December 23rd, 2007
Started a cheapo quickie 8 cell booster today to use for bench testing. Found 9 x small s/s dog food dishes (made in India) for $2.99AU each. Then scrounged a bit of 8" PVC pipe to use as container, couple pieces of offcut perspex for end plates, a few bits of s/s 3/8" threaded rod, washers and nuts (most are D18 remnants). Basically made of bits and pieces lying around the shed...
Elected to use 8 cells to reduce 12-13.8VDC supply down to 1.5-1.725VDC per cell. Had to space plates about 5/16" apart at the rim with 5/16" PVC tube to get approx 1/8" space between the angled parts of the dishes. Could have bolted the two end plates to the perspex end plates, but instead elected to drill 2 X 5/8" holes through centre of all dishes to bolt it all together with HDPE spacers between them. This way, both terminals will exit at the front so no electrical connections will be exposed other than on the front cover. If a method of stopping the plates from rotating was found (like a keyed through hard plastic riser tube), then a larger unit could be made with a connection at each end only (a la Boyce series).
Gas outlet is provided for by one 1/2" hole drilled at the top of each plate.
pic -> Rubber gaskets removed (too thin for seal/spacer)