Fuel cell add on?

Herbalist

OK - this one seems to generate strongs views (as well as hydrogen possibly!). A real mechanic who services my car did so on Saturday and told me about his experiences with a "hydrogen from water" fuel cell add on. Allegedly an easy retro fit to any vehicle and allows hydrogen to fuel the engine as well as conventional fuel (works on diesel as well as petrol).

Stacks of claims about it out there on the internet from "over 50% saving" through to "minimum of 15%". He put one on his son's one ltr car and noticed an immediate difference. He has now ordered the same for his large mobile workshop and says he will let me know how it goes. The one he was using claimed about 25% fuel saving. Anyone out there got one/know real facts about it? Cheers Herby

sebdangerfield

Get one, they're ace.

Herbalist

Great to hear it Any figs on savings? Cheers Herby

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Your friend is an idiot, as would you be if you bought one.

Herbalist

Yes - fairly typical reaction. Of course you could actually help by explaining why... Maybe others are interested and know less than you obviously do.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

It takes more energy to separate hydrogen from water than is gained from the use of that hydrogen.

Simple.

Herbalist

Fair enough - however they run off the car's alternator. Assuming the battery is healthy there is little effect (the current ones do not require additional batteries).

Flearoy

You can't get something for nothing. I would have thought it necessary to utilise some sort of waste energy, as per regenerative braking systems, to power such a system to improve efficiency.

Apart from that, it seems a bit iffy to me to add free hydrogen gas to the combustion mixture of an engine with no thought for the effects on combustion temperature for example. Only need to look at the results of cheap nasty LPG conversions to see what can happen. I suspect, however, that there is hardly any hydrogen generated by these devices, and more of a fuel economy placebo effect - might people tend to drive more steadily without realising it after fitting one of these devices as they are looking for a fuel economy improvement?

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Herbalist wrote: »

Fair enough - however they run off the car's alternator. Assuming the battery is healthy there is little effect (the current ones do not require additional batteries).

...and what do you think powers the alternator?

maninthestreet

I think this has been mentioned before - a real hydrogen fuel cell generates electricity - what use would that be in powering a petrol or diesel fueled car?

Herbalist

Nope - it apparently (actually does) generate hydrogen (from electricity being generated anyway). Now what the effect perceived or otherwise of that is is another matter . I accept the idea of a possible placebo effect (however if there IS an effect then that might be seen as a benefit.

He has promised to fill the van and run it without the cell then do the same with it on. For now I'm happy to have an open mind - I prefer not to think of people as idiots until they prove they are . Cheers Herby