Salt Water load devices were not used just for dummy loads. in the very days of live theatere (think Vaudville) the first electric light dimmers were square wooden boxes filled a water based brine with the electrodes fitted to a wood handle. the handle was moved up or down in the brine to dim or brighted the stage light! i yahoo search the info once and found it interesting and dangerous. i think the were also called "brine tank dimmers" Bill At 18:59 -0500 4/26/11, ard wrote: ...and do work in a ventilated area. The bubbles evolving off the salt water will be, er, flammable, yes? Did this with the kids, 12V supply = jump cables from my car, foil "electrodes" in salt water, inverted test tube on a long holder, and a candle to verify the type of gas (used the holder to move the tube over the candle). Lucked out and collected the Hydrogen on the first try (well, it wasn't really luck. The electrode with twice as many bubbles had to be the H2.) They were suitably impressed. I was impressed how fast the aluminum foil went away (into solution). -- - Mark 210-379-4635 -------------------------------------------------------------------