I've got one I rigged up. I have multiple
transformers of the same type so I can switch
when one starts getting a bit warm. You can go
quite a bit longer than a minute, but of course
would depend on the voltage, current, and conductivity
of the water. You can meter it down a bit by using
more pure water if it draws more current than you'd
like. I use 12v at 1.2 amps. But I'm probably not
drawing that full current rating, as I can go maybe
10 minutes or more before it starts getting warm.
If I use more salt, more current flows.
My results were mixed, and I've noticed an after effect
that sets in a few months after you zap em..
IE: I notice that the pennies I zap tend to turn kinda
dark a few months later. This can be polished out though.
I had the best results with pennies, but my tests on
clad were not too great. IE: discolored quarters..
It gets them clean, but even after repeated heavy
zapping sessions, it's hard to get rid of the nasty
colors. I bet tumbling the coins is better for that..
When I zap pennies, I use copper tube as the metal
instead of stainless or whatever. I'm of the opinion
that the metal used should be as close to what you are
zapping as possible..Some leaches onto the zappee...
Here is a pix of zapping a few pennies. They were filthy
corroded before the zap. But quite usable after. One
ended up a 1918... I've since zapped all my "dug up"
wheats. But I tumble the zincs and clad..
Most say you should not ever zap a real old, or questionable
value coin. IE: to some collectors, zapping some coins
will drop the value in half. I don't zap my old
"street clean" wheats... They would turn darker, and not
look as good as they do "as is". Those pennies I probably
zapped appx 10 minutes a coin..
MK
