the .6 mm wire, and it clearly goes farther into the liquid, but not much. 2 cm and I have the same conditions as above.

Picture: the smoke whiskers. Note: there are two anodes wired together (to have a bigger anode area) towards the front. The copper wire is faintly visible just right of the left anode.
24
Colloidal Silver Production / Three electrodes (two parallel anodes)
« Last post by aquataur on March 21, 2024, 08:45:14 PM »
I have to make a new electrode holder, the one I have has the wrong distance.

Since I have plenty of that 5x1mm flat wire (which I once had made from a goldsmith out of 999 silver granules), I thought I might bundle two of them for a thicker anode resp. greater surface facing the cathode, but then I also might make individual electrode holders and join the two silver sticks electrically for an anode.

I  thought of arranging them in a triangle with exactly 37mm between them, so the distance between anode and cathode is always the same.

Is there anything I oversee that would render that a bad idea?
25
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: availability of Soda and capping agents
« Last post by aquataur on March 21, 2024, 06:45:58 PM »
 ;D
26
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: maltrodextrin powder
« Last post by aquataur on March 21, 2024, 06:44:55 PM »
I got a can with 750g from my pharmacy for 15 Euros - 12 DE. While this is not extra cheap, I pay no transport fees and have it the next day. I could indeed get a 2.5kg bag for the same price from a bodybuilder food shop, but have to wait for god knows how long for delivery. Relative to the amount of silver I can make with it the price is neglectable.

I have to wait until I get my electrode holder sorted out and then let you know how it went.
27
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: 320ppm precipitation
« Last post by kephra on March 21, 2024, 11:48:16 AM »
I would say discard it then, but you could also try heating it to redissolve the gelatin.
When in doubt, throw it out,
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Colloidal Silver Production / Re: 320ppm precipitation
« Last post by FromTheDen on March 21, 2024, 11:28:39 AM »
No, it appears pretty chunky.
29
Colloidal Silver Production / Re: maltrodextrin powder
« Last post by Gene on March 20, 2024, 08:14:00 PM »
Yeah, more won't hurt but you should still use the formula to make sure, based on what PPM you're making, if you want to use a measuring spoon, that what you're adding is enough. The amount is directly dependent on the PPM and the amount of water in the cell (well, the weight of silver you're going to turn into Colloidal Silver).

Yeah, in the US, from a consumer's perspective pretty much all we can get is mixed bag where the mixture"formula" isn't stated. Sure, you can buy single DE malto from a chemical supply house but expect to pay maybe even 10x what the mixed bag stuff costs where for making Colloidal Silver it won't make one bit of difference - just the amount you need to use.

When I bought a pound of mixed bag malto from a beermaking supply shop, which was probably 4 or 5 years ago, I paid $3 for it.  The mixed bag stuff is CHEAP if you know where to get it. Some use carbogain (a weightlifting supplement which is basically just maltodextrin) but that stuff is rather pricey by comparison (you're paying for the name, not the malto - sigh).

BTW, just in case you're curious, malto is used in making some types of beer. Its added because it imparts a creamy mouth-feel to the beer.
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Colloidal Silver Production / Re: availability of Soda and capping agents
« Last post by kephra on March 20, 2024, 07:34:40 PM »
Congrats on your success!
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