by mos68x » Sun May 02, 2010 11:49 pm
Finally got all the gaskets I have cut to size and ready to use. I have also decided to change how I am going to apply the power to my cell too. I also bought a home filter housing that I will use as my bubbler since my metal one from the motorcycle build is way too constrictive. Normal PVC piping won't work with the center boss in the top to the housing, so I had to get a piece of schedule 80 PVC with the threaded ends so that I could use it for the center of the bubbler.
I still have to deburr these plates and bevel the tabs so that my spade connectors will go onto them. Then I'll do my media blasting to them as well since this will help in the conditioning as well as increase surface area and increase production. After I sand blast them I'll be taping off the areas I don't want covered and I'll apply some Weld-on #16 to avoid current leakage on the edges remaining.
I am also really unhappy with my current end plates design, so while I'll be using these end plates for the time being I'll also be designing my new plates with the ports built into them, and a couple other tricks up my sleeve. They will still be made of carbon steel though until I'm totally happy with the new design and it's flow and other aspects I'm considering. I'll still have to cover them somehow to avoid as much rust as possible so I'm thinking of either painting them again, or going with powder-coating them.
When I get to the testing part of this install I'll be using it on the workbench with my variac that I acquired from work. The only thing it can really power though is the PWM since it isn't powerful enough to power the cell itself. I can use it to do the initial conditioning so that I can see it's production as well as start to cleanse the plates, but that will be about it.
I'll also be adding neodymium magnets to the ends of my new design, I do still have to finish deciding on how I'll be applying the power to the cell. Once I have that final decision I'll be able to decide how many and where I'll be placing my magnets.
If this design makes me happy then I'll start making new power plates from a new metal. Then I'll also make new ported end plates out of stainless to avoid as much rust as possible, not from the electrolysis but from just being in contact with the water. I have many new design complications that I'm working through but I will have them worked out by the time I get to real world testing and application.