Like many Americans, these days, a visit to the gas station can be traumatic. A larger vehicle can generate a $100 or more hit to your credit card every time you fill up. What practical thing can you do? You may be considering a water to gas conversion kit. Read this article for some practical considerations.

To illustrate. As I recall, back in 1972, when the first oil crisis hit, people were waiting in line to purchase gas at right around $1.00 per gallon. Every one panicked and traded in their large cars for smaller cars. No one wanted a “gas guzzler”. A friend of a friend told me the local auto dealer had a 1970 Pontiac, 4 door that they were trying to unload for $650. I bought it for cash. The mileage was low, the total cost of driving it was low. There are sometimes more things to consider than just the cost of gasoline.As an engineer, the best plans and the most elegant theory sometimes break down when it comes to a real world application.

Basic considerations. Do you want to make it or buy it? Install it or have someone else install it? What’s your budget? If someone said to you – “Give me $800 and I will modify your vehicle to get a 50% or more increase in MPG”. Would you go ahead? Let’s consider some practical aspects.First would your car have room to install this system? Here’s a realistic test. Something you might do right now before you invest your time and money. Go to your refrigerator and find a quart jar of mayonnaise. Any brand will do. Go out to your car and raise the hood. I don’t know about your car, but mine is totally packed from fender to fender with lots of stuff, squeezed in together.

Now, find an empty place where the mayonnaise jar will fit. This would be where the HHO generator could be mounted. Did you find a spot for it? You might be able to find room in front of the radiator. You could remove part of the grill to fit it in.Another thing to take into account is how long it takes to break even. Simple math; for illustration lets say it costs $1000 to get a 50% increase in MPG and you currently get 20 MPG and drive 500 miles a week.

The cost of gasoline – $4.00 per gallon. 500/20 is 25 gallons a week for a cost of $100. If this changed to 30 MPG then 500/30 is 16.67 gallons for a cost of $66.67, saving $33.33 per week. The payback period would then be $1000/$33.33 or 30 weeks or just over 7 months. This is not a bad return. You now have an extra $33.33 per week. Plug in your own numbers. Does it make still make sense?

The other investment is time. If you don’t want to have someone else do the entire job, how much time do you have to invest in this project? How long might it take to find all the parts and then assemble them? Once assembled and tested, do you have the skills to install it on your vehicle? What about your abilities. Can you use power tools? How about other tools? If your car needs oil, could you check it and add if needed? Do you add windshield washer fluid? Have you changed a flat tire? Do you have a shop or work area to assemble and test this project? If you are not sure of your abilities, you might want to first seek out a reliable mechanic.

Ask around; see if you can find one that has experience installing HHO generation systems. Do they think your car would be suitable for a HHO system. How much they would charge for the full installation and testing of the system.Another thing you might also ask about is how much to remove everything and restore your car to its original condition. At a later time you will want to upgrade your vehicle. It would be nice if you could move your HHO investment to your new car. Later, when shopping for that other car, you could consult the same mechanic as to the feasibility of moving the HHO system to the other vehicle.

Let’s say that you are fully able to complete this project.You will first need to go through a learning process. How do you do it? What is needed? Once you fully comprehend what is involved, you can proceed. You will have to buy a kit or find all the parts to build the HHO generator. Caution, the only metal to use inside the generator is stainless steel. This would include copper wire, etc. The chemical action created by the heavy current will quickly disintegrate many metals. If you are using a high current to generate the HHO gas, the process will generate lots of heat.

My recommendation is not to use PVC plumbing pipe. It tends to be brittle and might melt with excessive heat. Some plans recommend using ABS since it will stand more heat. Some designs use an empty acrylic container normally used for water filtering. A glass jar will work, but again, it is subject to breaking. I prefer a stainless steel pot of some kind. Once you have constructed your HHO generator, you should completely test it prior to installation.For testing you’re going to need a battery replacement. An inexpensive battery charger works fine. Buy one that will generate at least 20 amps at 12 volts. Put a 20 amp fuse in line with your amp meter before you turn it on. The HHO generated is an explosive mixture.

Another thing to consider; how you are going to install the controls for the HHO generator so that you can control and monitor it easily from the driver’s seat? You will want to, at least, be able to turn it on and off. It should be visible and convenient to reach such that you can easily reach the controls while driving. Where can you mount the switches, meters and other controls? Most modern vehicles have a fully molded dash with curved surfaces and not much room for any additions. You will need to run the wires through the firewall or under the car and up through the floor.One simple rule that has served me well over the years is – “Any project will always cost more and take longer than expected”.

The other gotcha is Murphy’s Law. “If it can go wrong it will – at the worst possible time. “I suggest that you fully test this system before you depend on it. Some day, if you are stuck in heavy traffic waiting for the tow truck, that increase in mileage may not seem as important. Good luck, I hope I have given you some food for thought. Fully understand what is involved, proceed with caution and do it right. Let’s all beat the high cost of gasoline.