View Single Post
Old 06-25-2008, 08:58 PM   #74 (permalink)
n8thegr8
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 32

N8sPony - '98 Ford Mustang
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have little respect for mythbusters, particularly with the hho mod they did it the worst way possible and didn't follow any of the MANY available free plans out there on the internet...BUT...onboard HHO generation is completely useless, for mpg gains anyway. By the laws of thermodynamics, you can't get more energy out of the combustion of the gas than you put in electrical power to split it. That means even if you got 1mpg increase, you'd be breaking the laws of physics. Even if your generator was 100% efficient (commercial grade electrolysis setups are at max 70% efficient, and those are quite costly) you'd just be breaking even. This is because for each amp you pull on your alternator, you're adding resistance and strain to the motor, requiring more fuel to generate the electricity to run your electrolyzer. So you see, unless your electrolyzer is 100% efficient, you'll actually be LOSING mpg.

Any gains reported can be attributed to 1. Increased awareness of driving habits, driving more conservatively, or 2. Because you need to lower your fuel input by spoofing the o2 sensor, this alone actually increases mpg whether you use hho or not. Don't feel bad though, I nearly fell for it as well, until I started remembering my chemistry and physics classes.
  Reply With Quote