Going Green

One Vehicle at a Time!

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About the middle of August 2011 I started searching the internet for information on using hydrogen gas as a source of energy to supplement the gasoline used in my 1974 Chevrolet C10 Pickup truck and hopefully doubling my gas mileage.  I have known for years my older model pickup was getting about 16 miles a gallon driving back in forth daily from Lone Grove to Ardmore. I use about 5 gallons of gas a week to and from work. The round trip is about 17 miles each day.

I found there are a lot of HHO gas systems for vehicles out there, but I finally settled on a 9 plate stainless steel dry cell and potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte. In the weeks and months ahead I will be reporting here on this webpage my results on a week to week basis.

I just about have all the parts I'll need to make this happen, hopefully Saturday September 10th, I'll be ready to flip the switch to GO GREEN!

 

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01/26/12  The past few weeks I have still been fine tuning the HHO generator.  The first 2 or 3 days after putting in fresh KOH solution, the unit really puts out good gas, hanging in there around 20 to 22 amps. Then it starts to decline to about the 5th day its around 10 amps. So over the next couple weeks I'm going to start Monday out with fresh solution in the tank, and then drain and add fresh solution again on Wednesday. That should keep it putting out at peak amps, 20 or above during the 5 day drive to and from work. One thing for sure, when its operating around 20 amps, my truck has great pep. Barely needing to push down the throttle to maintain a speed of around 50 mph. I am still putting 3.5 tablespoons of KOH in a 1/2 gallon of distilled water.  That seems to work well.  Another update in a few days.

12/24/11  The past 3 weeks the HHO generator has produced the best since I started this project.  Maybe text book perfect.  The past 5 days were the very best, with nearly everyday seeing a steady 18 to 22 amps on every trip to town. The motor is running smoother than it ever has. Increase pep too.  But with all that said, I'm must say as far as I'm concerned right now, the project is a failure.  I have not been able to increase my gas mileage even 1 MPG.  In a few days/weeks I'll have to drain the HHO generator so the electrolyte doesn't freeze and burst the generator. But I'll continue to run it as long as I can because of the better engine performance.

11/20/11  I only got to test 3 days (Tue, Wed, Thurs) of using the HHO unit received on Monday. The unit pretty much steadied around 12 amps resulting in 15 miles per gallon. I'm going to mix up new solution for next week's test using 3.5 level tablespoons of KOH in 1/2 gallon of distilled water.

11/14/11 Monday. Received my HHO unit back with brand new stainless steel plates and ready to try again.  Got it installed this evening, put 3 level tablespoons of KOH in a 1/2 gallon of distilled water. Starting Tuesday morning we'll see how it goes.

11/02/11 Wednesday. Received an email from Richie last night. He agrees there is something wrong with the HHO unit.  He said to return it and he'd see I got a good working unit.  I'll mail it to TN sometime Thursday.

11/01/11 Tuesday. On the way to Ardmore this morning, the amp gauge never got over 4 amps.  Coming home this afternoon, it never got over 6 amps. It only seems to operate at peak levels (22 amps) the first 24 hours after the unit is flushed out and new electrolyte put in.  Not good.

10/31/11 Monday. Had a good test day, best one yet.  Pretty much stayed on 20 to 22 amps on the trip to Ardmore (8 miles). And really stayed on 22 amps coming back that afternoon.  Water was clean, not dirty brown, so that was a good sign its working ok and not "burning up".

10/30/11 This afternoon decided to go back to square 1. Removed the HHO generator and flushed it several times with 2 parts water and 1 part Clorox to clean the brownish sediment left over from repeated earlier tests. Since the beginning I had the unit mounted at about a 45 degree angle since it was easier at the time to mount to the pickup chassis. Today I used a piece of 1x4 and mounted the board to the chassis to make for level mounting of the HHO unit.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/HHOunitRemount103011.jpg

Added fresh electrolyte (1 tablespoon of potassium Hydroxide to 1 quart of distilled water) to the system. Started the engine and we had a text book showing. At idle the unit was running at about 18 amps.  At fast idle the unit ran around 22 amps. Exactly as it should be.  Now to see how it runs from day to day this coming week.

10/22/11 Made some good progress today.  Following Richie's email instructions, I drained the unit, then flushed it out several times with a water/Clorox mix. Made a new electrolyte mix of 2 tablespoons of KOH to 1 quart of distilled water.  When I started it up, it put out about 20 amps at idle speed and when I reved the motor to fast idle, the amp output was 30 to 32.  The unit was getting warm, so I turned it off after 2 or 3 minutes.  The instructions says it should be operating at about 22 to 24 amps. Not going to run the unit any more until I hear from Richie in fear of damaging it from too much heat. Maybe 2 tablespoons of KOH was too much. One thing for sure, it was putting out HHO gas like crazy!

10/13/11 Not much progress since last week Thursdays' fillup.  Still about 16 miles a gallon. I did find out I had way to much potassium hydroxide in the quart of distilled water to make the electrolyte solution.  Directions say 2 tablespoons, so when I wasn't getting the amount of HHO gas I hoped for, I added 3 more tablespoons of KOH.  It turned a yucky brown, and I replaced it with new solution last weekend. But the 34 year old Chevy motor is running smoother then it has in years. The testing continues...

10/10/11 Finally making some progress, I hope. Richie said I needed to get my amps up to around 23 to 24 amps through the HHO generator. So I cut off the smaller 14 gauge terminals and soldered on 10 gauge terminals to the 10 gauge wire.  Tried the system, and still 10 amps. Hooked up my jumper cable straight from the hot post on my battery to the hot post on the HHO generator.  Still about 10 amps showing on the amp gauge.  Loosened the lower hose from the HHO generator and let the electrolyte drain.  Poured in new electrolyte, started the system, and whamo, 23 to 24 amps!  I've never had this kind of amperage to the generator since I started this project over a month ago. Now to see what my MPG is the rest of the week with the proper amps going to the generator.

10/08/11 I think one problem I'm dealing with is not enough amps reaching the HHO generator. About 12 amps to and from work. I have some 8 gauge terminals to solder on to the ends of my 10 gauge wire, that should help (have 14 gauge terminals now).  Will get that done in a day or two.

Received the following email from Richie Waddell in TN yesterday: "First thing to do is get your amps up to around 23-26 amps and retest. Be sure to keep good track of all testing MPG. Let me know if you see exactly the same MPG...a slight increase... or a slight decrease. I will get you going."

10/06/11 Finally got whole week in of driving with the HHO generator running. Very disappointing. Still 16 miles per gallon. That is 1 gallon more then last week without the HHO, but still a disappointment. So I will need to get hold of Richie Waddell in TN and see if I am doing something wrong ot just what. I do know its putting out HHO gas. The generator is drawing about 13 amps, which is what is suppose to do, or at least what I understand its suppose to do. I will say my 6 cylinder motor is running smoother then its ever ran, especially at a signal light or stop sign. Anyway, more next Thursday evening when another test is complete.

09/26/11  Received my 12v 40 amp relay from Tennessee today.  Got it installed and things seem to be much better. A whole LOT more HHO gas being pushed into the bubbler and then on into my carb. Instead of the 1 or 2 amps I was getting to the HHO generator with the wrong wiring, I am now getting 10 or 12 amps with the pickup idling in the driveway. Tuesday morning will start my first test drives to and from work everyday. On my next fill up we can see what the improvement is on miles per gallon. 

09/20/11  Richie Waddell agreed the solenoid post will not provide the current/amps needed and  is sending me a relay so the current will come from the battery straight to the HHO generator.  Soon the HHO system will be ginning!

09/19/11  Finally got to the root of the problem. There is not enough electricity reaching the HHO generator. I hooked my jumper cables up from the battery directly to the hot side of the generator, and it ginned like a John Deere tractor!!! 14 to 15 amps on the gauge! I have the hot wire hooked to the solenoid. Maybe there is not enough juice from from that solenoid post. I need to figure out the best way to get plenty of juice from the battery to the generator.

09/18/11  After 4 days of using the HHO generator, I have not seen any improvement in my MPG. Still 17 MPG. I think it has to do with the strength of my electrolyte solution, but not sure yet. Even though HHO is being generator into the carb, it is not enough.  At least that is what I think.  So will need to do some checking with Richie in TN.  I have checked and rechecked my wiring scheme and it is correct.

09/10/11   Ok, got the HHO system installed today and it is pushing HHO into the Bubbler and on into my carb.  Now to do some test next week and see if there is an improvement in gas milage or if I have anything hooked up wrong.  All seems to be ok so far, but I only ran it in the driveway, not on the road.  Won't do that until Monday.

09/09/11   Received the digital Amp Gauge, Shunt and 10 gauge inline fuse. Should be able finish the project installation and begin the test tomorrow (Saturday)!

09/08/11   Installed the brass elbow fitting to the top of the air filter cover.  The HHO gas will enter the carb through this port.  View Fitting

09/07/11   After what has seemed like a week, off and on, trying to find a nut to fit a brass fitting, I finally have that piece of the equipment ready to mount on the top of my air filter cover.  I spent 45 minutes with 2 different sales people at Lowes with no luck finding what I needed. Also went to the auto parts places, two or three times, even the plumbing stores, and finally a sales clerk at Orscheln Farm Store at Tiffany Plaza found something I could make work.  A 3/8 inch cap like goes on the end of a water pipe. I had to use my saws-all to cut the top off, but it did screw on the brass fitting, along with about 3 washers to take up some space.  View 1     View 2     And the finished product.... View 3  Like James at work says: "If it were easy, everyone would be doing it."

09/06/11   My needed Digital Amp Gauge has been shipped from TN

09/04/11  Got the Hydrogen Generator bolted under the hood on the driver's side and the Bubbler bolted above the Generator.    View 1      View 2      View 3

09/02/11  Received my HHO Generator, Bubbler, Spark Arrestor, and Shutoff Valves by Priority Mail from Richie Waddell in record time today! Wish I'd went ahead and ordered his Digital Amp Meter, but thought I could buy one locally, WRONG.  Will keep looking but will probably order one from Richie in Tennessee since I know he gives fast service!

08/29/11  Placed order for Hydrogen Generator, Bubbler, Spark Arrestors and Shutoff Valves from Richie Waddell in TN.

 

For more information just click on the box below!

 

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Email me at butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net

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