Hydrogen for a car
07-05-2008, 03:03 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Hydrogen for a car
I see there are people selling kits to convert water to hydrogen for your car they say it is pretty esay to do.Has anyone on the forum attempted to do this .Bob W 
07-05-2008, 07:18 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
I’m very skeptical… it’s definitely a ‘too good to be true’ scheme but… I guy I know at work just had one installed. He drives about 2000 miles a month. He paid (are you ready for this???) $450 
. It’s basically a mason jar with distilled water/baking soda and a coiled wire. Causes electrolysis and the gasses get sucked into the engine’s vacuum. He’s only had it a couple of weeks but he has already seen an 6mpg increase (+25%). I haven’t inspected it firsthand… I’ll probably check it out next week. I’m not about to put this on any of my cars (don’t even think about the Vette) but it is interesting what >$4 gas makes people do. 
…I’ll keep an open mind and I’ll check out how my friend makes out. My reasoning is that if this really worked, the big auto makers would save their own butts and jump on board.
. It’s basically a mason jar with distilled water/baking soda and a coiled wire. Causes electrolysis and the gasses get sucked into the engine’s vacuum. He’s only had it a couple of weeks but he has already seen an 6mpg increase (+25%). I haven’t inspected it firsthand… I’ll probably check it out next week. I’m not about to put this on any of my cars (don’t even think about the Vette) but it is interesting what >$4 gas makes people do. …I’ll keep an open mind and I’ll check out how my friend makes out. My reasoning is that if this really worked, the big auto makers would save their own butts and jump on board.
Last edited by JoeCool66; 07-07-2008 at 11:30 AM. Reason: corrected mpg #s
07-05-2008, 07:30 PM
#8
Drifting
talked to a guy who had a set up like the one joe mentioned. he says it gave him 5 mpg more. and he was going to build a nicer unit. other than
what the guy told me i know nothing about it. jim
what the guy told me i know nothing about it. jim
07-05-2008, 07:45 PM
#9
Drifting
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I ordered a Honda GX. I thought that the technology used in the GX could be integrated into a Rod of some sort? With the release of the new Honda Hydrogen, it seems Honda may have technology adaptable to whatever using Hydrogen. I am of the understanding it takes three times the energy derived to produce hydrogen. Natural gas sounds like a better way to go for now. You need self lubricating injectors coupled with a supercharger to really take advantage.
07-06-2008, 01:04 AM
#12
The late Ak Miller had a Model T Ford running on hydrogen at least 20 years ago. He used it to run to the market and other local duties. He had a backyard solar panel producing the electricity for his hydrogen generator - totally self sufficient.
07-06-2008, 06:51 AM
#13
Team Owner
This is the one I was reading: http://www.runyourcarwithwater.com/?hop=watertt.
Run your car on water; or actually a partial mix of water and Brown's gas...supposedly with parts you can find anywhere that can be assembled in a DIY'ers garage. Well you better have a small machine shop in your garage and not car too much if your valve's rust after much use of this device.
I find it odd that 3 or 4 web sites sell the assembly instructions but nobody seems to sell the actual device in kit form.
Run your car on water; or actually a partial mix of water and Brown's gas...supposedly with parts you can find anywhere that can be assembled in a DIY'ers garage. Well you better have a small machine shop in your garage and not car too much if your valve's rust after much use of this device.
I find it odd that 3 or 4 web sites sell the assembly instructions but nobody seems to sell the actual device in kit form.
07-06-2008, 10:00 AM
#14
Here are some interesting websites with enough links to keep you busy for hours:
http://waterpoweredcar.com/hydrobooster2.html
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/
Hydrogen boosters do work, i.e., they disassociate the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gases which can be drawn into the engine and burned as a supplemental fuel thereby reducing the amount of gasoline burned. The implications of using such a process on an EPA certified vehicle is yet to be determined. It is my understanding that any modifications to the vehicles emissions system may be unlawful, but for DIY's - who is going to catch you (like speeding - cannot catch everyone). Fuel mileage is already suffering because of the emission and safety regulations imposed upon the automotive companies and it could take years for such systems to be designed to get the EPA stamp of approval.
If you have time to devote to experimenting, I say go for it, but do some research. There is a lot of information available.
http://waterpoweredcar.com/hydrobooster2.html
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/
Hydrogen boosters do work, i.e., they disassociate the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gases which can be drawn into the engine and burned as a supplemental fuel thereby reducing the amount of gasoline burned. The implications of using such a process on an EPA certified vehicle is yet to be determined. It is my understanding that any modifications to the vehicles emissions system may be unlawful, but for DIY's - who is going to catch you (like speeding - cannot catch everyone). Fuel mileage is already suffering because of the emission and safety regulations imposed upon the automotive companies and it could take years for such systems to be designed to get the EPA stamp of approval.
If you have time to devote to experimenting, I say go for it, but do some research. There is a lot of information available.
07-07-2008, 08:34 AM
#16
Pro
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It does work, I have it on my expedition
ok, flame me if you want. It does work, to a point. This is the deal, you have to move your o2 sensors out a bit of the exhaust stream or the increased o2 will make computer think car is too lean and it will rich it up and forgo any savings. now, do generators work, yea, pretty well actually. the gas is really powerful, i mean boom. i have a super hydro 2 on my car and it idles like new again and is smooth. i have seen about 20% increase in city driving. that is like .80 cents a gallon savings. so, i am happy. is it for everyone, no. you have to change water as it cruds up with rust from stainless and crap in water. is it snake oil? no, snake oil is something you put in tank and magic, your engine gets better mileage. this would work best on a carb engine, because no computer to fool with mixture and readings. the technology is sound and i think this could be a good way to go. most of the guys are doing this out of a barn or crusty garage. no funding whatsoever. i lit a quarter size bubble the other day and my ears are still ringing. so, yea, really powerful gas.... flame me if you want. but, don't rush to judgement. the crap has potential.
07-07-2008, 08:46 AM
#17
Le Mans Master
Member Since: May 2000
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada NS
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I ordered a Honda GX. I thought that the technology used in the GX could be integrated into a Rod of some sort? With the release of the new Honda Hydrogen, it seems Honda may have technology adaptable to whatever using Hydrogen. I am of the understanding it takes three times the energy derived to produce hydrogen. Natural gas sounds like a better way to go for now. You need self lubricating injectors coupled with a supercharger to really take advantage.
07-07-2008, 12:34 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Its fairly easy to turn water into hydrogen. I did it in junior high as a science experiment.
I used a six volt battery and a container with water. stuck two wires into the water (separated) and the gas bubbled off the face of the bare wires. Collected the bubbled gases in another container. Later stuck a match into it and it went, pop!
Not hard.
Only problem is that bond between hydrogen and oxygen is pretty tough.
So it took alot of electricity for the amount of gas you got.
Fuel cells work like this only backwards hydrogen/oxygen in, electricity out.
Hydrogen cars I believe use fuel cells which is a whole different animal than dumping some hydrogen gas into the carb of a car and burning it.
Sounds like a scam.
I used a six volt battery and a container with water. stuck two wires into the water (separated) and the gas bubbled off the face of the bare wires. Collected the bubbled gases in another container. Later stuck a match into it and it went, pop!
Not hard.
Only problem is that bond between hydrogen and oxygen is pretty tough.
So it took alot of electricity for the amount of gas you got.
Fuel cells work like this only backwards hydrogen/oxygen in, electricity out.
Hydrogen cars I believe use fuel cells which is a whole different animal than dumping some hydrogen gas into the carb of a car and burning it.
Sounds like a scam.
07-07-2008, 03:04 PM
#20
Drifting
To answer Kenmo, the Civic GX is neither, it's a standard internal combustion engine that runs on natural gas instead of gasoline. It's only real advantage is that it runs a lot cleaner than an engine on gasoline, almost zero emissions.
The hydrogen Honda is the FCX Clarity. Only a few exist, they're being leased to selected people in So Cal. The lease is something like $600 a month, and that's way less than the cost of the vehicle. Vehicle cost is several hundred thousand each.
The Honda converts hydrogen to electricity through a fuel cell. BMW has a 7-series they're leasing to selected people -- it runs on hydrogen, but it has an internal combustion engine that's burning hydrogen rather than gasoline. In either case the only byproduct is water.
The hydrogen Honda is the FCX Clarity. Only a few exist, they're being leased to selected people in So Cal. The lease is something like $600 a month, and that's way less than the cost of the vehicle. Vehicle cost is several hundred thousand each.
The Honda converts hydrogen to electricity through a fuel cell. BMW has a 7-series they're leasing to selected people -- it runs on hydrogen, but it has an internal combustion engine that's burning hydrogen rather than gasoline. In either case the only byproduct is water.