extracting tin from food cans using electrolysis

[splodenode]

anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

i have the negative hooked to the can and the postive hooked to a steel plate running 9v through a caustic soda solution. it looked to be working for a while with a nice whitish slime building up on the steel but my transformer was overheating so i turned it off to cool for a while. when i tried again the solution just foamed up like crazy and the can turned black and nothing collected on the steel anymore.
what went wrong?

 

[All Seeing Eye]

splodenode said:
what went wrong?

Erm, you turned it off?

 

[splodenode]

Fire said:

splodenode said:
what went wrong?

Erm, you turned it off?

naw it was on again when the shit went bad

 

[Alpha_Geek]

current limiting resistor?

waitaminute... battery... transformer... Is that all the circuit you have?

Transformers work only on AC current, but AC won't help you with electrolosis since the electrons are running back and forth.

You'd better describe your rig better if anyone is gonna help you.

AG

 

[splodenode]

i'm transforming ac to 9v dc

 

[Alpha_Geek]

That's not a clear explanation of your setup. I'll do my best with what you gave me.

Measure the resistance between the anode and cathode in your plating soloution, just as you'll use it.

From that value, use ohms law to make sure that you're less than 50% of the max output current of your transformer. You'll want some headroom there as most transformers will overheat if they run at max constantly. It may be possible to vary the inter-electrode distance to accomodate the transformer, depending on the physical layout of the bath. In any case, you'll need to monitor the resistance of the solution occasionally.

What are you using to recify the DC from the AC?

If you're using house current as your energy source FOR GODS SAKE USE A GFI OUTLET! Make sure you fuse the AC side of the circuit! Do not attempt this unless you have a good working knowledge of electricity and electrical safety!

Darwin Awards are made of things like this.

 

[splodenode]

i'm using an old ac adapter from a music keyboard with the end cut off and replaced with alligator clips and plugged right into the wall

ohm is the little horseshoe right?

 

[Chaos Descending]

ohm is the little horseshoe right?

You need to learn more about electricity before you do things like this.

You know just enough to be dangerous, and not enough to do anything useful.

 

[splodenode]

Chaos Descending said:

ohm is the little horseshoe right?

You need to learn more about electricity before you do things like this.

You know just enough to be dangerous, and not enough to do anything useful.

i'm a "hands on" learner

 

[TerriO]

Yeah, and your "hands on" approach will put you in hospital.

Please, splodenode, be careful.

 

[JustAFriend]

You know what they call a 'hands-on' learner????

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Stumpy!

;-)

 

[Chaos Descending]

splodenode said:i'm a "hands on" learner

I just want you to be careful, and at least get a good background in theory.

It's a little scary when someone is trying to extract tin by electrolysis but they don't know what the little "horseshoe" symbol means.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Alpha_Geek said:
Do not attempt this unless you have a good working knowledge of electricity and electrical safety!

Darwin Awards are made of things like this.

...and I meant every word.

Go do some learnin' first.
http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/modules/electric/index.htm
http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/modules/electric/accidents.htm
http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/modules/electric/Emergency.htm

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/index.html


Get a couple of kits to put together first, understand what's going on there, then try your electrolysis project.


AG

 

[splodenode]

i dont reckon 9 volts will kill me. i stuck my finger in the water and didnt even get a tingle but the caustic soda burned a little.

this shouldnt be any harder than copper plating something using a penny and battery should it?

 

[Alpha_Geek]

GROUND FAULTS CAN BE FATAL. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A GROUND FAULT IS OR COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE THEORY OF OPERATION OF YOUR POWER SUPPLY THEN YOU DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS.

Do not proceed unless you KNOW what you're doing.

Seriously dude, extracting some tin is not worth your life or limbs. Learn how this stuff works before you seriously damage yourself.

 

[TerriO]

splodenode said:
i dont reckon 9 volts will kill me. i stuck my finger in the water and didnt even get a tingle but the caustic soda burned a little.

this shouldnt be any harder than copper plating something using a penny and battery should it?

Okay, I really can't stop you from doing anything, but I am going to say this as strongly as I can: do not do this without learning more about it first. Don't put your health at risk over something like this.

Of course the caustic soda is going to burn a little when you touch it. One of sodium hydroxide's uses is as an animal tissue solvent. The fact that you're touching it suggests you're not entirely sure what you're dealing with here.

Do us all a favor and stop playing with this before you get yourself hurt. Electricity is not a toy. Do your research, learn what's going on. Don't play with this stuff before you're absolutely, 100% sure you won't hurt yourself in the process.

I'm not going to lock this, because I want you to get as much information as you can before you try this, but I do want you to please assure us that you won't play with this crap until you're taking the safety warnings seriously.

 

[splodenode]

i didnt mean to get yall riled up. i just wondered why it was working the first time then stopped working when i tried again.

could the temperature of my solution affect it? it was warm the first time i tried but it had gone cold by the time i tried again.

 

[TerriO]

We're not riled up. We're concerned for your safety.

 

[RobertVA]

Alpha_Geek said:
GROUND FAULTS CAN BE FATAL. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A GROUND FAULT IS OR COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE THEORY OF OPERATION OF YOUR POWER SUPPLY THEN YOU DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS.

Do not proceed unless you KNOW what you're doing.

Seriously dude, extracting some tin is not worth your life or limbs. Learn how this stuff works before you seriously damage yourself.

I'm more concerned about that "Wall Wart" transformer overheating from prolonged excess load and starting a fire.

 

[splodenode]

RobertVA said:

Alpha_Geek said:
GROUND FAULTS CAN BE FATAL. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A GROUND FAULT IS OR COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE THEORY OF OPERATION OF YOUR POWER SUPPLY THEN YOU DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS.

Do not proceed unless you KNOW what you're doing.

Seriously dude, extracting some tin is not worth your life or limbs. Learn how this stuff works before you seriously damage yourself.

I'm more concerned about that "Wall Wart" transformer overheating from prolonged excess load and starting a fire.

it does get hot pretty fast. any idea how i can keep it cool? i dont guess sitting a ziplock bag full of ice on top of it would be a too smart.