Hi Folks,
Joined recently and was browsing through the threads, when I came across this one. Out of curiosity browsed through all 13 pages of the thread. Was greatly amused! Noted a few points, worth mentioning
1. Exemplary but in my opinion too lenient and forgiving moderation by Banwari ji. Admire his patience for rambling discourse. But in my opinion Mr. Prasad's bluntness would have been a better way to deal with such issues. Just an observation.
2. One poster reminded me of a very high profile coverage of one Mr. Ramar Pillai some years ago, where press got consumed by tall claims and the guy even got offers for financial help from state governments for setting up a biodiesel plant. His yield claims and calculations were so 'pucca' that he could dare IIT to check him out. He went to Chemical Engg labs of IIT Madras, where a quick witted Prof caught him adding diesel to the mixture being cooked for biodiesel conversion. He had it concealed in the custom 'stirrer', sealed by wax. That was a low-tech conman taking the modern age world for a ride, not very long ago. Society is always vulnerable to such scam because the majority is not in a position to refute claims.
3. HHO stuff is NOT touched by any major car manufacturer. In today's world where their very existence is in danger, they would and should go for any likely or even unlikely solution to help their cause. You mean there could be a technology that increases fuel efficiency of a vehicle by 100% ( an increase from 12-15 kmpl to 29 kmpl IS 100% increase - these figures are quoted in this same thread) and yet be ignored by the likes of GM/FORD/CHRYSLER? They are at the doors of hell, and would do anything to avert a quick demise - of course anything that is not snake oil. They can afford to pay the first $97 or Rs1200 or whatever multimillion dollars that are required to buy a supersexy technology for 100% gains, and commercialize it by designing low-maintenance equipment required. Why would Japanese companies not fall for it, where they sink billions of dollars for FE improvement that keeps customers flocking to their showrooms? Are they sleeping on thery jobs? Why is this superscientist who wrote this book forced to sell his book in retail to gullible non-technical readers, rather than setup his own industry or sell this technology for billions of dollars to the auto industry? If people like Joseph and others can attempt to make a working unit in their garages, the industry has great labs and unlimited (virtually) money to throw around for a more scientific and proper development/research effort. Why is it not being used?Answer: If it worked, they would be the first to know. They are not doing it because they know it won't work. I need not read the HHO bible first hand to know that - I am sure better brains have worked on it even without my great self attempting it.
4. So when it does not really work, the next recourse is to make whatever money you can through exploitation of general public's curiosity / gullibility. One needs to be either gullible or dangerously unscrupulous to have a hand in this - Like Bernie Madoff's ponzy scheme, like so many pyramid / multilevel marketing schemes, like... I could go on.
5. In my opinion, forums like these should be on their guard against exploitation of general public by such fly-by-night operators, hence the bluntness comment earlier. Here the damage part was pretty much taken care by the offer by Banwari ji to give away the book copies for free, otherwise we would have had a few opting for the Rs.1200/- offer because of curiosity / an urge to know or analyze a new thing. Would have been a sorry case if it were to happen.
By the way thanks for the entertainment! I am a newbie hypermiler, and would like to network with fellow hypermilers in Delhi/NCR to exchange notes and discuss mods.
Cheers,
Krishna
