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From: comeau.christian on 13 Feb 2010 21:58
I want to use electrolysis to separate chemicals, but electricity
isn't much my domain!
Now, instead of using a battery, I read (but didn't tried yet) that I
could simply use a AC converter.
So I had an old CD player "plug", which reads the following:

Ac Adaptor
Input: AC120~60Hz 5.3 W
Output: DC 4.5V=-= 600 mA

I've cut the wires and naked about an inch of them. I would attach the
bare copper ends with an electrode going in the solution.
Now the thing is, should I be concerned about electrical shocks? I've
read that 600mA is a very dangerous current, but the fact that it's
only 4.5V leads me to believe it wouldn't quite be a danger (except if
I plug it straight in my heart, that is!)

Yet, I'm not sure of myself and I don't want to believe anything too
quickly. So here I came to get your opinions and comments! I'm sorry
it's probably a newb question for you guys! Thanks for answering
anyway!

Christian
From: Joel Koltner on 13 Feb 2010 23:08
<comeau.christian(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:85014ecf-184b-4f00-9b4e-cadf21856f76(a)o26g2000vbd.googlegroups.com...
> Yet, I'm not sure of myself and I don't want to believe anything too
> quickly. So here I came to get your opinions and comments! I'm sorry
> it's probably a newb question for you guys!

Your understanding is correct -- although you certainly can kill yourself with
4.5V and 600mA, it requires rather significant effort, and for almost all
intents and purposes your adapter there can be considered completely safe to
your person.

(Many batteries found in common usages for phones, computers, etc. can put out
far more votlage and current than this -- laptop batteries are often 18V with
outputs of upwards of 5A or more, although the terminals generally are
recessed. 9V batteries can certainly put out upwards of an amp, at least for
awhile. And 12V car batteries actually deserve rather more care than many
people give them -- they can produce many hundreds of amps, and serious
injuries where, e.g., someone's metal watch band gets between the two
terminals are not at all unheard of.)

---Joel

From: comeau.christian on 14 Feb 2010 21:26
On Feb 13, 11:08 pm, "Joel Koltner" <zapwireDASHgro...(a)yahoo.com>
wrote:
> <comeau.christ...(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:85014ecf-184b-4f00-9b4e-cadf21856f76(a)o26g2000vbd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Yet, I'm not sure of myself and I don't want to believe anything too
> > quickly. So here I came to get your opinions and comments! I'm sorry
> > it's probably a newb question for you guys!
>
> Your understanding is correct -- although you certainly can kill yourself with
> 4.5V and 600mA, it requires rather significant effort, and for almost all
> intents and purposes your adapter there can be considered completely safe to
> your person.
>
> (Many batteries found in common usages for phones, computers, etc. can put out
> far more votlage and current than this -- laptop batteries are often 18V with
> outputs of upwards of 5A or more, although the terminals generally are
> recessed.  9V batteries can certainly put out upwards of an amp, at least for
> awhile.  And 12V car batteries actually deserve rather more care than many
> people give them -- they can produce many hundreds of amps, and serious
> injuries where, e.g., someone's metal watch band gets between the two
> terminals are not at all unheard of.)
>
> ---Joel

Thanks Joel for the quick answer!
From: terryS on 18 Feb 2010 11:08
On Feb 14, 1:08 am, "Joel Koltner" <zapwireDASHgro...(a)yahoo.com>
wrote:
> <comeau.christ...(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:85014ecf-184b-4f00-9b4e-cadf21856f76(a)o26g2000vbd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Yet, I'm not sure of myself and I don't want to believe anything too
> > quickly. So here I came to get your opinions and comments! I'm sorry
> > it's probably a newb question for you guys!
>
> Your understanding is correct -- although you certainly can kill yourself with
> 4.5V and 600mA, it requires rather significant effort, and for almost all
> intents and purposes your adapter there can be considered completely safe to
> your person.
>
> (Many batteries found in common usages for phones, computers, etc. can put out
> far more votlage and current than this -- laptop batteries are often 18V with
> outputs of upwards of 5A or more, although the terminals generally are
> recessed.  9V batteries can certainly put out upwards of an amp, at least for
> awhile.  And 12V car batteries actually deserve rather more care than many
> people give them -- they can produce many hundreds of amps, and serious
> injuries where, e.g., someone's metal watch band gets between the two
> terminals are not at all unheard of.)
>
> ---Joel
=======================================================
Somewhat OT .......
Which is just one reason that you;
1) Attach the positive terminal of a car battery first.
That's assuming that the car has, say, a typical negative grounded 12
volt battery system.
Then last
2) You attach the negative terminal, which connects to the metal body
and most other metal parts of the vehicle.
3) Reason: Because if you have the negative terminal (2) attached and
then perform (1) and happen to drop or have the metal wrench contact
something else ......................... poof/bang!
4) Some mechanics cheat by taping the handle of the wrench they use on
battery terminals; but that isn't as safe.
And yes 4.5 volts at 600 milliamps from a typical wall-wart power
supply etc.. should give same level of safety (as far as the power
supply is concerned; but you are dealing with perhaps loose electrodes
in some sort of a solution. So watch out for splashing or bubbling;
wear safety glasses/shield. It might be a good idea to stick say a one
amp fuse in the positive lead from the PS to the the electrode; then
if anything did go short circuit while the operator was away from the
experiment it would safely disable the process.
Cheers.
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