Okay, I’ll admit I usually expect more out of Popular Mechanics than conjecture, theory and opinion without supporting facts. There is a recent article in PM titled “The Truth About Water-Powered Cars: Mechanic’s Diary” that talks about both the Japanese Genepax Water Car and HHO generators for gasoline-powered cars in the same article.

I was expecting a little comparison and contrast from the writer to distinguish these two technologies, but basically what is there is an article about HHO generators sandwiched around a tangent about the Genepax car. The fact is, I agree with the writer’s point of view on the Genepax water car that makes wild claims without any independent verification of those claims.

But, when the writer speaks of hydrogen gas savers (HHO generators), he’s talking through both sides of his mouth. For instance, here is a remark at the beginning of the article, “Yes, you can run your car on water. All it takes is to build a ‘water-burning hybrid’ is the installation of a simple, often home-made electrolysis cell under the hood of your vehicle.”

At the end of the article, he states, “There’s no reason to believe that even more modest increases claimed by some of the ads could be achieved by a conventional, computer-controlled automobile engine running under closed-loop driving … I’m building a water-electrolyzer car - right now. The electrolysis cell assembly is on my workbench and ready to install, so stay tuned for the test results soon.”

What do you mean by “stay tuned for the test result soon”? You mean you make a negative claim about the hydrogen gas savers without testing a few first? What is really amusing is that the three reader comments that exist right now after the article, jump on the writer for his comments disregarding the need to lean the gasoline mix and knocking down a technology before he tries it.

Apparently, this writer hasn’t taken the time to do a little research that would tell him about the endorsement of HHO generators by the National Hydrogen Association, the 50 million road miles these devices have traveled with companies like Hydrogen Hybrid Technologies and Hy-Drive plus three very active online user boards filled with people building their own DIY systems with remarkable success.

Perhaps I’m expecting too much from Popular Mechanics when it comes to doing a little research and valuing fact over personal bias in their reporting.

Filed under: Critics