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What is the best proof that a little H2 generator will not get you better MPGs?

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Old 03-03-2010, 08:06 PM
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Default What is the best proof that a little H2 generator will not get you better MPGs?

I am getting tired of seeing people post that you can make some H2/O2 bubbles in a mayonnaise jar while driving down the road and get an extra 5 MPG. Anyone know of a good site that explains/proves why this is completed BS?
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Old 03-03-2010, 08:08 PM
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If it was that easy, you think the car makers that are trying to meet CAFE standards wouldn't have incorporated such a simple system if it worked?

My disproval via "it would have been done by now".
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Old 03-03-2010, 08:13 PM
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Didn't the mythbusters bust this?

Edit: Check around 1:40

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Old 03-03-2010, 08:22 PM
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Chemically doesn't it take more energy to split the hydrogen and oxygen than you can then get from burning the products? I think the laws of physics are a pretty good standard.
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Old 03-03-2010, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by mgeoffriau
doesn't it take more energy to split the hydrogen and oxygen than you can then get from burning the products?
Yup. Which is the reason why the majority of industrially-produced hydrogen is extracted by steam reformation of natural gas or other hydrocarbons, rather than by electrolysis

That's right, America. Hydrogen is a fossil fuel.

Of course, these claims could just be a conspiracy forced on us by the cabal which consists of the oil companies, the automakers, and the republican party.

Perhaps Hyper can explain to us why it is, in fact, not true.
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Old 03-03-2010, 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by wayne_curr
Didn't the mythbusters bust this?

Edit: Check around 1:40

The guy I am currently arguing with actually posted this video as proof that it DOES work (the mythbusters built the thing incorrectly <G>).
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Old 03-03-2010, 10:01 PM
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Yah, this is low level chemistry.
There are several big holes
1) Like mentioned above, the electrical energy required to form the hydrogen/oxygen from water will be significant more than the energy extracted from combusting the hydrogen. As there will be large efficiency losses.
2) The energy available in hydrogen is pretty small, even at fairly high pressures it will take a pretty big volume to keep a car driving for very long.

My conspiracy theory with this issue is that all the driveable hydrogen concept cars are SUVs and big cars, which I believe is because the backs of said vehicles contain very large storage tanks. But I could be wrong, I havent calculated how much hydrogen it would take to take a car through 100 miles of city driving, but it should be a lot.
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Old 03-03-2010, 10:54 PM
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BMW did a 7 series powered by H2. 260HP V12. Kinda cool.

It has a tank that takes up almost all of the trunk and if you put a snowball in it it will take 13 years for it to melt. No joke.

Hydrogen generation by means of a mason jar of water with baking soda in it and a wire off the alternator is however.

Nail on head folks. It takes more drag off the alternator making th H2 than you get from it. By a lot. That either the 1st or 2nd law of thermo as I recall. IIRC they have not succefully broken that yet.
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Old 03-03-2010, 10:55 PM
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HHO... I'm a gassavers.org member, you'll find lots of info there. It's pretty much regarded as a joke now days. It's a bust.
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Old 03-03-2010, 11:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Full_Tilt_Boogie
I havent calculated how much hydrogen it would take to take a car through 100 miles of city driving, but it should be a lot.
A lot and they store it as liquid. Think the Hindenburg was a bust....
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Old 03-03-2010, 11:25 PM
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Those things are failburgers.
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Old 03-03-2010, 11:42 PM
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On a related note, anyone heard about the mothball-concoction that raises octane? Any truth to it? Might be remembering it wrong, off to google it.
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Old 03-04-2010, 05:08 AM
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Originally Posted by mgeoffriau
On a related note, anyone heard about the mothball-concoction that raises octane? Any truth to it? Might be remembering it wrong, off to google it.
Mythbusters did a story on the mothballs one time. My dad told me that he used to do that back in the 60's when he drag raced on the street. I think they said it would work somewhat with the old recipe for mothballs but not now (but don't hold me to that).


Anyway, I have to ask again. Anyone have link to a site that says the HHO is BS? My attempts at posting that "this is BS and won't work because..." doesn't fly when you are arguing with idiots. I need some video of Steven Hawking saying you are screwed up in the head if you believe this.
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