I got the contact information for this device from Nancy (THANKS!) and contacted Dr. Ripley via phone.
It turns out he has a modest web site on which you will see an early model (or prototype, I'm not sure) of his CS generator, and be able to read a few comments and remarks from him about it. There is also contact info and an order form, and that's about all. The URL is: http://www.register.com/motherlode >From my conversation with him, it turns out the unit is a 15 kilovolt design. The unit he currently sells is much different than the one pictured on the web site, and presumeably from the one Nancy's acquaintance has. He says that his current design has an enclosure for the electrodes and uses a gallon resevoir. (That enclosure is a good idea from a product liability standpoint!) So, Nancy, when you and your husband look inside the box of that one, you'll probably find a beefy neon sign transformer, a switch, and hopefully some fuses or circuit breaker, and probably not much else! Please let us all know when and if you get to it. Especially note the output ratings of the transformer. I specifically asked him about particle size. His comments reflect his belief that the particles being made are actually smaller than is typical of our golden yellow solutions. He labors under the notion that the golden color is the result of oxidation. I tried to alert him to the notion raised by Lindemann of the electro-optical effect of particle diameter and dispersion as a cause of the color. I'll probably forward him the Lindemann reference. He can't say for sure what diameter it produces, since the one sample he sent out for electron microscope examination (for $200) clumped up (crystallized is what he called it) on the surface it was applied to for examination and the individual particles were so small they could not be distinguished. Obviously some work on sample preparation is required. That is *just* the sort of problem researchers have to solve all the time, and that takes time and money. Lots of it. So ONCE AGAIN we meet the limitation of the cost of good research. Anybody planning to *really* know what they're doing better plan on spending *thousands* of dollars on testing and development. The good news is, we don't need to know *that* much for the stuff to work. He seems to be a nice fellow, and says he has treated a good many of his patients with good results. He said there are others offering copies of his device for considerably more money. As elaborate as it is to fabricate, and as expensive as the transformer and other components are, less that 400 bucks is indeed reasonable. I've asked him to mail me a brochure. I'll report again if anything further warrants it. Merry Christmas, everyone. God Bless. Mike [Mike Devour, Citizen, Patriot, Libertarian] [[email protected] ] [Speaking only for himself... ]
