Electrolysis causes electrical current to flow in one direction. This
creates a magnetic field. The 316L stainless steel we use has
very very little magnetism in it; so little, it is labeled non-magnetic
because it is hard to detect, unless you have a strong permanent magnet.
The stainless steel plates or tubes all have a north and south magnetic
pole; even though they are weak. If They are cut from the same sheet of
metal or tube, each plate cut out so that the poles on each piece align
magnetically in the same direction, then when the cell is assembled, all
North's should be on the same end and all south should be on the same end
- and the pieces fit right. Look at the sheet of steel as one big magnet,
because it is one big magnet. Now you are going to cut it into many
smaller magnets. The molecules of the steel are aligned North and South.
Now think about the plates in your cell. If they are aligned the same,
then the magnetic field, caused by electron flow, will have little trouble
aligning with the magnetic field of the cell plates. They will not fight
each other. It will not take long for the plates to absorb the magnetism
of the electron flow. After electrolysis, the non-magnetic stainless steel
becomes magnetic. Plate alignment no longer matters; the poles are the
same now.
Does it matter if your plates are not aligned magnetically? Not
really. It will affect hho production, in the beginning, some what; but
the plates will stop fighting each other and align to the more powerful
field. That is all Bob Boyce is doing when he wraps wire around his plates
and induces electron flow. He is aligning the fields of each plate to be
the same. That is important for Bob's big huge 101 plate Dry cells,
because there is so much surface area. He spends hours doing this. That is
not necessary if you cut your pieces right. It is also not necessary if
you just have a few plates, and a small amount of surface area on them;
which is what you have. The purpose of aligning the plates magnetically is
to get optimum hho output - right out of the gate - when you first fire it
up. So don't worry about this step. It is not critical.
Does sanding, cross-hatching, the plates help HHO production? It
is debatable, in the beginning. It helps get more production right out of
the gate; by creating more surface area on the plates. You have peaks and
valleys, high spots and low spots; but those surfaces get bombarded by
electrons on the positive surfaces and those peaks get warn down; as if
they have been sandblasted. I do not buy that theory. I prefer to believe
that the rugged surface area makes it harder for the gas bubbles to cling
to; thus there appears to be more hho production. We are splitting hairs,
so to speak. One bubble forms and grows strong enough to pull away from
the surface. That bubble bumps into another bubble and knocks it loose.
Now you have an on going chain reaction. To me, that is what is happening.
With the PEC cell, we got the same hho production out of plates; scratched
or not scratched. You can skip this step and save the hard finish that was
put on the steel -- for a reason. Your plates will last longer.
Cleaning the plates
Your stainless steel sheets and or rolls, all have a coat of oil on them.
That needs to be cleaned off. Get it off of the top, the bottom and all of
the sides. All of the oil. Vinegar gets most of it. Acetone will get the
rest of it. Don't just soak it, wipe it off with a clean rag or paper
towel. Electrolysis takes place on the surface of the plates. That means
the water must touch the stainless steel, not oil on the stainless steel.
Clean off the oil. including finger prints. The critical Assembly of the
plates should be done while wearing rubber gloves.
Water
If you want the plates to stay clean, never use tap water; always use
distilled water. Tap water has impurities that will build up on the plate
surfaces. Everything - that is in the water - or the electrolyte for that
matter - will be on the plate surfaces. And don't forget to clean any oil
off of the inside of your container and lid. Oil is used to lubricate
injection mold parts. Now - that - is ideal. You, and your customers, can
do what you want, think what you want, but if you want clean plates - to
stay clean, if you want the cell to not rust, then use distilled water. If
your customers use something else, that is not your fault. You warned
them. It is up to them to reasonably listen and follow through. Put that
in writing.
