Question

I've had a few difficulties making really clear CS. The first time I made it, it was really clear, even when I brewed it to the color of Miller Lite beer (I am a bartender, so I know exactly the color of Lite draft.). After that time though, the batches kept getting a cloudy yellow. Will that hurt me if I drink it? Is there a limit to the number of times an electrode can be used? I used a 27 volt generator for the first few batches. Then tried a 36 volt generator with new electrodes when I kept getting the cloudy solution. I nuke distilled water to get it hot, then keep it hot throughout the process on a coffee maker. I use 8 gauge .999 fine silver wire with about 4 1/2 inches of it in the distilled water.

My house is on piers, and walking around will agitate the water enough to knock off silver oxide pieces. Also, I used a center off polarity reverse switch. Nearly every time I switch it, small black flakes fall into the solution. Is that normal? Is that because the current is off briefly, or am I supposed to switch it before the fuzz gets any thickness to it? I' ve read of some people's batches actually forming bridges and shorting out the process. So far I' ve just filtered the clear batches through coffee filters and drank it anyway. I thought the cloudy solutions would be good for topical uses. When the electrodes get black, I remove them and wipe them with a clean paper towel, taking care to not touch any part of the electrode that will be close to the water. Is there any reason you can think of for my solution to come out cloudy?

I've also noticed that in certain glasses I pour it into, it changes color after several hours, going from yellow to rust to brown to black. Everything I use to make and store CS I clean with soap and water then rinse with water and then rinse with distilled water.

Dobie