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On this page I wanted to show
the parts of my generator and how it is assembled.
The stainless plate design
puts out a LOT of HHO gas. It does of course draw more amps to run
than the designs made with stainless wire. The amp load runs from 8
to 28 depending on the level of the electrolyte and the concentration
of baking soda in it. I am using distilled water and baking soda at a
ratio of 1 teaspoon of baking soda to each qt. of water. Check the
column on the right for a coming change in additive from baking soda
to Potassium hydroxide for my project.
As the pictures below show, I
have the two outside plates as positive and the center double plates
as the negative with the double plates between them as neutral.
From all the reading I did on
the web about this design it seemed to be important to have neutral
plates between the positive and negative for better gas generation.
Also the more sq. in. of surface area on your plates the more gas you
will generate. Use the largest plate size you can fit into your
container. Be careful when grinding or cutting Stainless...a
dangerous gas byproduct is given off. Make sure to wear breathing
protection in these operations.
The Project Vehicle:
1988 Toyota pickup. 22 RE 4
cyl. engine with EFI.
This vehicle has 310,000 mi.
on it.
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Progress reports and MPG updates:
The first mpg check
I did after getting my generator installed showed an increase from a
base of 22 mpg to 25 mpg.
After talking to several of my
fellow experimenters I learned that I needed to provide a way for air
to enter the generator as the gas is drawn off to prevent a vacuum
from occuring which of course would keep me from drawing much HHO gas
into my engine's intake.
After adding a one way air
valve that allows air to enter but not escape from the generator
housing the next mileage check showed an increase from the
aforementioned 25 mpg to 40 mpg. This was on a run of 162 mi. and the
gas nozzle clicked off at 4.3 gal. when I filled it up. Now I'm
getting somewhere.
Subsequent to that, I have
experienced a problem with the Positive terminal overheating and
melting into the ABS plastic cap. I traced that problem to a loose
connection inside the generator on the positive terminal wire. I
repaired that, cleaned out the generator and it appears that all is
good now. I will post the next mileage check figures that I get now
that the generator is back in proper operation.
My next mileage figure was
done with 375 mi. covered. The mpg figure was 31 mpg. Down from the
high of 40 that I experienced on a run of 162 mi.
I am observing a strong
discoloration of the electrolyte fluid after about 180 mi. or so and
when I take the generator apart the stainless plates are discolored
and seem to have a coating of redish brown color on them. They will
clean off with a scrub pad and shine up again but after some miles
run the discoloration begins to build up again and the HHO gas
production appears to drop off. I believe that is what is causing the
drop in efficiency and mpg over a few hundred mile run.
I have ordered some KOH
(Potassium hydroxide) to use as an additive to my water instead of
Baking Soda to see if that will stop the discoloration of the plates
and electrolyte and should lower the amp draw. I installed an amp gauge
inside my truck that is connected in the positive wire going to the generator
to monitor the amp draw as I drive. When I first turn the unit on it
is drawing 10 amps. After I drive a few miles this climbs to 20 amps.
As the electrolyte level drops in the container it begins to climb
even higher. So far it has stopped before it gets to 30 amps. This is using
baking soda, I expect from what I've read that using KOH will lower
the amp draw while allowing good electrolytic reaction.
I'll update this page with the
results of this change when I get it in and have a chance to run some
miles with this new electrolyte. Also I am going to try to rig up a
device to see just how much HHO gas per minute this design is
generating and will post those results when I get that done.
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