For his researches, Callan required "quantity" electricity . This was supplied by batteries or cells. It was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian scientist, who invented the electric battery, or "voltaic cell", in 1799. He found that a pile of discs, alternately silver and zinc (or copper and zinc), with absorbent materials soaked in water between each disc, produced an electric current. Entry 056 is a later version of the voltaic "pile". Previously, another Italian, Luigi Galvani (1737-1798) had thought that this electricity was released by animals (for example frogs' legs) when they came in contact with metals. Volta showed that the animal component was unnecessary. From this beginning much research was carried out to improve the reliability and power of batteries, and this work continues to-day. Indeed a current priority in this area is the development of batteries which are not too heavy, last a long time, and can be recharged quickly, to power road transport of the future in an environmentally-friendly way.
Callan experimented with voltaic cells and made substantial improvements in them. Maynooth has the best collection of nineteenth century batteries in the country.

Bichromate Battery
Bichromate Battery
Bunsen Cell (Small)
Bunsen Cell (Large)
Callan Cast Iron Battery
Callan Single Fluid Cell
Daniell Cells
Grove Battery
Leclanche Cells
Maynooth Battery
Voltaic Pile
Wollaston Pile
Zamboni Dry Pile Battery

Elec./Mag. Page

Bridges & Resistances