HHO Generators

[stormchicken]

I was just wondering if anybody has tried to set up a HHO hybrid, or hydrogen fuel system. If so, did you have any luck? I can see how these would work, but just wondering if there is any viability to this “grass roots movement.” How much different would it be from a CNG conversion?

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[dreamer2355]

I think hydrogen vehicles are what we will be driving around eventually and i think hybrids are just a ‘fad’ till the hydrogen technology really takes off.

[stormchicken]

I think that you might be right. Nissan made one not too long ago, and GM made a prototype hummer called the H2H before they went bankrupt. There is a guy in Arizona that claims to know how to safely store hydrogen in tanks using a material called hydride (apparently illegal because of it’s use in nuclear weapons). I think that the technology is out there, but the inevitable economic backlash is keeping it from rising up. Oil is big business, and a-lot of american jobs depend on it. But, I would have no problem converting my cars if there was a proven way to do it. So far all I have seen is some dudes in their garages making brown gas and lighting it like a big fart in chemistry class. I saw a youtube video of two guys driving a converted dodge ram, but they haven’t put anything up in a very long time.

I want to know if anybody has successfully done this and used it as an additive, or primary fuel source with any success for an extended period of time.

Also, any mechanics out there: what are the possible downsides to using hydrogen in a current internal combustion engine? Obviously moisture could be an issue. But what about explosion velocity (Brown gas is supposed to explode much faster than gasoline) could that damage rocker arms etc…? Combustion chambers?

Hypothetically, what would have to be done (if anything) to prepare an engine to run on HHO or Hydrogen fuel?

I think about being able to afford to run a big block engine, and it gives me the chills, and an ENORMOUS grin on my face. The true return of the muscle car.

[pcmdjason]

Well possible issues…

Air is 70+ percent Nitrogen. When you combine nitrogen with hydrogen, you get ammonia.

Now I think that hydrogen is more likely to react with O2 than N2, but if by some change you get too rich on your mixture your exhaust may start to smell like a cat box.

[stormchicken]

Yummy….. But at least you wouldn’t need catalytic converters. That rotten egg smell is pretty bad too. I think the ammonia might be worse though.

[Tony01013]

This is a fraud. HHO is basically creating hydrogen gas by running electricity through water (electrolysis). Supposedly you can then use the hydrogen to power your car. Unfortunately the amount of power (electricity) you put in far exceeds the energy than you get out of burning the hydrogen gas. This is the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Energy has to be conserved, energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another. When you convert energy from one form to another you lose efficiency. Yada yada yada, to sum it up it doesn’t work. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_conversion_efficiency

[Tony01013]

Now, if you’re talking about a Hydrogen fuel cell that’s a whole different story. Technology is too expensive to retrofit to a car. Running hydrogen to use in an internal combustion engine is impactical, I think because where would you get it and how much would it cost. If you’re up to it, I think the best route to go is an LPG conversion. It’s practical, doesn’t cost that much (relatively), and you can find propane everywhere. To really take advantage of the propane though you should incread the compression ration which isn’t exactly easy without rebuilding the engine.I think LPG get lower gas mileage but it works out to be cheaper in the long run. LPG is also a lot cleaner for the engine and you can extend your oil change intervals.

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