Power Supply Options for Electrolysis

[AlcoholAlkene]

I have been trying to make sulfuric acid from copper sulfate through electrolysis using carbon (cathode) and copper (anode) electrodes. The problem is that I have been using a car battery charger at 12V 5 amps which has proven to be too much current as the solution heats up fairly quickly and the carbon electrode erodes too quickly. I have a battery charger like this one --> (https://www.amazon.com/Thunder-AC680-Professional-Dual-Power-Discharger/dp/8499000037) that has a multitude of settings, but would using it as a power supply be a bad idea?

Side note: the volume of solution is around 350mL and the area of the carbon electrode is around 12 in^2.

[Arthur]

Basically yes it's a bad idea.

 

Electrolysis needs a steady current with simple voltage control -all manual! Also the voltage usually needs to be controllable from zero to about six volts.

[SeaMonkey]

Power Supplies with suitable adjustment capability are now

becoming rather inexpensive. This is the one that I use:

 

Minleaf Long Wei Switching Regulated Power Supply

 

I cringe when I see YouTube videos where the supply is

located right next to the electrolysis cell where it can

be damaged by spray of an uncovered cell.

 

The supply should always be several feet away from the

cell for maximum reliability and longest life.

[markx]

Battery chargers that output in excess of 12V dc are not very suitable for electrosynthesis. They can be employed as a last resort, but expect heavy losses upon heating and wear on anodes. It is simply not the right tool for the job. There is a plethora of low voltage switching supplies available for very moderate cost and these tend to do a very good job. Most of them have some output voltage regulation capability, so there is no immediate need to buy an "all bells and whistles" universal power supply that has full range of regulation available. It helps though as one can smoothly adjust to the right settings with a wide arrangement of electrode and cell sizes.

 

Uncovered chlorate cells are a "no no" in terms of safety health and longevity of the operator as well as the equipment used. The spray that is emanating from mostly the cathodes is very persistant, unhealthy and provokes a serious outbreak of corrosion on all metallic items that are unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. The cells should always be designed as a covered system that is vented to outside.

[Arthur]

The cheapest psu for prototyping a project is an ATX computer PSU either salvaged or new. There are many youtube tutorials on converting an ATS psu for bench use. The old ones had lots of current available from the 5v line, newer ones have a weaker 5v line and vast current available from the 3.5v line.

 

It is possible to add a simple series resistor to the supply so that the current suits the cell, BUT that is wasting power as heat and once you take control you have to watch the cell regularly to monitor and control the current.

 

The best available PSUs are either surplus 50's electronics or modern smps from China through ebay. When you find what voltage the cell needs to run pick a supply.

[SeaMonkey]

There is a plethora of low voltage switching supplies available

for very moderate cost and these tend to do a very good job.

 

 

markx,

 

Absolutely true! Inexpensive devices which permit precise

adjustment of Voltage and Current applied to the Electrolytic

Cell. Since I use Graphite Anodes exclusively in my cells,

I never operate at more than 2.0 Amperes current while

electrolyzing. I like my cells to run slow and easy.

 

Here are some examples of the inexpensive Power Supply

DC to DC Converters (Switching Power Supplies:)

 

Winners 10 Ampere Adjustable Voltage and Current

 

300 Watt 20 Ampere Constant Current Adjustable

 

Those who have Electrical/Electronic experience will find

many inexpensive devices to satisfy their needs.

 

The cheapest psu for prototyping a project is an ATX

computer PSU either salvaged or new.

 

Arthur,

 

I agree! The 3.3 Volt output is especially useful for Electrolytic

Cell use. I have several of those supplies (all used) on hand.

They often do have an adjustment on the Circuit Board internally

which permits a small range of adjust of the Output Voltage.

For more versatility one of the ATX Outputs could be applied to

a Buck-Boost Switching DC to DC Converter in order to create

a fully adjustable Output Voltage from 1.2 Volts on up.

 

I absolutely love innovative ways of Doin' it Cheap.