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There have been roughly four events in the last 40 years that have encouraged the conversion to alternative fuels. They all involve money, not the environment. In the early 70's, the early 80's, the early 90's, and around mid 2008. The one common thread was the threat of fuel shortage (gasoline and diesel).
Intrestingly, all of these so called "shortages" turned out to be market driven and not an actual shortage of fuel, but still, whenever there is a threat of a shortage, magical things happen to the industry.
I have seen first hand the attempts at providing equipment to "solve the energy crisis" during each of these events, and they were not pretty.
I have seen steel nitrogen cylinders laying on a 2X4 wooden frame held in with plumbers strap, metal brake line tubing used for the high pressure tubing, oxygen tank welding regulators used for the first stage regulator, a Fisher or Rego household regulator used for the second stage regulator, and air-fuel mixers made of everything from PVC, sheet metal, plumbing pipe, bondo, and one of a piece of wood placed in a Chevy Lumina air cleaner box!
I have seen the fuel lockoff between the primary and secondary regulators made from a sprinkler valve and a hydraulic solenoid.
I wished I carried a camera with me when I found these surprises. This is what happens when the demand reaches the suppliers who provide snake oil remedies for perceived crisis. One thing though, from what I've seen in the last couple of years has not been as bad as the one in the 80's and the 90's. In the 70's, there was just no other equipment available to compare it with, so we assumed it was "state of the art" then.
. . . .and I dont even want to mention the farce HHO.
The "good old days"? No thanks.
Franz
Intrestingly, all of these so called "shortages" turned out to be market driven and not an actual shortage of fuel, but still, whenever there is a threat of a shortage, magical things happen to the industry.
I have seen first hand the attempts at providing equipment to "solve the energy crisis" during each of these events, and they were not pretty.
I have seen steel nitrogen cylinders laying on a 2X4 wooden frame held in with plumbers strap, metal brake line tubing used for the high pressure tubing, oxygen tank welding regulators used for the first stage regulator, a Fisher or Rego household regulator used for the second stage regulator, and air-fuel mixers made of everything from PVC, sheet metal, plumbing pipe, bondo, and one of a piece of wood placed in a Chevy Lumina air cleaner box!
I have seen the fuel lockoff between the primary and secondary regulators made from a sprinkler valve and a hydraulic solenoid.
I wished I carried a camera with me when I found these surprises. This is what happens when the demand reaches the suppliers who provide snake oil remedies for perceived crisis. One thing though, from what I've seen in the last couple of years has not been as bad as the one in the 80's and the 90's. In the 70's, there was just no other equipment available to compare it with, so we assumed it was "state of the art" then.
. . . .and I dont even want to mention the farce HHO.
The "good old days"? No thanks.
Franz
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