When I was a lad, old dry cells were a source of interesting scrap,
carbon rods, zinc flashing, brass strips and brass terminals.

Are zinc-carbon cells still sold today, or are the AA, A, C and D
cells made up of more insidious (and poisonous) compounds?

The metallically-sealed cells look a little more daunting
than the bitumen-sealed zinc cans of yore.

What do we get when we rush down to our local hardware stores
apart from fork handles?

PS. I'm interested in getting hold of one of those wet Leclanche
cells, the sort with the baekelite moulded tops, that were
used to power door bells. Anybody got one for disposal? ISTR
that there was no depolarising agent fitted which served a useful
purpose - that of preventing annoying long presses of the bell-push.

MonoCalculus wrote:

PS. I'm interested in getting hold of one of those wet Leclanche
cells, the sort with the baekelite moulded tops, that were
used to power door bells. Anybody got one for disposal? ISTR
that there was no depolarising agent fitted which served a useful
purpose - that of preventing annoying long presses of the bell-push.

I thought the police didn't bother ringing the doorbell as you are so well
known to them?
--
huLLy
Mobile phone 07976 123278
ICQ 136-987-925

After replacing MonoCalculus with a small shell script on Sunday 27 Nov
2005 11:48, the following appeared on stdout:

Are zinc-carbon cells still sold today, or are the AA, A, C and D
cells made up of more insidious (and poisonous) compounds?

Just don't start prying Li-Ion cells to bits. They're rather nasty if you
manage to puncture them.
--
Radio glossary #13
Integrated circuit: You have the only one in existence. This theory will
be borne out when you try to obtain a replacement.

I have two editions of "The Boy Electrician". The 1940's edition
is full of doing interesting things such as you describe, and
includes info on setting up your own X-Ray tubes with
attendant HT supplies!

The 1960's edition has been fully sanitised (Odd, because if
predates the Health and Safety paranoia by several years) and
all experiments revolve around 9 volt batteries.

Walt Davidson wrote:
On 27 Nov 2005 03:48:53 -0800, "MonoCalculus"
wrote:

When I was a lad, old dry cells were a source of interesting scrap,
carbon rods, zinc flashing, brass strips and brass terminals.

I remember, as a child, taking apart the cells from Ever-Ready "Number
8" batteries. There was a carbon rod with a small brass cap fitted to
the top. Surrounding this, there was a paste of manganese dioxide and
carbon powder, contained in a gauze bag that resembled a piece of
old-fashioned roller bandage. The remainder of the space inside the
zinc can was filled with a paste of ammonium chloride mixed with some
inert powder. The whole thing was sealed with a substance like
Vaseline to keep the contents moist, and a circular cardboard cover
with a hole in the centre for the carbon rod to pass through.

I once succeeded in making an arc lamp with two of the carbon rods!
I made hydrogen by dissolving the zinc cans in sulphuric acid (battery
acid).
:-)

--
Walt Davidson Email: g3nyy @despammed.com

don't know but they die after about 3 years.....

MonoCalculus wrote:
I have two editions of "The Boy Electrician". The 1940's edition
is full of doing interesting things such as you describe, and
includes info on setting up your own X-Ray tubes with
attendant HT supplies!

The 1960's edition has been fully sanitised (Odd, because if
predates the Health and Safety paranoia by several years) and
all experiments revolve around 9 volt batteries.

They published a 1960's edition?!
The last version of TBE I saw was published in the '50s and
still had all the 'nasty' stuff. This version had a one tube
regenerative receiver using a 1H4G tube that was nearly obsolete
at the time. In fact, A. Morgan also published a set of books
called the Boy's 1st - 4th books of radio and electronics.
In the first book he had a similar radio, but in latter editions
of that book the tube was changed to a 6 volt 7 pin mini type.

Lindsay books (www.lindsaybks.com) is now selling a reprint in paperback
of the 40's BE, which has several radios using the type 30 tube
(same as 1H4G with 4 pin base). Except for the sections on radio,
the 40's and 50's editions are the same.

MonoCalculus wrote:

When I was a lad, old dry cells were a source of interesting scrap,
carbon rods, zinc flashing, brass strips and brass terminals.

Are zinc-carbon cells still sold today, or are the AA, A, C and D
cells made up of more insidious (and poisonous) compounds?

The metallically-sealed cells look a little more daunting
than the bitumen-sealed zinc cans of yore.

What do we get when we rush down to our local hardware stores
apart from fork handles?

PS. I'm interested in getting hold of one of those wet Leclanche
cells, the sort with the baekelite moulded tops, that were
used to power door bells. Anybody got one for disposal? ISTR
that there was no depolarising agent fitted which served a useful
purpose - that of preventing annoying long presses of the bell-push.



I understand that the old design cells are still made. If you buy the
cheap cells ($1.00 a dozen or so)
then you get the old style. But if you buy Alkaline batteries you get a
cell that has the Zinc in the center
and Carbon around the outside. Most of the Zinc and Carbon is powdered
in the Alkaline cells

Bill K7NOM

The 1965 edition is still pub. by George Harrap,
but is "completely revised" from the original
work by J.W.Sim.

wa2mze(spamless) wrote:
MonoCalculus wrote:
I have two editions of "The Boy Electrician". The 1940's edition
is full of doing interesting things such as you describe, and
includes info on setting up your own X-Ray tubes with
attendant HT supplies!

The 1960's edition has been fully sanitised (Odd, because if
predates the Health and Safety paranoia by several years) and
all experiments revolve around 9 volt batteries.

They published a 1960's edition?!
The last version of TBE I saw was published in the '50s and
still had all the 'nasty' stuff. This version had a one tube
regenerative receiver using a 1H4G tube that was nearly obsolete
at the time. In fact, A. Morgan also published a set of books
called the Boy's 1st - 4th books of radio and electronics.
In the first book he had a similar radio, but in latter editions
of that book the tube was changed to a 6 volt 7 pin mini type.

Lindsay books (www.lindsaybks.com) is now selling a reprint in paperback
of the 40's BE, which has several radios using the type 30 tube
(same as 1H4G with 4 pin base). Except for the sections on radio,
the 40's and 50's editions are the same.

jim.gm4dhj wrote:

don't know but they die after about 3 years.....


What do?

Dave

"Dave" wrote in message
...
jim.gm4dhj wrote:

don't know but they die after about 3 years.....
What do?

Dave

They do.....