My booster exploded. but why?

[pj91gsx]

The cap on the booster melted on the negative side and I dont understand why. The plastic melted so much that the cable loosened up and the wire must have wiggled and spark and the booster just lit up. Why would the plastic melt on the ground side? I am using smacks booster design.

[bigapple]

The cap on the booster melted on the negative side and I dont understand why. The plastic melted so much that the cable loosened up and the wire must have wiggled and spark and the booster just lit up. Why would the plastic melt on the ground side? I am using smacks booster design.

Be sure that you have no shorts in your system. And make sure the ratio of positives to negatives is equal. Although you can only make as much hydrogen as is proportionate to equal production of oxygen, if you have a smaller amount of negatives or positives, they will have to work harder and get hotter to even out the ratio.

[pj91gsx]

Be sure that you have no shorts in your system. And make sure the ratio of positives to negatives is equal. Although you can only make as much hydrogen as is proportionate to equal production of oxygen, if you have a smaller amount of negatives or positives, they will have to work harder and get hotter to even out the ratio.

I drove with it for 2 times and 2 hrs or more each time, then it popped. I dont under stand why the pvc cap has a melted hole in it on the negative terminal. would it just be the pvc?

[bigapple]

I drove with it for 2 times and 2 hrs or more each time, then it popped. I dont under stand why the pvc cap has a melted hole in it on the negative terminal. would it just be the pvc?

Well, I'd also make sure the connections are solid and dense. If you use smaller wire or if the current has to run through a lose connection, it can cause heat to rise.

It could be the PVC but I wouldn't know that for sure. I've chosen to stay away from PVC due to the fact that it loses its rigidity due to heat after a while. Lexan Polycarbonate has become my material of choice. If you keep having issues, I'd switch materials.

[javierf]

pj91gsx, that's precisely the problem with most electrolyzers, and which most people don't address. It's very nice to see an electrolyzer generate 2, 2.5 or more LPM. However, most won't stand long periods of operation without overheating and melting the components.

The fact your negative terminal was the one that melted is absolutely normal. The negative electrode will always (in my experience) get hotter than the positive (assuming the same number of plates of each).

I suggest you run your electrolyzer on a bench with the exact wattage (volts & amperage) as when it's in your car, for a couple of hours and monitor the electrolyte's temperature continuosly to see if it has a runaway heat/current problem.

[H2OPWR]

Use more n plates and a PWM to control current and the problem will go away. Also many people use too small guage wire that causes excessive heating. Another possible cause would be poor quality stainless bolts. Stainless is not a very good conductor and poor quality is even worse.