Hydrogen generator?
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 701
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From: Western PA
Hydrogen generator?
I saw on facebook a guy bought a 7.3 with a mason jar in the engine bay with a heating element in it and some wires. Someone said it was a hydrogen generator.
What exactly is a hydrogen generator, are they common, ive never heard of it, do they work? Anybody running one?
What exactly is a hydrogen generator, are they common, ive never heard of it, do they work? Anybody running one?
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
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From: Texas
A hydrogen generator separates hydrogen from water (H20). Since hydrogen is combustible and clean burning, the thinking behind it is you can use less diesel for the same economy or get more fuel in the same amount since the hydrogen goes in as a vapor through the intake.
Does it work is kind of complicated. Technically, yes it works, but in a controlled environment or certain conditions.
Practically, no it's not going to help you. You won't see increases in fuel economy or HP from a hydrogen generator that you see advertised of build yourself. The only people who see in increase in fuel economy after installing a hydrogen generator are the ones so focused on better fuel economy that they change their driving habits to better suit their goal. That alone will have the biggest effect on fuel economy.
There was much discussion about this a few years ago when this first started making the rounds and it all died off when everyone figured out it wouldn't work.
Does it work is kind of complicated. Technically, yes it works, but in a controlled environment or certain conditions.
Practically, no it's not going to help you. You won't see increases in fuel economy or HP from a hydrogen generator that you see advertised of build yourself. The only people who see in increase in fuel economy after installing a hydrogen generator are the ones so focused on better fuel economy that they change their driving habits to better suit their goal. That alone will have the biggest effect on fuel economy.
There was much discussion about this a few years ago when this first started making the rounds and it all died off when everyone figured out it wouldn't work.
9 ECHO 1
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 12,467
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From: Missouri
There is a guy on youtube who has a huge contraption in his bed, consuming the whole space, and he is getting like 15mpg freeway or something like that (which for him was an improvement).
Now I'm no math wiz, but 15mpg in a truck with no bed seems more expansive than 30mpg in a car with no bed.
Plus I get 18mpg freeway in my truck (see signature picture to get an idea of what were dealing with)
Now I'm no math wiz, but 15mpg in a truck with no bed seems more expansive than 30mpg in a car with no bed.
Plus I get 18mpg freeway in my truck (see signature picture to get an idea of what were dealing with)
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
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From: Puget Sound
The stock air filter is rated for 450 CFM air flow - that mason jar of Hydrogen won't even fill one cylinder one time. Your YouTube guy should spend more time in front of a calculator, instead of a camera.
Mythbusters did a whole segment on the "miraculous" hydrogen generator for automotive use. It takes so much energy to make, store, and transport the hydrogen gas, that it is not a viable fuel for burning in an internal combustion engine. Fuel cells (they use hydrogen) for electric motors are more useful.
Mythbusters did a whole segment on the "miraculous" hydrogen generator for automotive use. It takes so much energy to make, store, and transport the hydrogen gas, that it is not a viable fuel for burning in an internal combustion engine. Fuel cells (they use hydrogen) for electric motors are more useful.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Parker, CO
The hydrogen generator craze made it's rounds back when fuel prices spiked sky high. Needless to say, if it actually did work people would still be using it today in huge numbers.
But it doesn't. Electrolysis is a junior high science class experiment only. Very little hydrogen is actually produced. Why? Because electrolysis is the most inefficient method of producing hydrogen gas from water. And engines suck in so much airflow that the minuscule amount of hydrogen from these kits has zero impact on how the motor runs, and never makes a dent in fuel economy.
All the claims online are as fake as those Nigerian letters promising money if I help out a mysterious prince reclaim his fortune.
But it doesn't. Electrolysis is a junior high science class experiment only. Very little hydrogen is actually produced. Why? Because electrolysis is the most inefficient method of producing hydrogen gas from water. And engines suck in so much airflow that the minuscule amount of hydrogen from these kits has zero impact on how the motor runs, and never makes a dent in fuel economy.
All the claims online are as fake as those Nigerian letters promising money if I help out a mysterious prince reclaim his fortune.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: AZ
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Seattle
Every alternative fuel forum I've been on have some pretty wild threads on hydrogen generators. The believers make for some enterntaining reading. Here's a long classic one from right here on FTE:https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...water4gas.html
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,293
Likes: 10
From: Parker, CO
Every alternative fuel forum I've been on have some pretty wild threads on hydrogen generators. The believers make for some enterntaining reading. Here's a long classic one from right here on FTE:https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...water4gas.html
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Puget Sound
In that link, I question the high school with the engineering classes. Math alone should scream out "It ain't gunna work!" The sample they had was a 30 LPM device. Our engine uses 7.5 liters per set of intake strokes, which is two revolutions. The device allegedly makes enough hydrogen to feed our engines if we don't exceed 8 RPM.
Let's say somebody says "Butt Tugly, don't you need Oxygen too?" OK, fine... let's pretend there is a stoichiometric mix of... oh... 5% fuel. Don't go over 160 RPM.
All that is assuming the system can make 30 LPM. It can't... or every teenager in the country would make one - so they can make flammable floating balloons and compare lighting hydrogen to lighting a fart.
Why don't they sell fart collectors? It's just as viable as hydrogen by electrolysis.
Let's say somebody says "Butt Tugly, don't you need Oxygen too?" OK, fine... let's pretend there is a stoichiometric mix of... oh... 5% fuel. Don't go over 160 RPM.
All that is assuming the system can make 30 LPM. It can't... or every teenager in the country would make one - so they can make flammable floating balloons and compare lighting hydrogen to lighting a fart.
Why don't they sell fart collectors? It's just as viable as hydrogen by electrolysis.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Western PA
It is an interresting topic, those who say it works swear by it, those who say it dosent swear it dosent. Im going to sit on the fence and think its a good idea thats not practicle tho. Until someone could show you proof that its working with credible documentation i wouldnt belive it. They sear by it but never can show proof.
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,288
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From: North of Greenville
The single largest complication I've run across when I looked into it several years back is the life of the electrode. The electrolysis process is highly corrosive for most metals, and unless you're running either platinum, titanium, or some other super exotic electrodes in some sort of pulse-generator, you won't get more than a couple volumes of water through the system before the electrical conductance of your electrode is pretty much shot. The second problem is having a large enough generator.
