Trouble with iontophoresis shocks

[Thuja]

Hi there,

This is my first post on this forum. I have benefitted hugely from iontophoresis advice I have found online, however, and I'm hoping someone could help me with this problem. A few years ago, I created my own iontophoresis machine, which basically cured my sweating hands. I have continued doing maintenance treatments since then, with a few different incarnations of the machine and tons of success. Recently, I have got 3 shocks from the treatment, and I'm trying to figure out why, and how I can make the machine safer. They shocks aren't big, but they're bigger than the arc buzz that I get when taking my hands out of the water at the end of the treatment. These ones make my whole upper body flinch, and they scare me because I don't know what's causing them. I've also been getting smaller sort-of "tweaks" of surge while my hands are stationary in the water. If they keep up, I want to discontinue iontophoresis. Any advice would be appreciated. Today, when I got a shock, I was using:

Two round aluminum pie pans (disposable) - cut lower near my hands to allow space for my wrists
Two new Duracell 6 volt lantern batteries, wired in series
Insulated wires with alligator clips
Two soft cloths to prevent contact between the pans and my hands
Tap water

However, I also received a shock a couple weeks ago using this setup:

Two non-conductive (teflon?) baking pans with aluminum foil electrodes placed in the water
Two Duracell 9-volt batteries, wired in series (used many times successfully)
Insulated wires (same ones)
Two soft cloths (same ones)
Tap water + sea salt

I'm trying to figure out what the occasions have in common. In 2/3 cases, the shocks occurred when I was pushing on the pans while my hands are in the water, trying to slide them a little closer into a more comfortable position for my arms (still at least 1.5 feet apart, however). This leads me to wonder whether it may be related to static buildup between the pans and the wood table underneath. I've been considering putting something under the pans in case the underlying surface is involved, but I'm unsure whether to use something insulating like rubber, or anti-static like cotton.

Your advice or theories would be hugely appreciated.

 

[Sprawling]

Anytime I have had problems with spikes, shocks is when the wires went bad on a non-homemade unit. I doubt the static build up theory. The other possibility is the batteries or the wires connecting the batteries.

 

[NickM]

That sounds scary... I'm about to begin ionto treatments, but I would be afraid to go with a homemade set-up.

 

[86theHH]

Shocks indicate a break in current. If you are moving the pans, I would say the alligator clips are moving slightly on the pans and causing instantaneous breaks. Or you could have a loose connection or bad connection in the wire or where the wire meets the alligator clips.

Wood is not electrically conductive, so you aren't building any static electricity by moving the pans. Also since you are already touching the pans (you are part of the circuit), there wouldn't be an electrical potential created. If there was a rug underneath there, you would need to move your pans around vigorously (likely causing water to splash everywhere) in order to generate an electrical potential.

1. Make sure you press down on the alligator clips so that a solid connection is made on the pans.
2. Buy an AC to DC regulated power supply. The initial cost is more, but you don't have to buy batteries again.
3. Use heavy duty aluminum foil rolls. Tear out a couple sheets and line the bottom of a plastic container. A single sheet will support a good current, but if you like, you can fold a larger sheet a couple times or more to give more surface area for the current.

 

[Thuja]

Hi folks,

Thanks very much for your replies. Based on your advice, I took a closer look at my wires, and I think I found my problem. The alligator clips themselves have started to rust a little bit, and I think this caused an unreliable connection with the battery terminals. So, when I moved the pans, the clips probably shifted a little and lost connection temporarily. Today, I scrubbed the clips with baking soda to remove most of the rust, and did an ionto treatment. No problems! I will buy new wires just in case.

I should reiterate, in case I cast any doubt on the safety of the treatment, that I was only getting shocks from 18V batteries. I don't believe I was in any danger, they were just annoying. The treatment is still excellent and I had 2 years of perfect use before encountering any problems.

 

[NickM]

That's great man! Glad to hear you figured out the problem. Here's to much future success and dryness!

 

[hoplaba]

I get those shocks too from time to time. There are 2 reasons why this happens to me.
First one are the cables. Sometimes for some reasons the place that I cut of and connected with aligator clip get rusty or separated. I fix it by reconnecting it or cleaning cables a bit.

And the 2nd reason is if i spit water between 2 pans so electricity flows trough water circuit rather than trough my hands. And then it, i guess, gives you shocks because its trying to go trough your hands from time to time.

 

[Thuja]

Good observations, thanks.

Now that I'm back in action with new cables, I'm adopting a new habit: drying the alligator clips after every use to ensure they don't rust again

 

[HydroFlood]

I have also received shocks, mine were because the batteries were not fully charged and ran out halfway through treatment and the control device went haywire so I couldn't turn the current down.