Re: Maintenance of silver electrodes

[Guest guest]

Boyd,  All you have to do is dip the electrodes in very hot water.  Don't leave them soaking.  Dip them two or three times (including the earclips), and when you take them out the paste will be gone.  They'll air dry quickly.  Soaking is bad for the wire connection to the head.

Probably the discoloration you are seeing, if they are solid silver electrodes, is tarnish.  Silver cleaner works fine with that, though it shouldn't make a difference.

If you are using gold-plated silver electrodes, or silver-silver chloride plated, then the difference in color is bad news.  It may mean the plating is coming off which can result in a " bi-metallic " electrode.  since each metal responds differently to the signal, you can

get a " battery effect " , where the electrode itself produces a signal.  Time to throw them away. 

But the solid silver shouldn't have that problem.

Pete-- Van Deusenpvdtlc@...http://www.brain-trainer.comUSA 305 433 3160BR 47 3346 6235The Learning Curve, Inc.

On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 5:06 PM, boyd.johnson04 <boyd.johnson04@...> wrote:

 

I have noticed a small discoloration on two of my silver electrodes. Are there any ideas on what caused the discoloration, if it will affect the signal, and what I can do to get rid of it and keep it from happening on other electrodes.

My current electrode maintenance routine involves cleaning the Ten20 paste off with near boiling water (time in water ~5-10 minutes) and then drying the electrodes off. I occasionally clean the electrodes with alcohol swabs. Between neurotherapy sessions, the electrodes are exposed to the air at room temp and normal humidity.

Thanks,

Boyd

[Guest guest]

Hi Pete,

Why are silver electrodes plated with gold or silver chloride? Are they

considered to be preferable to solid silver electrodes?

Thanks,

> If you are using gold-plated silver electrodes, or silver-silver chloride

> plated, then the difference in color is bad news. It may mean the plating

> is coming off which can result in a " bi-metallic " electrode. since each

> metal responds differently to the signal, you can get a " battery effect " ,

> where the electrode itself produces a signal. Time to throw them away.

[Guest guest]

A colleague taught me to use Washing Soda (not baking soda). About 1/4 teaspoon in a cup or two of very hot water. add a small piece of tinfoil about the size of a pack of cigarettes, folded to fit in the cup of hot, soda water.

Dip in the several tarnished sensors, so that they touch the foil, jiggle or swish things around, say your favorite 'incantation', and 'voila' --  clean, untarnished silver sensors. Sitar

On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 2:40 PM, pvdtlc <pvdtlc@...> wrote:

 

Boyd,  All you have to do is dip the electrodes in very hot water.  Don't leave them soaking.  Dip them two or three times (including the earclips), and when you take them out the paste will be gone.  They'll air dry quickly.  Soaking is bad for the wire connection to the head.

Probably the discoloration you are seeing, if they are solid silver electrodes, is tarnish.  Silver cleaner works fine with that, though it shouldn't make a difference.

If you are using gold-plated silver electrodes, or silver-silver chloride plated, then the difference in color is bad news.  It may mean the plating is coming off which can result in a " bi-metallic " electrode.  since each metal responds differently to the signal, you can

get a " battery effect " , where the electrode itself produces a signal.  Time to throw them away. 

But the solid silver shouldn't have that problem.

Pete-- Van Deusenpvdtlc@...http://www.brain-trainer.comUSA 305 433 3160

BR 47 3346 6235The Learning Curve, Inc.

On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 5:06 PM, boyd.johnson04 <boyd.johnson04@...> wrote:

 

I have noticed a small discoloration on two of my silver electrodes. Are there any ideas on what caused the discoloration, if it will affect the signal, and what I can do to get rid of it and keep it from happening on other electrodes.

My current electrode maintenance routine involves cleaning the Ten20 paste off with near boiling water (time in water ~5-10 minutes) and then drying the electrodes off. I occasionally clean the electrodes with alcohol swabs. Between neurotherapy sessions, the electrodes are exposed to the air at room temp and normal humidity.

Thanks,

Boyd

-- ____________________________________________ A. Sitar, PhD,  BCNPsychologistBoard Certified in Neurofeedback

President-Elect, Mid-Atlantic Society for Biofeedback & Behavioral MedicinePsychotherapy, Biofeedback, and  Neurofeedback7910 Woodmont Ave.   Suite  1309Bethesda, MD   20814301.718.3588michaelasitar@...

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[Guest guest]

,

The silver plated electrodes are a base metal plated with a layer of silver. It

the plating erodes then you can get the " battery effect " . Two different

conductive metals both in contact with a conductive agent can produce a slight

current of their own.

On Dec 15, 2011, at 4:20 PM, mercado_83 wrote:

> Hi Pete,

>

> Why are silver electrodes plated with gold or silver chloride? Are they

considered to be preferable to solid silver electrodes?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>> If you are using gold-plated silver electrodes, or silver-silver chloride

>> plated, then the difference in color is bad news. It may mean the plating

>> is coming off which can result in a " bi-metallic " electrode. since each

>> metal responds differently to the signal, you can get a " battery effect " ,

>> where the electrode itself produces a signal. Time to throw them away.

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

From what I understand there are at least three different types of electrodes:

1. Silver base w/gold plating

2. Silver base w/silver chloride plating

3. Silver base (no plating)

For the plated electrodes (#1 & #2), I understand that if the plating wears off,

then the electrode can produce a current due to the two different metals being

exposed. My question is whether there is an advantage to using a plated

electrode (#1 & #2) versus a non-plated electrode (#3).

Thanks,

> >> If you are using gold-plated silver electrodes, or silver-silver chloride

> >> plated, then the difference in color is bad news. It may mean the plating

> >> is coming off which can result in a " bi-metallic " electrode. since each

> >> metal responds differently to the signal, you can get a " battery effect " ,

> >> where the electrode itself produces a signal. Time to throw them away.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Boyd, I have had so many leads lose their heads because I soaked them in hot water. The salt in the conductive paste corrodes the leads, and so these days I no longer soak, I just wipe the excess paste off with those baby-wipes and leave them, thus far no lost heads. RegardsNoel EastwoodPsychologist LearnwiseCanberra, AustraliaPh: 02 6162 0914Fax: 02 6162 0915Web: www.learnwiseaustralia.comPsychology, Counselling, Neurofeedback, Fast ForWordBioexplorer Training videos:- Creating your own Basic Protocols in Bioexplorer; Getting Started in Bioexplorer; Running and Screening Your Session in Bioexplorer, Neurofeedback systems.IMPORTANT:This email remains the property of Learnwise and Noel Eastwood Psychology. This email and

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