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HHO Part 4

August 14th, 2008 · 13 Comments

HHO Part 4

Things seem to coming along well with the HHO generator inmy Prado.

Last week I set off on what was supposed to be a 3 week holiday to Coffs harbour. day 1 set off at 4am and ran the unit for 13 hours which included 3 half hour stops.

Running just half a teaspoon of potassium hydroxide in 1.75 litres if filtered water the unit was running at just below 15 amps so decided to keep bypassing the PWM.

After 13 hours we pulled up at our camp spot and the first thing I did was to lift the bonnet to check the unit. We had just come over many kilometers of very bumpy dirt road, so I wasn’t really surprised to see the gas leaking out the top metal elbow of the unit.

The unit was very hot (too hot), but the stuff coming from around the metal fitting was a real rust red. Oh well turn the unit off and check thoroughly in the morning.

Next morning I removed the top to find the electrolyte to be a thick sludgy red brown. What could cause this? I was using triple filtered water (including reverse osmosis) from the supermarket and my stainless steel plates were of the 304 grade.

Could it be the water or the stainless? I’m not sure, but 13 hours of operation was amazing. I decided to leave the unit off for the rest of the trip until I had identified what was causing the sludging.

On returning home some mpg calculations revealed a 10% increase for the day I had the unit operating. I was pretty excited with this as the unit was only using 12 plates and producing about half the required HHO.

Heat is still the problem. I am hoping once I get the 16 plate unit installed heat will be less of a problem as each plate pair will drop from 4 volts to 3 volts.

I’ll report shortly on the new 16 plate unit with distilled water instead of filtered water shortly.

See you out there!
Doug Johnston




Diff Breathers When a hot axle hits cold water it cools rapidly. This has the effect of lowering the air pressure inside the axle and the diff housing, causing air to be drawn in via the diff breathers. Extending your diff breathers higher up the chassis (standard on most Landcruisers) with the aid of plastic tubing is a “must do” for regular water goers. The 4x4 pictured has run both front and rear breathers to a high position on the firewall under the bonnet. However, it is no guarantee that water will not enter your diff. The sudden reduction in air pressure inside your diff can still cause water to be drawn in via your axle seals if the diff breathers do not equalize the pressure quick enough. This is why its still necessary to allow the 4x4 time to cool down, even when extended diff breathers are fitted.

Tags: Technical

13 responses so far ↓

  • 1 panko // Aug 15, 2008 at 3:17 pm

    I have a Prado 2.7 2003 with fuel injection
    Had install the hydrogen unit that I build making 1.1 litters per min. install a map/maf sensor and still not saving, just want to ask if you have a diesel or a fuel prado so maybe I can get advice from fuel prado owners
    thanks Frank

  • 2 4x4Ed // Aug 15, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Hi Panko,

    I have a 3.4 1998 petrol Prado. My first unit with 12 plates is giving just under 10% better fuel economy. I have no map sensor adjuster fitted to mine yet.

    I do have a PWM and use this to keep amps at a respectable level – around 15. But I can lower the ratio of Potassium Hydroxide, which gives a slower start but peaks around 16-17 amps with NO PWM in use.

    I have run the unit for 13 hours on a recent trip, but electrolyte got very discoloured and sludgey.

  • 3 panko // Aug 16, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Hi.
    Ops one word I missed should be: still not saving MUCH. Saving 20-25% the problem is that here in Singapore we are driving in city almost at all time. But still I expect to save 40%
    Regarding to the sludgy, I run on 18-20 amp with stainless 304 and some parts 316 and it doesn’t get very hot after long drives. Do you have neutral plates between?
    Maybe we should exchanging diagrams and solutions so we can improve our system together
    Regards

  • 4 4x4Ed // Aug 19, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    Hi Panko,
    Well I wish I was getting 20% saving, but not yet. I have taken prototype 2 for a trip. It has 16 +|| || || ||-|| || || ||+ plates with plenty of neutrals and this time distilled water instead of super filtered water.

    Six hours of driving and the electrolyte is still clear, great, one step forward.

    However, my PVC tube is distorting with the heat. Unit is drawing around 16 amps, but seems to heat up too much.

    I checked the water level in the bubbler when I got home to find it almost full when it should normally be half full.

    I guess when doing some hardcore 4WDing, the bumps and severe slopes are causing some electrolyte to spill into the gas outlet.

    I am trying to chase up some higher temperature PVC or acrylic. In the US they have some special high temp PVC called CPVC, but have tried everywhere here in AUS but can’t get it.

    I have started enquires on the acrylic side, but could get a little expensive, so will also price up stainless steel tube.

    In some ways stainless will possibly disperse the heat better than a PVC or acrylic.

  • 5 panko // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    Hi ED,
    is there any way to get your email so i can send you some plan i have for the map/maf sensor,
    you just have to bye the parts (maybe 5 AU$) very easy to make it
    by the way my cell is build this way -nnnn+nnnn- i will send you also my plan for the cell and bubler

  • 6 panko // Aug 29, 2008 at 11:04 am

    Hi did you got the pictures?

  • 7 tonyt // Oct 11, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    Hi I am only new to this so i hope i dont make a fool of myself.
    I have installed one in my 100 series landcruiser turbo diesel getting about 1 Lpm with no change to my econemy. Am i doing some thing wrong or do i need a map/maf sensor???
    I am using stainless tubes. With high prseeure pvc.

  • 8 4x4Ed // Oct 11, 2008 at 4:31 pm

    Hi tonyt,
    You’ve done well with the comment.
    I don’t have any personal experience with a late model turbo diesel.
    My guess is that, just like a modern petrol engine, there are sensors that will have to be tricked.

    My Prado is getting about 10% increase in mpg, but I am having problems iwth the PVC tube distorting on heavy usage, that is after 6 or 7 hours continuous.

    I have been trying to source a better quality plastic and fittings, but having a lot of problems. I priced up a stainless tube, but at around $300 for tbe and screw cap fittings, it’s not economical.

  • 9 tonyt // Oct 12, 2008 at 12:39 am

    I am using high pressure pvc. It seems to hold up ok with high temp. it is mounted in the engine bay so it gets heat from the motor as well. This is mounted in our other 4×4 a sonyong musso. It still has the old style injector pump in it and I have had some problems with leaks but i have them all sorted now. last check i done i got a 30% improvement. but cant seem to do that on the cruiser.
    I am using tubes on the cruiser. 2 cylinders side by side. 4 tubes. Plastic top and bottom. connected parrell not in series. Using sodium hydroxide .

  • 10 4x4Ed // Oct 12, 2008 at 5:59 am

    Hi tonyt,

    I was thinking oh high pressure PVC but am having problems with getting high pressure end caps.

    I suspect the Musso is of older design than the cruiser and so is a dirtier diesel engine. If this is so then you would expect better results, just like an older carby petrol engine will give better than an EFI one.

    Check out whether the Landcruiser has a MAF sensor or something similar. If so you will need to get some electronics to control it.

  • 11 tonyt // Oct 12, 2008 at 9:39 am

    Yes you are right the musso is older than the cruiser.
    I am using the high pressure male threaded cap on the musso unit with no problems. The first unit I made was with a female threaded cap and some problems with heat and leaking.
    As for the cruiser I must agree i will have to start looking towards a MAF enhanser. I havent heard of one being fitted to a diesel only petrol motors….

  • 12 tonyt // Oct 15, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    I am not sure how to show a picture od the housing I amusing.

  • 13 tonyt // Oct 15, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    It appaers my spelling is not too good.
    I am not sure how to show a picture of the housing i am using….

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