Testing WVO and biodiesel for water.

[dgs]

So the idea is to remove the moisture from the air to make the drying more effective

That is exactly the idea, the self indicating silica gel removes most of the humidity in the air.

I used to just bubble with ambient air, thinking the bio was dry enough and was horrified when I had it checked at 800ppm.

I did a test and had the inlet to the compressor into a cardboard box that had hot air being blown into it by a fan heater. This brought the water down to 450ppm.

After I built the dryer I got used to the very low water levels it produces. I once did two drying cycles over two days just to see what I could get the water content down to. It was 50ppm.

[Julian]

Been corresponding with Dave the last couple of days so here's a quick strep on the state of play ...

The conductance measurement seems to be working OK, but contamination on the plates of the sensor, quite understandably, seems to make a massive difference to the results.

I dare say the brass in Chinese dog tag is not of the highest quality, so Dave it going to try pickling it in an acid solution.

Gold would obviously be the best from a performance point of view, but a shade too expensive for us cheapskates!  What are peoples thoughts on  stainless that always oxidises but is it always to the same degree?

Any other suggestions for plate material ... any non-metalic materials we could try?

Welcome comments and suggestions.

[Jamesrl]

Have you not considered gold plating the chinese brass, an old colleague of mine would use his wedding ring to supply the plating surface.

It's amazing how little gold you need to plate a large area.

[Julian]

Have you not considered gold plating the chinese brass, an old colleague of mine would use his wedding ring to supply the plating surface.

It's amazing how little gold you need to plate a large area.

Did consider it but don't you have to nickle plate the item first?

If your mate would use his wedding ring, can you pass on my address and I'll rig up the plating equipment ... kind of him to offer.

Alternatively can we pull Womble's gold tooth before we launch him ... shame to waste it.

[Jamesrl]

Alternatively can we pull Womble's gold tooth before we launch him ... shame to waste it.

Oh ye', can I do it, can I pull all his teef out, please can I?

[Julian]

Alternatively can we pull Womble's gold tooth before we launch him ... shame to waste it.

Oh ye', can I do it, can I pull all his teef out, please can I?

Pull or punch ... whichever you prefer.

[Jamesrl]

Alternatively can we pull Womble's gold tooth before we launch him ... shame to waste it.

Oh ye', can I do it, can I pull all his teef out, please can I?

Pull or punch ... whichever you prefer.

Cheers but don't tell the little fecker, keep it just between us two ok?

[Jamesrl]

I forgot to mention that my mate used to gold plate straight onto copper so maybe you can plate staight onto brass.

[Julian]

Might be worth a try.

One issue may be the solder holding it all together ... doubt that will plate OK but it will surely oxidise over time.  I'm thinking that any slight change in surface contamination will have an adverse effect even just the area of solder.

I don't have anything gold ... not keen on shiny things.  Dam sure the wife ill object if I go near her jewelry box, so looking for donations!

[dgs]

What about sending Parker or Todd an email. Between them they mined 6300 ounces last year in the Yukon, worth around $6.9 million.

[Julian]

Last I watched, Parker wasn't doing so well.

[oakwoodtv]

Silver solder the dog tags then gold plate.

[Julian]

Good idea, but to get the joints to silver solder temperature would melt the Nylon studding and spacers.

If I had oxy-acetylene I could immerse it in a water bath with just the joints above the surface.

[oakwoodtv]

Could you assemble the plates with threaded brass or steel rod with washers to give
the correct spacing then silver solder remove the rod and then gold plate.

After gold plating reassemble with the nylon rod and spacers this way all
the metal surface will be plated and non will be shielded with the nylon.   

     

[Julian]

Could you assemble the plates with threaded brass or steel rod with washers to give
the correct spacing then silver solder remove the rod and then gold plate.

After gold plating reassemble with the nylon rod and spacers this way all
the metal surface will be plated and non will be shielded with the nylon.   

Agree, great in theory, but bloody fiddly in practice.  The plates are only 1mm apart, but with that method positive and negative plates would separate to two different assemblies after silver soldering and would make plating easier.