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connecting wires to pencils underwater

I'm interested in the prospect of using pencils as electrodes for electrolysis of water, but I'm trying to figure out a way to attach the wires from the power supply to the other end of each pencil so that the electrical connection is sound but I can seal it up to immerse (so that the exposed electrodes are underwater in tubes).

Here's a pencil example, but the gases from both working ends are open to the surface.

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I'd like to make something structurally more like these examples, in order to capture the gases separately, but AFAICT I'd need either U-shaped pencils (!) or a way to attach the wires to the pencils securely under (I guess) heat-shrink insulation.

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Suggestions?

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Reply to
Adam Funk
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Alligator clips (test clips) covered with Sugru (check sparkfun.com ). The teeth of the clips will make good contact with the pencil "lead" and the Sugru (a moldable silicone that dries hard in 24 hours) will provide water proofing.

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That's an "artist's impression"

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Copper electrodes will work too but will taint the water, with carbon electrodes some carbon decomposes at the anode but the CO2 formed has the same volume as the O2 it replaces so the text books ignore it when discussing stochiometry.

If the goal is to produce more than samples of the gasses, for improved results use stainless steel electrodes for electrolysis in a dilute caustic soda solution.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

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Run insulated wire all the way up in the test tube, then down to the pencil above the liquid level. Here:

test tube +------------+ | +--+ | | | | | | | P | | | E | | W N | |**I**C *****|

Reply to
ehsjr

Not shown in the pictures linked in the original post is that the setup starts with the test tubes full of water.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

Not a bad idea.

I'm probably going to use plastic tubing leading to some kind of vessels rather than test tubes.

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Reply to
Adam Funk

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:-)

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Good point. I could probably connect the wires to some bits of stainless with small bolts & nuts, then shrink-wrap over them.

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Reply to
Adam Funk

Does that make a difference?

Ed

Reply to
ehsjr

only if the goal of the looping the wire round to the top like that was to keep it dry

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

That looks like fun stuff, thanks.

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Reply to
Adam Funk

What would happen with zinc-plated steel (bolts, for example)?

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Reply to
Adam Funk

probably be pretty messy, unplated steel would be better.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

The zinc will probably get involved. Remember the copper/lemon juice/zinc battery from grade school science?

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Reply to
Les Cargill

Well, I was tinkering around with a scrap bit of stainless steel rod (unthreaded) & trying to figure out how to attach a wire to it so I could shrink-wrap the connection; then came up with the idea of a stainless steel bolt & an eye crimp; then realized I only have (AFAIK) zinc-plated & brass bolts, no stainless ones.

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The three-martini lunch is the epitome of American efficiency.
Where else can you get an earful, a bellyful and a snootful at
the same time?                             [Gerald Ford, 1978]
Reply to
Adam Funk

I figured that would probably be the case, but it doesn't hurt to ask (usually).

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Reply to
Adam Funk

silver solder if you're equipped, borrow a spot welder for 20 seconds, plate the end with copper and solder to that, even a bullet type connector as used in auto electrics.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

Checking my Rolodex to see if I know anyone with a spot welder...

Thanks again for the tips.

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Reply to
Adam Funk

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