Hello from the great white north

[Phantom309]

not new to the idea of eccomodding, but new here (and I haven't done anything to any vehicle yet). Interested in all green technologies and approaches.

[SVOboy]

Great to have another Canadian aboard,

Welcome to ecomodder!

[cfg83]

Phantom309 -

Welcome to EM! What kind of cars do you have? Do you have an engine block heater and/or a garage to reduce the number of cold starts during the winter?

CarloSW2

[Daox]

Welcome to the site. Be sure to check out the 100+ hypermiling tips. Its the best place to start out.

[Phantom309]

thanks for the welcomes.

currently have an old Acura Integra (400,000 km + ). All stock. Looking at Hdroxy generators. Not sure if "hypermiling' is in the cards for me (but I'll educate myself first before saying "no").

Canadian cars usually get block heaters (mine included), and I do have a garage. The wife, who works nights, has heated , underground parking as well.

Block heaters are not what I prefer though. an oil pan heater is more effective. Reduced temps affect the oil viscosity, and that's what makes for tough starts. The temperature of the coolant hardly matters, as long as it is of sufficient strength and remains a liquid.

[Daox]

Hypermiling (or ecodriving as some prefer) is a generic term for driving for better mileage. It includes a huge list of techniques from mild to wild. This is usually where you see your best gains unless you are willing to do some pretty major work on the car. Some simple changes can net you pretty large gains.

[itjstagame]

I think the most important hypermiling tip is to drive like you're riding your bicycle. You'll think more about coasting down hills and to stop signs and timing up stop signs and red lights. Slowing down, timing ramps and lights and DWB are I think the most important and easiest to start with. DWB means Driving Without Brakes, but nothing dangerous, it just means think about how you would drive if you didn't have brakes. You wouldn't rush up to a row of stopped cars, you'd let go of the gas and cruise and let momentum and friction slowly cancel each other out as best you can. If you have to you go slower so you have less momentum.

And I don't want to tell anyone to not experiment, but I personally feel that most hydroxy generators have been disproved (but then I've tried just as many lamebrained sounding things as well that have failed). The best hydroxy generator I've seen and always wanted to build, but haven't, was one that used different sized (close fitting but not touching) pipes as the electrodes. This was instead of just a straight light for ion flow you had a very tight circle and ions would flow out in all directions. Additionally they said to limit the amps to 5-10 (typically just two electrodes in conductive water will draw all amps available) and they had some frequency or pulse width modulation way that they cycled the power to the electrodes. They claimed there was a particular Hz that dramatically increased efficiency. So while I've definately disproved the standard, 2 poles in sulfuric acid hooked directly to the engine (I've done this and you can instantly hear the engine work harder and this contraption draws as many amps as your alternator and battery will provide. Sounds just like when you drive with a blown or depleted battery and just as costly to FE), this idea was always so new and different sounding I just can discourage someone to try it.

[Phantom309]

Well there are some fairly 'spisticated approaches to this all. I'm taking it all with a grain of salt.
I'll DIY a simple one, and keep current draw low, there are many on Utube that have built them. I am going to be pragmatic, and as no new laws in the Physics have been discovered, I understand there is no free lunch. If the addition of under-hood generated hydrogen can help improve the initial ignition and help with more complete combustion, then it is doing what is supposed to do.

Mercury outboards (yup the boat engine folks) have kept 2 stroke engine emissions legal and improved power and economy via the use of hydrogen peroxide injection. This seems like it could be an additional, rather than a replacement, so a "supplemental" system---that's all. And simple systems can be made for very little money, a little stainless, a little wire, some baking soda and some water. The key is to limit the current draw and (hopefully ) use only as required. Some sort of vacuum accumulator or reservoir for the hydroxy is possible.

Obviously if I could figure a way to economically get my hands on a hybrid, or do a complete electric conversion for use running around town, then I'd try that.