Water Battery

18K13138

Intro: Water Battery

the idea is to create a battery that works on water.

The concept behind it is to make a galvanic cell that works on either a saltbridge or a sourbridge.
In this case it's a saltbridge, but you could try using plants or wine (sourbridge) to create the same effect.

-things you need:
.copper sulphate
.zinc sulphate
.water
.led lights low voltage (testing)
.clamp cables
.6 plastic bottles (1l)
.6 pieces of copper
.6 pieces of zinc

STEP 1: Step 1

the first step is filling the bottles with water , i recommend using 1L bottles (6 bottles).

put the bottles in a wooden frame so you can move them around easier.

(when you have copper and zinc cut them into 6 pieces that you can clamp onto en put through the bottle neck.

STEP 2: Step 2

fill the bottles and connect the anodes en cathodes:

left bottle above: add 20 gr of copper sulphate
left bottle below:add 20 gr of zinc sulphate
center bottle above:add 20 gr of zinc sulphate
center bottle below:add 20 gr of copper sulphate
right bottle above:add 20 gr of copper sulphate
right bottle below:add 20 gr of zinc sulphate

each bottle wil produce around 2 volt.

when you have this prepared, connect the copper to the red wire, with on the other side zinc so u will have a + and - side.
and put zinc to the dark wire and on the other end copper. you start in the first bottle with copper and the end in the next bottle (zinc) in the second bottle you start again with a red wire that wil end in the next bottle and there you start again with a black wire. this wil create a electric circuit.

(make sure the clamp cables do not touch the water)

STEP 3: Step 3

when you finished filling the bottles and connecting the cables you end up with a red + and a black - wire from the first and last bottle.

make sure you cover the bottle neck with a plastic or rubber so that you minimalise evaporasion

measure the voltage using a voltmeter, you can test it by using a led that is close to the average volt that is produced.

in the picture you see a 12volt led burning

STEP 4: Step 4

by using the clamps you could connect the battery to a charging wire, this makes it possible to charge low a powered object or maybe even a cellphone like in the 3D concept.

19 Comments

thank you !

thank you :)

why cant we do this on larger scale then?>

how long does the battery create a charge?
depends on the water (different in each area of the world), the purity of the copper and zinc, i don;t have a exact number but it works until the copper oxidates
depends on the water (different in each area of the world), the purity of the copper and zinc, i don;t have a exact number but it works until the copper oxidates


- Oxidation: Zn → Zn2+ + 2e–
Reduction: Cu2+ + 2e– → Cu

potential difference


-Zn2+ + 2e– → Zn E0 = –0,76 V
Cu2+ + 2e– → Cu E0 = +0,34 V

capacity

Q_T = \int_0^t I \cdot dt = p \cdot F \cdot n_m

hopefully this is usefull, you can also look it up under the name of galvanic cell
at any local hardware store
Where can I buy the copper and zinc pieces?