Home Made Deep Cycle Batteries

[cody]

Watch this if you havnt seen it yet, its John Bedini making batteries.
BatteryForming_2008_04_25_16_16_47.wmv

[john_g]

Cody
Excellent video. It confirms that you just need pure lead plates and by charging you create/condition the +/-ve plates - very inspiring. Do you what he used to separate the coiled plates?

[Matthew Jones]

@John G
He used some rubber and plastic to hold it apart. You do not need any of it though.
Use a plastic carriage or something on the bottom to keep the plates separate, maybe one towards the top, but thats it.
Make sure the lead is rough. Thats it.

I have built several of them jars since he put that movie out. They work great and are easy to build for experiment.

Matt

[john_g]

@John G
He used some rubber and plastic to hold it apart. You do not need any of it though.
Use a plastic carriage or something on the bottom to keep the plates separate, maybe one towards the top, but thats it.
Make sure the lead is rough. Thats it.

I have built several of them jars since he put that movie out. They work great and are easy to build for experiment.

Matt

Hi Matt
You say "make sure the lead is rough" - like say sandblasted?

[Matthew Jones]

Ya just scratch the metal lightly with a strong wire brush of something.

That allows the crystals to adhere. If you don't moving them around can knock off pieces.

Also don't let the lead go all the way to bottom of the jar. Keep it up an inch or so from the bottom.

Matt

[john_g]

Ya just scratch the metal lightly with a strong wire brush of something.

That allows the crystals to adhere. If you don't moving them around can knock off pieces.

Also don't let the lead go all the way to bottom of the jar. Keep it up an inch or so from the bottom.

Matt

Matt

Would you mind sharing what size of lead plates you used, i.e. the lead thickness, and length and depth of the plate? I though old wine bottles with the top halves cut off would make a cheap supply of containers if I wanted to build a bank of them.

Regards

John

[Matthew Jones]

I would just use canning jars. You get them all the time with spaghetti sauce in a jar. Or you can buy a case for 12 bucks at the hardware store.

I used 1/8 rolled lead. You get that at plumbing supply. Just it into 2 strips and put them in the jar. Keep them 1 inch from the bottom or better. Get premixed battery solution from the parts store, or you can concentrate and mix your own according to the instructions.

You can even take the lids from the canning jar, cut hole in them, Put some rubber(chemical tolerant) or plastic grommets, then slip the plate through the grommet, so you have terminals.

Just be careful if you use an open jar of some sort, make sure you do not arc you test leads or smoke, as you will be venting hydrogen. Not much but you never want to chance it. it can make a firecracker bang, and splash acid around.

Also if you just build one jar you must have a 2-3 volt power supply to charge it. 3-4 amps. You can also use a monopole, but it takes longer.

It not hard. You just gotta give it try, and don't over think it. USE RUBBER GLOVES. And don't breath fumes to much.

Matt

[sigzidfit]

If you aren't married to the lead acid chemistry, nickel iron seems like a fairly benign alternative.

Google

YouTube - Edison Battery Construction Nickel Iron

Peace
PJ

[Matthew Jones]

Thats seems pretty descent.

This is the patent for it

Matt

[eternalightwithin]

Went to Noonco website

Is Walt Noon a member here?

Awesome website Mr. Noon!

Sincerely,

David Piel

P.S. Looking at Nickel-FE batts. I wonder if I could make them cheaper than BeUtilityFree?

[thaelin]

Deep Cycle?

The Nickel/Fe batts was kind of neat but did you catch the end where it said it would light an LED for how many minutes? Kind of sparse on the amps there.
Take the Pb's from JB and you have amps to burn. His setup with multi-plates would make for a good batt. As he said, you pay for strength in the plates with a regular battery with amps retained. Just keep them ventilated to the outside when charging up due to the gassing. Make the plate assembly removable so you can clean the bottom of the containers and you will have a long life cell.

thay

[sigzidfit]

@eternalightwithin
Wikipedia reports there are no US producers of this type batteries. I bet if you had a truck load of them, someone would like to buy them from you.

Speaking of BeUtilityFree.com there is a download of their "source book"...on page 159 of that pdf there is a electrolyzer/fuel cell? that runs on the same chemistry.

[pugwash]

video

I know this is a old thread but does anybody have the Battery forming video .2008_04_25_16_16_47.wmv
As in this thread, the link does not work now.
Thank you

[john_g]

I know this is a old thread but does anybody have the Battery forming video .2008_04_25_16_16_47.wmv
As in this thread, the link does not work now.
Thank you

Hi Pugwash

I don't have a link to the video. However to form the plates, you just need to put 2 separated lead plates in battery acid, charge in one direction, discharge, then charge in the opposite direction and discharge. Keep repeating this swapping procedure, and the 'spongy' plates will form. In an old book, I have read that this procedure continued for a month. I suspect the pasting of plates came about to quicken the manufacturing process


Regards

John

[pugwash]

when you say continue for a month. That could mean anything, how many charges back and forth, is there any specific procedures written about it. There must be somebody here that has made and using the home made battery's, if so are there any specifics on it all. I have plenty of lead and some battery acid and have seen where I can get more acid. Which is the hardest thing in Australia as for some stupid reason its a prohibited substance.( Like you cant get it out of any car battery). Thanks
pugwash