Cow Dung Batteries

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Caught part of this on the History Channel last nite; did a search to day and came up with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtxxDpvxYdE

http://mlgw.blogspot.com/2008/07/cow...=1215224640000
Looks interesting, no directions as of yet.
Any ideas?

try this http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/07/dung_battery/

Sorry Ocala, but when I saw the title I had visions of a cattle prod being used to extract power directly from the cow by shoving it .......

Hmm .... No doubt you'd get a kick out of it one way or another though. LOL

Ocola, I found that one also, couple of different sites, and it has been brought up that the guys in the U-tube just buried regular batteries in cow dung as a rip off.
The program on the History Channel was a little most complete, the buried batteries (supposedly being dead) are being used as electrodes, something to connect wires to.
found it intresting, and will keep my eye on it.

WOW. And I was just spreading it on my garden!!

Hunter63, Do you think it'd work if the guy used something other than 'old' batteries for the electrodes? Somehow I doubt it.

Probably not, but if you think about it:

A battery is just a chemical reaction between the case, main electrode and something in between, generally an acid of some kind, and when any of the components get used up the battery loses power.
I would guess that the cow dung/urine provides some additional chemical reaction to re-start the existing components.(?)

I know that some old car batteries can be dumped out, rinsed and refilled with freash acid and will now work again, for a while. (Folks, this is very dangerous to you, the area, clothes etc. Don't try this at home)


Soooooooo....... in that line of thinking after TSHTF, local 7-11 closed and looted, might be a use for the supply that you had, but used up?????????????

"I would guess that the cow dung/urine provides some additional chemical reaction to re-start the existing components.(?)"

Not in this case. The cow dung/urine would have to be between the casing (anode) and the central cathode, (a carbon rod in most of the small batteries I pulled apart as a kid), but if built as simply as shown, the casing would keep the sh!t out of the equation.

Thinking about this, if the case was still sealed, I can't see where anything could get in, but:

If most of the dry cell batteries are alkaline, and there was holes, (say, like with a nail) in the case (one electrode) to the inside chemical.
When subjected to dung/urine (acidic? ), I can see where a reaction could happen, to the center post (the other electrode), thus providing power?

Hunter, you're just going to have to try it. If it works, don't shout about it too much: It'll force the price of sh!t up to the point we won't be able to put it on our gardens, lol.