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• New development

  David Thomas • 04/22/2015 at 03:27 • 0 comments

  After I shut it off for 24 hours, it did what I thought, it traded volts for amps and shot up to 2.7 volts and .012 amps. It will barely show as bright as a candle. Unfortunately I don't have time to mess with it as I have to go on a business trip(no fun). But when I get back I will recheck it to see if there was a "crystal cell self recharge affect". If that doesn't work I will try to revive the battery by recharging it.

• Tonight I turn it off to see if it "recovers"

  David Thomas • 04/18/2015 at 04:50 • 0 comments

  Already it has lasted 9 days constantly on.... Not many (actually any) flashlights I know of last that long, with so much brightness. So even now the project is a success.

  Today I read 2.7v and .17 amps. The flashlight is still bright enough to light up a room pretty well and very usable as a flashlight. Brightness is now on par or better than my old incandescent 6v flashlight with fresh batteries. The onboard volt meter no longer registers(needs 3v). So tonight I will turn it off to see if it "recovers" like most say. My prediction will be that the voltage recovers, but the amps will still be weak.

  Again no charging!
  

• Whats up in the far future.

  David Thomas • 04/15/2015 at 06:54 • 0 comments

  If this is a successful test(over a week and with no permanent damage to the battery). I hope to scale up to larger motorcycle batteries (possibly 3 of them for a total of 12v) and connect them to a thyroid transformer, or inverter to power larger loads. Or I may go another route and forgo the lead all together. The main reasons why I used lead batteries:

  1.) Availability

  2.)Recycle-ability(lots get thrown away everyday)

  3.)Mature tech(less guessing and prototyping)

  4.)Plate distance & "surface area:mass ratio" (greater power output and energy density than youtube style pipe crystal cells).

• .3 amps and dwindling!

  David Thomas • 04/15/2015 at 03:32 • 0 comments

  still 3.4 volts .3 amps now. No changed noticed in brightness. This is getting exciting!

• You can use old junk batteries!

  David Thomas • 04/14/2015 at 19:40 • 0 comments

  You can use old motorcycle batteries for this project. About 75% of the time people throw away good lead acid batteries that are just behind on their maintenance! In fact after restoring them you may get more output due to the charge plates being already fully formed due to acid exposure during charging. You may want to check out youtube on how people restore them (and dump the acid) and use the method you think is best. Good search criteria is: alum battery conversion, or lead battery restore. After restoring the battery with the acid in it, just remove the acid, and substitute the final electrolyte with the epsom salt/distilled water mixture.

  But remember when dealing with the old, now useless acid...it can burn you.... and lead is poisonous.

  Notice alot of these videos teach you how to dispose of byproducts properly and handle it; such as wash your hands, or any surface your hands might touch with soap and water when your finished dealing with lead(found on the terminals and in the acid). Also wear gloves, old long sleeve shirts, pants, and eyewear when dealing with acid. Wash any part of your body that comes into contact with it immediately or it will burn over time. Dispose of it properly in a clean sealable plastic painters bucket ( call local hazmats at your garbage dump and/or battery recycling place, usually a free service). Not all encompassing but it covers most of the hazards.

• Below .5 amps

  David Thomas • 04/14/2015 at 18:47 • 0 comments

  At the .48 amp mark. Still 3.4 volts. No visable difference in light output.

• To be clear, I am not going to charge it

  David Thomas • 04/14/2015 at 15:25 • 1 comment

  I expect that the cell will eventually go down below 3 volts or output very little light at some point. Weather if thats a week, month, year or years, I won't know. But If that's so, I will let the crystal cell recover for 24 hours then see if I get the same shorting amps and voltage as before. I am going to let this baby ride

  Still at 3.43 Volts .5 amps today.
  

• 5 days and still Bright

  David Thomas • 04/14/2015 at 09:20 • 0 comments

  I initially bought a motorcycle battery, filled it with distilled water and epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). The epsom salt is dissolve in as much as the water will allow. Blender helps...adding little by little, and blending till its clear again, then add more till the water can no longer hold any more (there is some at the bottom no matter how much you blend it).

  I charged it up to 12 volts on my car battery charger, in parallel with another 12volt battery. I then ran it down to 10 volts by connecting it a 12v inverter with a light bulb load, and draining it. I then ran it down to 6 volts by shorting it on and off... but long story short(hah), I got it down to the 6 volt sweet spot, that crystal cells need to run.

  I then cut the housing ("battery side") for the lantern and test fit it on top. I soldered the wire on the contacts where the "Normal" 6v lantern battery connects to; If you look at the "bulb side" of the housing The outside C ring is positive, the inside circle is negative. I then crimped on some automotive yellow "crimp terminals".

  Its been on the whole time except 1 or 2, 5 min tests. The first day it went from 6 volts to 4.5, second it went to 3.64, 3rd it hovered between 3.4 and 3.5v. 4th same 3.4-3.5v. 5th 3.4-3.5v. Also for the last 3 days the battery short amperage is .5 amps. For the past 3 days the brightness has not changed and is the brightness that is in the pictures. I will try to log the progression past this point.
  

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