jafir makes a good point, but there may be other pieces to that equation. The alternator is a captive device, it is already turning to provide energy to other items, and the additional load is more like turning on the headlights. The alternator is using the engine horsepower to turn it anyway no matter what electrical items you have switched on, and the voltage regulator is varying the output. My engine does not drop idle speed when I turn on head lights and radio. So while the alternator is not free power, I suggest that some of the power going into the alternator is simply not utilized.

Now as far as the HHO, some of the mpg claims might be tempered by increased conservative driving habits, more attention to maintenance and state of tune, tire pressure, and removal of 300 pounds of tools normally used to maintain a Rover on trips over two miles. But I would like to see detailed write ups with photos, etc.

I built my own electronic ignition system back in the 70's from a kit. Now days they are pretty standard stuff. So who knows what the future will bring? Anything innovators can do to get us off the dino juice model would be good. Kerosene was called "the new light" and replaced whale oil and candles. Edison kicked that to the curb, but the oil companies had Henry Ford to thank for new customers for something else. But compressed natural gas had a fling, has just about died out in my state, can't find it outside some large metro areas. Now they are talking bio-gas, from the landfills. Back in 70's there was a pig farmer in South Africa that ran his 20KW generator on fumes from a plastic covered manure compost pile. Now days people are using bio-mass stuff (wood pellets) and there are companies that make xray analysis scanners to determine the btu potential for various grades of scrap wood fiber, to determine the sales price of bulk loads of it.

All it takes is innovation, which is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. But even Edison didn't have all the answers, Tesla had the important idea of alternating current.

Who knows - a Rover owning innovator may chnage the world! Oil dripped from the lead Rover is captured by second Rover and drained to over heating head gasket area wher it is converted into fuel for the modified MAF intake....

 

I can tell you that the Yugo was definitely not driven conservatively. And Savannah is right. With all my electrics on, my I feel no difference in power output from the engine and no dimming of the lights. And if it doesn't work, you remove it. But if it works, wouldn't you like to be someone that spurred on the creative juices instead of being the naysayer that shot the idea down?

 

Somebody decided that mechanical fuel injection was superior to a carb. Then someone figured out how to make electronics that would survive the automotive environment, use sensors, and modulate the pulse width to electronic injectors to control the little squirts of fuel. The extra technology allowed an increase in mpg. So the HHO stuff might gain more acceptance if so much of it was not backyard tinkering and involved mainstream factory support. Bet when our elected officials change the mpg rules the factories will dust off their patents and get hopping.