I have been working on this for almost 2 months now. A few tips:
1) Take some time and research, research, research, research. THEN experiment. You will NOT hit the gold mine anywhere near your first try at it. I spent 14 hours reading everything I could find online one weekend and learned a lot. Then it comes to experimenting. EVERY cell will react differently. Cell size and design, plate size and design, water volume, etc, etc are all huge variables that you will need to figure out yourself.
2) BE SAFE when experimenting. Wear earplugs and a face shield. Everyone says not to try to lite the hydrogen coming out of your generator, but if you're like me you'll do it anyway.
Well, BAD idea. I've exploded several containers trying to dial in my cell. First time left me hearing a loud waterfall in my ears for 2 hours, after that out came the ear plugs. A Hydrogen explosion is something like 100 times louder than other fuels.
3) You MUST use at least one bubbler, and you MUST use a spark arrestor on the output of your bubbler. Off-the-shelf welding arrestors react no where near quick enough, you need to make your own.
4) Ideally you want the cell to be longer/wider than taller, as it takes time for the H bubbles to travel way UP your container. If it's long horizontally the bubbles escape quicker and net you more gas.
5) You MUST run a Pulse Wave Modulator for any real production. Yes, baking soda and sodium hydroxide can speed up production a lot, but the PWM on straight water should be your goal.
6) DO NOT use salt in your electrolyte solution.
7) You most likely will NOT be able to run a small engine (B&S) on gas from an HHO generator. You will need a fuel to get it running, then you can suppliment it with HHO. If anyone has done this on straight HHO with an HHO generator, I want to talk to them becasue I have yet to be able to do it. You have to do some machining to the flywheel to alter the timing of the motor to run on straight HHO, but with gasoline and an HHO suppliment you might have some luck.
8) You can use 12v with no problem with the correct plate/cell design.
9) Use 316 Stainless Steel, as it's the most corrosive resistant ss and is fairly affordable. I found McMaster Carr to have the best selection and prices.
If you're using steel tubes/rods, research 'Joe Cell', it's a bit different approach than using plates.
If I think of anything else I'll edit my post.
My first goal was/is to build a generator to power my LP towmotor. That's a hefty goal. As I am finding out, the generator needs to be quite large, even for that. To suppliment fuel economy on my Power Stroke I expect to have a very large complicated HHO unit, but in the end, it's just water you dump in to get fuel out.
I have read that some trucking companies that run the $10,000 HHO units see $1500/month in fuel savings. I have not spoken with them first hand, only what I have read.
Good luck to anyone working on this, and please keep us all posted!
