Question: Burning Water?
Mr. Ciulla,
I recently came across your article "Fuel Saving Devices," which was posted in April 2006 on Suite101. While the article was informative and enlightening, it did not touch base about the so called water for gas claims and/or plans for the water-based hydrogen cells which are so prevalent on the internet now that gas has crashed through the $4.00 mark.
I would like to know if you, or anyone else, as ever tested one of these devices, or plan to in the near future. I would really like to see someone come out with an independent test, such as yourself or a show such as Myth Busters and give an honest evaluation of one installed on a vehicle.
Thank you,
Bob Hansen
Answer:
All Info About Auto Repairs (AIAAR) would love to do a test of one of these devices, but so far not one company that makes them will respond to their request. AIAAR invites anyone who markets such a device to send it to them for testing and evaluation.
AIAAR have seen these products and even bought a set of plans for it. They are just a glorified lab experiment. The principle is simple, run electrical current through water and it breaks the water molecules into its component atoms, hydrogen and oxygen. You can do this with a 9-volt battery and a couple of pieces of wire.
AIAR has serious doubts that a standard gasoline powered engine can run on pure hydrogen and even more doubts that this device can supply all the hydrogen you will need if the engine does run.
The problem with hydrogen is that it does not have any octane. So hydrogen-fueled engines need to be designed differently and ignition timing is radically different for an hydrogen engine than it is for a gasoline engine.
AIAAR thinks they would be remiss if they did not issue a warning about these devices here. Many of these people and companies only sell you the plans; they leave it up to you to build the actual device. This protects them from lawsuits because they do give you what they say they will -- a set of plans. This way when people build the device and it doesn't work, they can't sue the seller.
Another thing these companies fail to mention is that you need about 5 watts of fuel energy to power these devices. So let's look at this from an objective point of view and assume for a moment this device does work and the engine will run.
You take a gallon of water and put it into your fuel tank. You use this device to convert the water into H and O2. You burn it and it converts back to water and instead of throwing it out the tail pipe, you put it back into your tank to start the process all over again. Sounds like a perpetual motion machine. Something that many scientists have proven to be impossible with the technology available today; and which may be impossible to build at all.
For some information on hydrogen injection read Hydrogen Injection = Increased MPG?
So it comes down to this, if a gas saving product sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
That's all for this week. Feel free to browse the archives for past topics and other resources. And, as always, if you are stuck and need an immediate answer you can always call Vince on the phone.
