HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
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HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
Posted: June 11 2008 02:49 PM
 
Jim Edwards (aka Starfire) [ View ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Weimar, Texas
 
With fuel costs being what they are I've been musing over the idea of sticking one of Hydrogen Fuel Cells on a couple of the vehicles we drive frequently. Has anyone installed one of those on their more or less daily driver vehicle and have the results been as touted? I'd sure like to get my gas powered tow vehicle up a bit from the sorry 14 mpg it typically gets. I know the big culprit is those darn 3.93 gears in the axle and I seriously question if the fuel cell will seriously overcome the fuel consumption caused by them.
 
 
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Posted by orphans2  -  06/12/2008 12:41 PM
A member on another site has been testing a hydrogen gas genertor on four vehicles. Results are not fully complete yet, but a 4 cyl Saturn had mpg inprovement from 22 to 36, a Hyundai Santa Fe went from 21 to 32, and tests on a Ford Ranger and a F150 are on going.
orphans2 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Stewartstown, Pennsylvannia Charter Member since November 2001
 
Posted by cr55  -  06/12/2008 03:06 PM
Don't know too much about them Jim, can't really comment.....CR
I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/12/2008 03:21 PM
orphans2 - I'd sure like to know how that test comes out on the F-150. I have an F-150 with a 5.0L and an E-150 van with a 5.8L roller motor. Neither is real easy on gas but the van being as aerodynamic as cinder block and having a towing package on it is the one I'd really like to up the fuel mileage on, if possible.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by Blown34inAK  -  06/12/2008 06:19 PM
I read on a site that it can't work. Something about Newtons law and free energy. This guy went into great detail explaining the drag on the alternator to produce the "juice" will be greater than the power you would gain from the Hydrogen. I would love to see something that is proven.
Blown34inAK [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Sitka, Alaska
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/12/2008 06:35 PM
From what I understand most of the small (2 litre per hour) hydrogen generators only pull around 20 amps, which is not going to create any real drag on a 100+ amp alternator. But I can see how it might cause premature death of small output alternators. Power gain is not the goal, increase in fuel economy is.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by EZRodder  -  06/13/2008 09:34 AM
I was told by someone who knows his stuff, that the things do work. However, your concern should be that the byproduct of the Hydrogen cells is Water, which will go through your combustion chamber and exhaust. Unless you have stainless valves and ceramic coated pistons, the water will eventually cause problems.
EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/13/2008 01:23 PM
Water entering the combustion chamber might have been a problem with the old water/alcohol systems of the 1970s, but if a hydrogen generator is constructed properly there should be nothing entering the combustion chamber but hydrogen gas.


For the vehicles I'm interested in putting hydrogen generators on it really makes no difference if a small amount of water should enter the combustion chamber as both have extremely high mileage by most standards, with one having 307K miles on it and the other 175K miles. The engine with 307K will be replaced in the not too distant future with one having stainless valves and hyper eutectic pistons with stainless rings and a little water should do nothing but keep everything nice and clean.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by blade58  -  06/13/2008 01:25 PM
There is aguy in tampa, Fl who invented a hydrogen generator for brazeing and silversoldering and built a proto type for his car now he has a contract with Uncle Sam on developing it for the Humvees for military applications
blade58 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] apopka, Florida Charter Member since January 2008
 
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