The best quality colloidal silver is produced by the electro-colloidal or non-chemical method. This process creates a truly homogeneous solution of super-fine silver particles, around 0.005 - 0.015 microns in diameter, that are suspended in water without the need of a chemical stabilizer, dye, or any other ingredient.
Electro colloidal silver is produced through electrolysis, when an electrical current is passed through an electrolyte containing two silver electrodes. Many people are now using a simple silver colloidal generator to produce large quantities of colloidal silver at home.
In a colloidal silver generator water always acts as the electrolyte. The amount of action shown by the water during the process depends on three things: the type of water, any additives, such as salt, added to the mixture and the strength of the current being passed through the electrolyte.
When using tap, filtered or mineral water in the process, cloudy white streams will quickly begin emanating from the silver rods. This is not, as is often believed, colloidal silver being formed, but a result of impurities in the water. Salt introduces chloride ions into the water which react with the silver to form silver chloride.
The high levels of activity seen are also due to the increased levels of conductivity in the water. Indeed, until recently, a number of practitioners advocated adding salt to the water to increase its conductivity and thus reduce the time taken to complete the process.
However, a high reaction speed will create large particles of silver, thereby reducing their rate of absorption into the body. Pure distilled water is therefore the preferred electrolyte.
When using distilled water no visible reaction is noticed at first, although an electrolysis reaction begins, and electrons start moving between the two rods as soon as they are introduced.
This is due to the very low semiconductor quality of distilled water that only allows for a small movement of electrons between both rods. It is this movement of electrons between the silver rods that sinters off the silver into the water; therefore, the lower conductivity slows the reaction. This is ideal, as keeping the reaction speed to the bare minimum produces only the smallest particles of silver.
As the process continues a small discoloration will be seen on both rods. On the negative rod, neutral silver, that is silver that has no charge, will begin to form. On the positive rod a dark brown substance may begin to form.
This is silver oxide, and while harmless, large flakes are an undesired addition to the final product. To reduce this, only the highest quality pure silver wire should be used. Near the end of the process small bubbles will begin rising from the negative rod, this is a simple and harmless hydrogen gas.
At the end of the process an ultra fine silver cloud solution begins to peel off the positive rod, as soon as the solution around the rods is mildly cloudy, the process is finished.
Care should be taken not to overrun, as if left running, the brown silver oxide will begin to form in greater quantities and could contaminate the final product. There is also a point in the process when the speed of the reaction begins to produce large particles. For this reason timing and purity are vital elements in the process.
The color of the final product should be clear or a very light yellow, anything else is a clear sign of impurities or large particles in the solution. Great care should be taken if using a basic silver colloidal generator to avoid overrunning, and it is recommended to use one of the newer models with an automatic shut down feature.
