balloon bomb with lasers

[Greenmechanic]

Billg509

To get good results with electrolysis, usually you need to add something to the water to enhance conductivity. Back in school, the professor used a few drops of sulphuric (battery) acid. This way, a much lower and safer voltage can be used as well as the gasses being produced more quickly. If no battery acid, you can use salt, but this will produce hydrogen at one electrode and chlorine at the other so good ventilation is required. If you have some gallium lying around (there was a GB some months ago ...)
gallium treated aluminum will break down water, there are youtube vids on this

Yeah, I am doing something wrong. Set up a beaker and a bag, running 500V@50mA, after 20 mins. the water was ink black with brown scum floating on the top. The water was boiling hot and the only gas in the bag was steam
I'll try lowering the V and add a little sulfuric acid next batch. Tommorrow, I am beat from all the christmas running around and such.
I'll do some more research on the process also.

What about filling them with lighter gas? Easy and cheap!
Then, isn't there any easier way to ignite them than flash paper?

I will try this also. I think flash paper or flash cotton would be the best. I can't come up with a faster or cheaper way.
I stocked up on flash paper about a month ago when it was on sale. I bought 20 packs of 8"X9" sheets. I cut them up into close to 1000 1"x1" squares. It's probably my favorite laser "tricks". Everbody jumps back and ohh's and ahh's the first time they see me set a piece off!
I will succeed!! This is too great of an experiment to pass up. The thought of exploding balloon fireballs is haunting me!.:thanks:

 

[xSpazyKlown0]

Wow, I've just taken a look at HHO explosions on YouTube.
Pretty amazing stuff.
I'm not taking the risk trying it...

 

[Nordhavn]

Before lasers were common we used to fill large balloons with H2, tie them with kerosene soaked string, light the bottom and let 'em go! It makes a nice boom. Do NOT do this in the city though!

 

[Gryphon]

Yeah, I am doing something wrong. Set up a beaker and a bag, running 500V@50mA, after 20 mins. the water was ink black with brown scum floating on the top. The water was boiling hot and the only gas in the bag was steam

I'm no expert on electrolysis for the sake of HHO production, but aren't Amps more important than Volts? Atleast, that what i thought :thinking:

After about 30 mins of running my cell, it does get a little warm but thankfully the water stays verys clear, only slightly more yellow than when it started.

 

[roddenberry]

Definitely, lower voltage and higher amperage will yield better results with electriolysis. A tiny bit of sodium hydroxide might be better than sodium chloride to make the reaction more vigorous and produce H and O withouth Cl.
I suggest carbon electrodes, which can easily be retrieved from a pair of cheap (non alkaline) D-cells from the dollar store. These will last longer.

And lastly, a sad reminder of what can happen if you pop hydrogen-filled ballons indoors (or any type of flammable pyrotechnic in an enclosed space):
YouTube - The Station Nightclub Fire (2/21/2003). "warning!"

Robert