At startup, pulls huge amps then quickly backs off...

[BeaverRat]

Thanks...
I am wondering though, as you will see in the video I have on it's way, when the cell is warm it will pull 45 amps at startup and then gradually reduce to 28 amps over the course of several seconds. Why doesn't it just pull 45 and stay there or pull any number of amps but not drop more than 5 amps? Right now with 45-28 amps, it is dropping 17 amps over the course of a couple seconds. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to at least stabalize the amp draw? I don't mind if it will only pull 30 amps, I just wish it would pull around 30 at startup too and stay there, because right now it still looks like the electrolyte level in the cell is still dropping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnSC8_sooVY

[H2OPWR]

Thanks...
I am wondering though, as you will see in the video I have on it's way, when the cell is warm it will pull 45 amps at startup and then gradually reduce to 28 amps over the course of several seconds. Why doesn't it just pull 45 and stay there or pull any number of amps but not drop more than 5 amps? Right now with 45-28 amps, it is dropping 17 amps over the course of a couple seconds. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to at least stabalize the amp draw? I don't mind if it will only pull 30 amps, I just wish it would pull around 30 at startup too and stay there, because right now it still looks like the electrolyte level in the cell is still dropping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnSC8_sooVY

That will never happen. As you start up your cell it fills with non conductive bubbles. That will lower amp draw. Start up will always be higher. It was dropping to 16 amps. You have made huge improvements. A wider gap would improve it more but any more than 20 to 25 amps is way too much for that cell.

Larry

[BeaverRat]

Ok, so this is as good as I can get it? What about the bubbles in the cell input line? Doesn't that suggest the water level in the cell is still lowering?

So your suggestion is that the amps drop because of the HHO bubbles being produced block the ion flow, which is normal, but are you sure that the problem still isn't gas pressure at the top of the cell forcing the electrolyte level down? Because wouldn't you agree that the amps in the video drop rather slowly?

Also, just for comparison purposes, how many amps does your cell drop from the moment you flip the PSU switch to when it stabalizes?
Thanks

[H2OPWR]

Ok, so this is as good as I can get it? What about the bubbles in the cell input line? Doesn't that suggest the water level in the cell is still lowering?

So your suggestion is that the amps drop because of the HHO bubbles being produced block the ion flow, which is normal, but are you sure that the problem still isn't gas pressure at the top of the cell forcing the electrolyte level down? Because wouldn't you agree that the amps in the video drop rather slowly?

Also, just for comparison purposes, how many amps does your cell drop from the moment you flip the PSU switch to when it stabalizes?
Thanks

The gas pressure will always force some bubbles and e-lite back out the bottom hose. The only way to stop that would be to use a small pump and pump e-lite through the cell. With a pump your overall effeciency will drop when you take the amp draw from the pump into count. It will keep amp draw up slightly but lower effeciency.

Yes the amp draw does drop rather slowly suggesting that the gas pressure is lowering the e-lite level. I am sure that is happening as gas builds up at the top of your cell. That is always going to happen to some extent. It is just the nature of any cell.

As far as amp drop on my cell. I am unsure as to how much it drops. I do not use an inline amp meter like you do. I have long stopped measuring amp draw at start up because it is always slightly higher than running amp draw.

Before when your cell was losing half of its amp draw you had problems. Now it is just acting like a normal cell. You might make slight gains with larger hoses but not enough to be worth the trouble. My Nickel cell will produce 7+ LPM using 2 1/8" hoses like you are.

Larry

[Philldpapill]

Beaverrat, a simple experiment you can do is to get your e-lyte reservoir, and raise it above your cell, and watch your current draw. If your current draw goes up as you raise the reservoir, and goes down as you lower it, then Larry is correct.

By raising the reservoir, you are causing the elecrolyte to have a higher pressure into the cell due to gravity. If this higher pressure forces MORE electrolyte in, and the gas is naturally forcing the electrolyte out, then eventually, the extra electrolyte will cover more plate surface, resulting in higher current draw.

[BeaverRat]

ok, thanks guys... good to know it is running how it should. I did actually increase the hose size at the cell output side to 3/8ths inch hose. It made no difference in how the amps behaved. Would it make any difference to do the same to the cell input holes?

Also, when the cell warmed all the way up, it would draw 60 amps at startup for a fraction of a second and then settle down to 35 amps. Why does it draw 60 amps for about 1/4th of a second? Thats a lot of amps... I don't think the water level in the cell was lowering because it dropped down to 35 amps almost instantly...

[BeaverRat]

Ok, if this video passes approval, than it is my last amp draw question

I'm gonna keep it real simple this time... Is this an acceptable amperage drop from startup to stability? Is this about the same drop that every cell naturally has? It goes from about 33 amps to 24 amps... Basically, is this what it should look like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPZC_SMUpeM

If it is still dropping too much, I have 2 tricks left up my sleave... increase hose diameter from 1/4th to 3/8ths, and make the holes in the plates bigger.

[H2OPWR]

Ok, if this video passes approval, than it is my last amp draw question

I'm gonna keep it real simple this time... Is this an acceptable amperage drop from startup to stability? Is this about the same drop that every cell naturally has? It goes from about 33 amps to 24 amps... Basically, is this what it should look like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPZC_SMUpeM

If it is still dropping too much, I have 2 tricks left up my sleave... increase hose diameter from 1/4th to 3/8ths, and make the holes in the plates bigger.

You are becoming way too concerned with amp drop from start up. Like I have said. The stable amp draw is more than enough for that size of cell. It does not matter how much the drop is. At the amp draw you are at that is all the current that cell will handle. You are running 35 amps hot. That is too many for a cell that size. You will end up with thermal runaway and melt down the gaskets if you push more current through that cell.

Larry

[BeaverRat]

Thankyou for your patience... I must come across as sounding very ingnorant in my newbishness. I will run it at 25 amps with my PWM as per your advise. The main thing I was concerned about was wheather or not the e-lite level in the cell was dropping too low and lowering efficiency, but I guess it is allright. Thanks a million for your asistance.