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Hydrogen HHO fuel cell – Flashback Recovery!!
After yesterday morning's accidental flashback/detonation, I shot this video to show there was no damage to the cell. The top of the cell was merely blown off by the detonation and I was showered by cell water. As you can see in the video, it still bubbles well. The video doesn't really show it that well but I get really big bubbles out of it, as this relatively small cell produces a lot of HHO gas (owing to the configuration of the core's plates). The cell will be re-installed in the Jeep once I have the PWM installed. This unit produces so much gas that it needs to be controlled! But this video also points out that caution is needed when we test our cells. My flashback and detonation occured because I was having some fun, before work, igniting some HHO bubbles with a lighter and my tube pushed its way just above the water in the bubbler (as the bubbles were very forceful) and my lighter flame was just close enough to cause the flashback. The cell and the core were completely undamaged. In fact, just after the event I started laughing hysterically because I did think it was very amusing. My brother-in-law, who has been staying with us, told me "Now I know why they call you the mad scientist!" 
To be safe, I did disassemble the cell and inspect the plates but everything was completely fine. The cell itself withstood the flashback very well. Cell construction is of thickwall schedule 40 PVC pipe (I don't use the thinwall ag-pipe stuff) and my plates are 16 gauge 400 series plates, spaced just under 1/16" apart (7 plates arranged as: -:n:n:+:n:n:-). Cold, the cell draws approximately 8-10 amps which increases to 20 amps once the water warms up. The ONLY electrolyte I use is baking soda (I do NOT use salt). The plates you see in my core video are 2.5" by 5" in size. I also use plates sized 3" by 10" in my larger cell that I like to call "bazooka joe" but I can't use it in my Jeep because there simply is nowhere to install it due to its size.
See updated photos of the cell and COSM/oscillator at:
http://www.freewebs.com/jhines2/apps/photos/
Tags: hho bubbler, hho gas, digital efie, ebay hho
Filed under HHO Videos by 
Quality, Pre-Built Dual EFIE
Comments on Hydrogen HHO fuel cell – Flashback Recovery!!
googleproads @ 1:13 pm
Hose barbs I have if you need a 10 pack, 3/8 x 3/8 Nylon.. most stores don't carry these and home depot or lowes or they might carry a few if your lucky. never be without barbs again if your making your own cells. Ebay item 250267329649
Vaduh @ 1:13 pm
I did that too, and there was a HUGE!!! flashback! I mean… BOOM! My ears were ringing for a day. DO NOT FOOL AROUND with this stuff. USE EYE SAFETY AND EARPLUGS. SERIOUSLY!
I like how you emphasize safety in your videos.
bigjohnb1948 @ 1:13 pm
Are you changing the engine timing to top dead center on the spark advance to maximize the benifit of the faster burn of the hydrogen? I should make a surprising difference. John
madscientist67 @ 1:13 pm
Hi Dallas. I use baking soda for my electrolyte but yes, you could use hydrogen peroxide. Some people use vinegar too. Doesn't take much of any of the above. I use stainless steel plates primarily because they are very durable and because they give me a lot of surface area. More surface area=more gas production because there is more physical material for the reaction to take place. Carbon, while thought of as hard, will melt away on you in the environment it would exist in, eventually.
dallasr2 @ 1:13 pm
I have watched most of your videos. I researched and was wondering why use stainless steel as the anode and cathode? Would carbon be more effective? Plus I looked at your other website and wanted to see some plans on this. I would like to build one for my diesel. Also what type of catalyst is mixed with the water? Can you use H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide)?
madscientist67 @ 1:13 pm
LOL! Yeah, areas used for labs can be a touch messy. You should see the rest of that room! It's so scary my kids won't go anywhere near it…..
shhdave @ 1:13 pm
Your mom called, she said clean your room. LOL
Keep up the good fight
madscientist67 @ 1:13 pm
Hi Alcyone. Yep, I've been wanting to build an inline arrestor like SirHoax showed. I'll need to dig a little deeper and find that bronze wool.
Alcyone53 @ 1:13 pm
If you use bronze wool in the tubes, about 3" moderately packed. You don't want to pack it tight because it will impede the gas flow, it will make a great flashback arrestor.
I use two, one at the cell output & the other at the plenum.
You can get bronze wool at Rockler.
madscientist67 @ 1:13 pm
Ah, that…LOL In the morning, before leaving for work, I was running the cell with the tube in the bubbler and was igniting some of the bubbles with a grill-lighter. It was bubbling pretty strongly and the tube had pushed itself up enough that the opening came up right at the flame from the lighter and almost immediately the flashback occurred quite a boom. I was just using a large glass as a bubbler that morning and didn't have the tube well-secured. Quite a surprise!
WPVK818 @ 1:13 pm
what caused the flashback?