root `index` legacy
HHO Generator An HHO Generator takes tap water, and with the help of electricity, generates a very unstable explosive gas called HHO. Showing you what it can do! `2020-10-18` The idea A few weeks ago, I was browsing my YouTube recommended feed, trying to find new stuff to learn. Then, I stumbled upon this video: youtube It showcases a very simple HHO Generator, which uses screws to electrolize water. This very simple contraption can generate `100 ml` of explosive HHO gas per minute. When I saw this video for the first time, I new I had to build one. I immediately got to work thinking about how I would make my own. After a few trips to the hardware store and `30 $` well spent, I was ready to start building! No, it isn't magic The principle behind such a machine is very simple. Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen, which are tightly bonded together. However, with a lot of energy, one can seperate water molecules into a very explosive gas, consisting of dihydrogen and dioxygen. Here is the chemical formula for this reaction, called water electrolysis: `2 H₂O_(l) → 2 H_{2 (g)} + O_{2 (g)}` Then, when a tiny amount of energy is transfered to this HHO gas, it releases way more energy in a very short amount of time, which in turn causes its distictive powerful explosion. In order to understand better, here is a picture of the inside of the generator: Almost all of it is made out of stainless steel or aluminum, so that it doesn't oxidize. However, I counldn't find stainless washers at the hardware store, so I had to use steel ones. Unfortunately, this means that they were vulnerable to oxidization, which explains why they rusted. At least, since they are not meant to be in electrical contact with the water, this is not that big of a deal at all. In order for this generator to work, three of the screws are connected to the positive end of a battery, and the three other ones are connected to the negative side. Using screws is a very clever way to build such a powerful generator: they have about twice the surface area of metal rods because of their threads. Once I connect a very powerful battery to both terminals, the electrolysis can start! Parts used For anyone wondering, here is a list of the parts I used to make this generator: 6x `1/4 by 2-1/2` stainless machine screws 2x `1-1/2 od 13/32 id 1/16 thick` steel washers 6x `12-10 AWG #8-#10 stud` spade terminals 2x `10-24 X 1` stainless machine screws 4x `10-24` stainless machine nylon nuts `160 mm` of `10 AWG` brown and red wire `10 mm od by 60 mm l` heat shrink `1-1/2` ABS tubing `1-1/2` permanent cap `1-1/2` permanent cap with `1"` hole `40 mm id by 3.5 mm w` O-ring `5 mm od by 750 mm l` flexible tubing about `1h` of 3D printing Now for the real show Here is a demo of the explosion of a small cup containing HHO gas, which was made using my generator: youtube Conclusion This is not a dangerous machine at all, but it does generates a very unstable explosive gas. I would love to encourage everyone to build such a generator, but it is simply too much of a hassle in my opinion. I had a lot of issues regarding air leaks, and they were time consuming to fix. HHO Generators also need a lot of power to work properly, and it is very hard to find a power supply or a battery capable of outputting it. However, if you do not mind spending a bit of time on the desing, it is totally worth it in the end!
© 2025 Emilien Breton `legacy/HHO-Generator/index.md`

HHO Generator

An HHO Generator takes tap water, and with the help of electricity, generates a very unstable explosive gas called HHO. Showing you what it can do! 2020-10-18

The idea

A few weeks ago, I was browsing my YouTube recommended feed, trying to find new stuff to learn. Then, I stumbled upon this video:

youtube

It showcases a very simple HHO Generator, which uses screws to electrolize water. This very simple contraption can generate 100 ml of explosive HHO gas per minute.

When I saw this video for the first time, I new I had to build one. I immediately got to work thinking about how I would make my own. After a few trips to the hardware store and 30 $ well spent, I was ready to start building!

No, it isn't magic

The principle behind such a machine is very simple. Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen, which are tightly bonded together. However, with a lot of energy, one can seperate water molecules into a very explosive gas, consisting of dihydrogen and dioxygen. Here is the chemical formula for this reaction, called water electrolysis:

2 H₂O_(l) → 2 H_{2 (g)} + O_{2 (g)}

Then, when a tiny amount of energy is transfered to this HHO gas, it releases way more energy in a very short amount of time, which in turn causes its distictive powerful explosion.

In order to understand better, here is a picture of the inside of the generator:

hho generator internals

Almost all of it is made out of stainless steel or aluminum, so that it doesn't oxidize. However, I counldn't find stainless washers at the hardware store, so I had to use steel ones. Unfortunately, this means that they were vulnerable to oxidization, which explains why they rusted. At least, since they are not meant to be in electrical contact with the water, this is not that big of a deal at all.

In order for this generator to work, three of the screws are connected to the positive end of a battery, and the three other ones are connected to the negative side. Using screws is a very clever way to build such a powerful generator: they have about twice the surface area of metal rods because of their threads. Once I connect a very powerful battery to both terminals, the electrolysis can start!

Parts used

For anyone wondering, here is a list of the parts I used to make this generator:

6x 1/4 by 2-1/2 stainless machine screws
2x 1-1/2 od 13/32 id 1/16 thick steel washers
6x 12-10 AWG #8-#10 stud spade terminals
2x 10-24 X 1 stainless machine screws
4x 10-24 stainless machine nylon nuts
160 mm of 10 AWG brown and red wire
10 mm od by 60 mm l heat shrink
1-1/2 ABS tubing
1-1/2 permanent cap
1-1/2 permanent cap with 1" hole
40 mm id by 3.5 mm w O-ring
5 mm od by 750 mm l flexible tubing
about 1h of 3D printing

Now for the real show

Here is a demo of the explosion of a small cup containing HHO gas, which was made using my generator:

youtube

Conclusion

This is not a dangerous machine at all, but it does generates a very unstable explosive gas. I would love to encourage everyone to build such a generator, but it is simply too much of a hassle in my opinion. I had a lot of issues regarding air leaks, and they were time consuming to fix. HHO Generators also need a lot of power to work properly, and it is very hard to find a power supply or a battery capable of outputting it. However, if you do not mind spending a bit of time on the desing, it is totally worth it in the end!