Hydrogen/gasoline hybrid kits for your car??
04-19-2008, 05:14 PM
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Hydrogen/gasoline hybrid kits for your car?? Ok, I'll start off to say that I'm a bit skeptical. But I'm interested to hear if anyone has any knowledge or experience on the subject.
Today while at a local auto dealer, I got to talk to the owner about his recent project car. It's a 96 Chevy minivan, with a hydrogen hybrid kit attached to it. With crappy old spark plugs, and 130k miles on the odometer. He got 44 mpg cruising at 50mph with the thing.
I was like...... "say what?"
The kit cost him $1000 and took 4 hours to install. Included everything he needed to set it up. And burns through about 3 cups of water per tank of gas. It also has a tuning module that leans out his fuel mixture to compensate for the hydrogen that's produced.
He said the kit was shown in the March issue of popular science or popular mechanics. I can't find much on the topic other than some sites that sound too good to be true ($49 for a kit). http://www.waterfuelkits.info/?gclid...FQVexgodQE9T3w <---- this site seems to be a bit ridiculous, but it's the same idea.
Anyone?
I also found this: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-a-...gine-works.htm
Pretty interesting stuff.
It could be the "well kept secret" of the automotive industry. I could see how gas companies would like to keep a lid on this.
I'm not one for conspiracy theorys (at all), but with the world's dependence on oil and how much $$ is involved, there's plenty of room for conspiracy.
The hydrogen-boost system is effectively a bolt-on technology that can be added to an existing vehicle's engine compartment."
The guy I was talking with used to work on propane hybrid conversion kits. He could be on to something.
If the kit actually works (and I saw the actual kit). The low price and high rewards tell me this system should be on EVERY car. Plus, there's no extra batteries invovled. Nutz!
Basically, $1000 for a kit to significantly increase fuel economy? That's less $$ and more reward than an electric hybrid.
Oh yeah, and the kit hardly adds any weight to your car.
According to him there's no loss in power.
It doesn't run on just hydrogen. It runs on hydrogen and gas. You lean out the fuel mixture and compensate with the hydrogen.
It'd kinda be like running nitrous, but less fuel (if that was possible) to make the same HP. That way you'd save fuel (in theory).
Really, there's three ways to use a fuel cell system.
1. Hydrogen fuel cell used to create electricity to charge batteries to run an electric car.
2. Car runs on hydrogen only (either liquid or compressed).
3. Car uses alternator electricity to create hydrogen from water, and runs on part hydrogen and part gas. According to the howstuffworks article, it only takes 75 watts to do this (the same as a car headlight).
The one I'm talking about is #3.
Today while at a local auto dealer, I got to talk to the owner about his recent project car. It's a 96 Chevy minivan, with a hydrogen hybrid kit attached to it. With crappy old spark plugs, and 130k miles on the odometer. He got 44 mpg cruising at 50mph with the thing.
I was like...... "say what?"
The kit cost him $1000 and took 4 hours to install. Included everything he needed to set it up. And burns through about 3 cups of water per tank of gas. It also has a tuning module that leans out his fuel mixture to compensate for the hydrogen that's produced.
He said the kit was shown in the March issue of popular science or popular mechanics. I can't find much on the topic other than some sites that sound too good to be true ($49 for a kit). http://www.waterfuelkits.info/?gclid...FQVexgodQE9T3w <---- this site seems to be a bit ridiculous, but it's the same idea.
Anyone?
I also found this: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-a-...gine-works.htm
Pretty interesting stuff.
It could be the "well kept secret" of the automotive industry. I could see how gas companies would like to keep a lid on this.
I'm not one for conspiracy theorys (at all), but with the world's dependence on oil and how much $$ is involved, there's plenty of room for conspiracy.
The hydrogen-boost system is effectively a bolt-on technology that can be added to an existing vehicle's engine compartment."
The guy I was talking with used to work on propane hybrid conversion kits. He could be on to something.
If the kit actually works (and I saw the actual kit). The low price and high rewards tell me this system should be on EVERY car. Plus, there's no extra batteries invovled. Nutz!
Basically, $1000 for a kit to significantly increase fuel economy? That's less $$ and more reward than an electric hybrid.
Oh yeah, and the kit hardly adds any weight to your car.
According to him there's no loss in power.
It doesn't run on just hydrogen. It runs on hydrogen and gas. You lean out the fuel mixture and compensate with the hydrogen.
It'd kinda be like running nitrous, but less fuel (if that was possible) to make the same HP. That way you'd save fuel (in theory).
Really, there's three ways to use a fuel cell system.
1. Hydrogen fuel cell used to create electricity to charge batteries to run an electric car.
2. Car runs on hydrogen only (either liquid or compressed).
3. Car uses alternator electricity to create hydrogen from water, and runs on part hydrogen and part gas. According to the howstuffworks article, it only takes 75 watts to do this (the same as a car headlight).
The one I'm talking about is #3.
04-21-2008, 01:09 PM
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Me too. I'm surprised how little information there is out there on this one.
I'd like to see if any major manufacturers have taken a go at it. If the kit actually works, it just a matter of tuning the cars.
I'd like to see if any major manufacturers have taken a go at it. If the kit actually works, it just a matter of tuning the cars.
04-21-2008, 11:14 PM
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Hard to believe 75 watts can give you a continous steam of hydrogen. Electrolysis isn't fast. I just can't see it making enough mass per second. I know the motor is only getting it as a mixture but still. Hard to believe.
I would like to see such a kit!
I would like to see such a kit!
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04-26-2008, 01:16 PM
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I found some more information. It's called a "supplemental hydrogen" kit.
Kits from $250 (up to 2.0 liter engine)
to $2800 (up to 15.0 liter engine!)
And everything in between.
http://savefuel.ca/oxy-hydrogen/
Kits from $250 (up to 2.0 liter engine)
to $2800 (up to 15.0 liter engine!)
And everything in between.
http://savefuel.ca/oxy-hydrogen/
04-26-2008, 02:10 PM
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The more I read, the more skeptical I become. Sounds like an "electric supercharger" kinda thing.
Sure, it sounds good in theory, but in reality, it doesn't produce enough hydrogen (or in the case of the e-charger not enough boost) to make a difference.
Sure, it sounds good in theory, but in reality, it doesn't produce enough hydrogen (or in the case of the e-charger not enough boost) to make a difference.
