OK, How does this sound--FREE gas! Chemists look!

[GNICETRY]

Check out this site:
http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/

The only downside I see is money, which would even out in about 5 years with todays gas prices, and that it takes 2 days to fill one tank. Otherwise it looks promising.

Would the hydrogen hurt the engine? What would the octane be?

 

[turbot2496]

Don't hold your breathe these guys will be over before they start. Big oil will have no problem passing legislation to keep these dangerous hydrogen converted vehicles off the road and those extremly volatile generators out of the hands of people inexperienced to use them if they don't buy them out first. Back in 84 there was a several page article in Motor Trend about a guy who had a car that ran on water. Prototype in pictures was done and ran great. So where are the water powered cars now and who owns the patents?????

 

[bruce]

Check out this site:
http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/
The only downside I see is money, which would even out in about 5 years with todays gas prices, and that it takes 2 days to fill one tank. Otherwise it looks promising.
Would the hydrogen hurt the engine? What would the octane be?

Hydrogen is of such a low density that you have to pack alot of it into each cylinder firing to make any HP. Trouble with that is, you run out of room for enough air to be able to burn it.

 

[ijames]

It will be interesting to see their conversion engine control electronics. It is very nice that you can still use gasoline as a backup when you are away from home. Don't believe their spiel about free hydrogen, because that's only after you buy their solar panels or windmill, and if those were really that cheap wouldn't the power companies be using them? Yes, some are, and it's not that I don't hope that alternative sources to coal and natural gas will continue to come down in price, but right now the cheapest electricity is still at your wall plug. Also, unless they switch to removable tanks you are only going to be able to drive the car about half the time because it will take the other half to refill the tanks. Actually, I don't think they really say how long it takes to fill the hydride tanks, just that with the solar powered electrolyzer it takes a couple of days to make enough hydrogen to do the job. Also, they don't talk about the oxygen produced by water electrolysis - it would be a real shame to just throw it away.

Oh, and without commenting on the thermodynamic impossibility of running a car on just water as a fuel (nuclear fusion aside ), any patents that were in force in 1984 have expired by now so if there really were any patents granted on water fuels the field is now wide open for anyone to jump in.

 

[turbot2496]

Agree ijames. I believe the car he had you plugged in and it stored up the hydrogen from the water in a tank. Also had a solar panel to run current while it was sitting. While you drove it, it also took hydrogen from the water but you burned it faster than you produced it. Still had significant range though I believe. Been years and I'd have to look the article up but I agree running a car on water alone is impossible. Sorry I wasn't clearer in my other post.