With all the excitement over rising gasoline/petrol prices, I did some research on using a water-based fuel cell. They are cheap and easy to build.

Basically, they use electrolysis to break water down into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The unstable mixture is called Oxyhydrogen and has the chemical symbol HHO (as opposed to liquid water which is H2O).

The gas is injected into the incoming air stream to the engine, which means that the efficiency of the engine improves. When HHO burns, it recombines back to water. This means that the pistons now have water in them, as well as gasoline. Does this damage the pistons? Apparently not. People report that the engine runs smoother, less pinging and knocking.

I have read reports from many people saying they got 50% or better gas mileage.

Since water is a lot cheaper than gasoline, this seems like an obvious way to go. One wonders why car manufacturers don't provide this as an option, or even as a permanent feature.

What does it cost? Less than $100, including the self-help instruction guide.

The equipment necessary is not complicated, basically a glass or plastic jar of a litre or so in volume, with electrolysis plates or coils inside, filled with water. You need electricity to make the electrolysis happen; this comes from the car battery.

You also need a hose to connect from the top of the jar to the air intake of the motor. This feeds the gas into the engine.

Full construction details are in the self-help guides available at the links below, but basicallyyou assemble the elctrolysis unit, run a pair wires to the battery to provide the elctricity for the electrolysis, drill a small hole in the air intake of the motor, and run a rubber hose from the electrolysis unit to the hole in the air intake.It is best if you run the hot lead from the electrolysis unit to the accessories connector of the ignition switch so that the unit turns on and off when you turn the engine on and off.

You have to refill the unit with water periodically, as the water is consumed when it is vapourized. If you don't use distilled water, you will also have to clean the electric plates in the electrolysis unit peridocally because they will get clogged up with the minerals in the water. Distilled water has no minerals in it, and is highly recommended.