Posted on 07/01/2008 11:58:24 AM PDT by Red Badger
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - It's a concept gaining in popularity, homemade hydrogen fuel cells attached to cars and trucks in order to squeeze out a few more miles per gallon.
If you're willing to do some homework and make a trip to the hardware store, you could save some money.
"It just helps the fuel completely burn in the engine," said Doug Batton.
He explains how this hydrogen fuel cell, or booster attached in the bed of his truck, helps him get more miles per gallon on the road. His Dodge truck still needs fuel, this device just helps him get more for his money.
Water and Potassium Hydroxide, found online, goes into the cell eventually creating hydrogen. The hydrogen then feeds the motor through the air intake.
"It produces hydrogen gas in the booster, comes up the tube, down the bubbler, and goes into the engine," Batton explains.
Brian Christian helped build the cell. He explains the concept is simple and assembling the gadget was pretty easy.
"Basically all hydrogen gas does is it makes your fuel burn more efficiently," said Christian.
Hydrogen helps burn all the fuel, adding a few more miles per gallon on top of what your car or truck already gets, and saving you a little bit of money.
"This one gets two to 2.5 more miles per gallon, on another truck it would get 5. We're currently building a bigger one that would get 5 to 12 more miles per gallon," said Batton.
"Every little bit helps," said Christian.
They built the hydrogen booster after doing online research. It took about 2 weeks. They say you can build the cell for under $300.
Materials, like stainless steel plates, and plastic tubing can be found at a hardware store. Obviously anytime you modify your car you need to be careful. It wouldn't hurt to consult a mechanic. You can put a fuel cell on any car, but it's easiest on trucks that run on diesel fuel.
Here we go again, Ping!.............
Why is this being called a fuel cell?
This is clearly a deliberate attempt to confuse people.
What a ripoff...
I have been experimenting with using a combination of hydrogen and oxygen in rental cars . I like to see just how much water I can out into them from my garden hose and still make it back to check in .
Didn’t the myth busters try this and find they actually got worse gas mileage?
Deer whistles and radiator bearings.
That could help with gasoline engines.
OPEC (Muslims and Chavez) are gouging the world. “OPEC will clear $1.5 trillion in net export profits this year. Why aren’t the Democrats/Marxists and liberal media pointing this out? At this rate OPEC will buy the whole of the U.S. in a few years and we Americans will all be starving.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2039275/posts
We Americans should all buy diesels like the Ford F250, f350, VW, etc. and then make our own biodiesel for 80 cents per gallon. Here is proof it can be done. Then we can tell the Muslims and Hugo Chavez to eat sand.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago101.html
“My Ford F-250 diesel crew-cab pickup did not cause me to become interested in making my own bio-diesel fuel. No, the final straw was when I filled up its 48-gallon fuel tank at a cost of $150 that made me decide to find out what this bio-diesel commotion was all about!
Regardless of who the early promoters were, making your own fuel to power diesel trucks, farm tractors, and back-up generators is a perfect fit for anyone living off-grid or on a farm. Not only is diesel fuel easy to make, but it requires very little equipment to get started. Like all hobbies that can turn into an obsession, it is certainly possible to refine the process with more expensive equipment later, so I will start with the basics”
you forgot about topping off the turn signal fluid. That’s good for at least 2 mpg.
Of course they got worse mileage. An gas you feed into your air in take is taking the place of air starving your engine for air hardly makes for a more complete burn.
Didn’t mythbusters debunk this thing?
What’s a radiator bearing?............
Can I use headlight fluid in my turn signals? Or does buying the other stuff get better mileage?
lol@”turn signal fluid.”
Carolyn
Bought some new rain-x windshield wipers last week.....package says they will increase my gas mileage !
Guess I have too wait till it rains too find out.
I'm waiting for a few more people (who I *know*) to try it before I jump in to the game.
Its all ball bearings nowadays. Whadya need, a refresher course?
Oh, sorry, you have to drive underwater to see any savings. Didn’t you read the fine print?
LOL !......at current prices I should be willing too try anything !
The FJ80 Landcruiser does have a snorkel on it .....hmmmmmm
I honestly don’t know. But at this point, I’m really ready to try just about anything...................
Theoretically.
In the real world, it takes MORE energy to split them than you get back when you burn them.
Smart question, as I understand it you don’t want to mix synthetic lighting fluids with non-synthetic lighting fluids. I haven’t seen any reports of problems with the lighting when you switch between synthetic and non-synthetic fluids, so you should be fine.
:)
Air up your tires, change your air filter and spark plugs, drive the speed limit, and don’t waste your money on scams.
Don’t know. Haven’t seen it on the programs I watched.......
Also to increase gas mileage don’t forget to replace the old air in your tires with new air every 1,000 miles before the old air loses its buoyancy. ;-)
Yes. The First Law of Thermodynamics says that you can’t do better than break even. The Second Law says you always lose.
You might also ask for a bucket of steam, this keeps the bearings real loose.
"Uh....this is...uh....not....the turn signal fluid...uh...that I knew..."
- Barack Forbes Obama
:^D
I’ve seen a lot of testimonials that this works. (I would expect that, though, even if it is a scam.)
But I haven’t seen anyone say they tried it and it didn’t work.
So, as far as I’m concerned the jury is still out on this one.
I want to see it actually tried, by an impartial source,
on many cars; and then judge the result.
Shouldn’t be too hard.
No magnets on the fuel lines? ha
Yes it does take more energy to split than you get back when you burn, but since the alternator is always running regardless of whether you are drawing power from it or not, using that power to generate hydrogen can theoretically at least boost your MPG without violating the laws of thermodynamics.
You haven’t created new energy, you’ve only utilized some of it that you had previously been losing back into the system.
The first and second laws of thermodynamics still hold true even if this thing works.. and I am not saying it does or doesn’t, but assuming it can’t work based on those laws is not factual.
Think of it, like regenerative breaking. Some of the energy that was previously being lost, can theoretically be utilized to improve MPG.
Now if we could just figure out a way to stop over 50% of the gasolines energy from being wasted in the production of heat, and move it all into mechanical movement, we’d see some real MPG.
My Silverado 2500 gets great gas mileage.........compared to a bus, army tank, or 747.
I forgot, Video at the link.....
Why pay for gasoline? I am going to get the car runs on water. When will the Japanese have this for sale:?
http://gizmodo.com/5016343/genepax-unveils-a-car-that-runs-on-water-and-air
Running a car on water has been the holy grail for car manufacturers for some time now, but it appears that a Japanese company named Genepax may have pulled ahead of the competition with a prototype vehicle that runs entirely on water and air
or I”lln make 80 cents per gallon biodiesel to run in diesels like my Ford F250 Diesel pickup:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago101.html
Oh, my, why didn't I think of that!!!!
Why pay for gasoline? I am going to get the car that runs on water. When will the Japanese have this for sale:?
http://gizmodo.com/5016343/genepax-unveils-a-car-that-runs-on-water-and-air
Running a car on water has been the holy grail for car manufacturers for some time now, but it appears that a Japanese company named Genepax may have pulled ahead of the competition with a prototype vehicle that runs entirely on water and air
or I”ll make 80 cents per gallon biodiesel to run in diesels like my Ford F250 Diesel pickup:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago101.html
It’ll eat it’s way through that cylinder pretty soon............
No, the alternator responds to demand. It doesn’t produce any excess power that you can use for something else.
There is no free lunch.
If your Silverado 2500 is a diesel like my Ford F250 Diesel then you can make your own biodiesel for 80 cents per gallon:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago101.html
Just got to any auto parts store and ask for one.
Don't forget to change the muffler bearings every 24,000 miles. That really helps gas mileage.
JJJJ
Milled hubcaps and high-lift floormats.
I’ve found that the nickel plated muffler bearings help best with the mileage although the regular ones help too.
No one is saying you get more out than you put in. It assists the combustion process for a more complete burn.
Here is a NASA / JPL study that confirms it;
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=887183&id=2&qs=N%3D4294967096%2B299%2B51
There have been many studies over the years by reputable scientists that says this has merit.
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