Bubbler & Flashback Arrestor Explained

[PDJ]

If you are new to HHO, the diagram at the side gives you an indication of the basic component needs for your generator setup (minus the circuitry needs). The Generator creates the gas which is in turn fed into a bubbler and then passed through a Flashback arrestor. Every car backfires from time to time and if you do not have this protective system in place you will destroy your generator the very first time your engine backfires. By feeding the gas from the generator into a container with water, it acts as a safeguard to protect your cell (notice that the gas is released in the bubbler under the water). If you also have a flashback arrestor in the line, you will also protect your bubbler. Remember that any accumulated gas has the potential to make a big bang when ignited (and send bits of the container flying in all directions). If there is a backfire, the ignited HHO will travel up the pipe and will be stopped at the arrestor. If for any reason the ignited gas can get past the arrestor, the bubbler then will stop the flame reaching the cell. Most people building a generator will also build in a safeguard into both the generator and bubbler. This can be as simple as a pressure release valve made from a bit of pipe joined to the tank that has the end capped with a thinner bit of material to what the tanks are made from. If the gas in the tank is ignited, the expanding gas will exit through the weakest outlet and not shatter your main container.

[stacka]

I have heard that flash back arrestors in browns gas installations are more or less useless because browns gas being so potent, the arrestors are not quick enough to stop a flash back. Only what i have heard, not sure how true it is but i totally agree with the bubbler thats for sure although i do know a person that is selling and installing hho generators with NO bubbler, NO arrestors, To me that is just plain crazy knowing and seeing for myself what sort of explosion you can get from it, specially when there is a fair bit built up to ignite. Not pretty.
Be interesting to hear your thoughts on what i have heard about the flash back arrestors though.

[PDJ]

I have heard that flash back arrestors in browns gas installations are more or less useless because browns gas being so potent

Going on what I have been able to find out, it depends on how it is made. If you get a flashback arrestor with lightly compacted material inside, yes - it will be useless.

What you need is one that is compacted densly with filling and requires pressure to get the gas through. This pressure requirement in fact gives you a lightly pressurised generator. As the gas builds pressure, it reaches sufficient pressure to get through the flashback arrestor. Too much required pressure would tend to give you a lower gas flow unless your generator is bubbling away like crazy.

I have tested mine and it works well. All the Youtube movies I have seen show them to be effective (obviously the ineffective ones are not put on youtube) They simply ignite the gas to show you that the flame is arrested.

This is an interesting video on how someone has built one.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBjTaDHZuns" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBjTaDHZuns</a>

The same guy does a flame test.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhPWoiuZlEk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhPWoiuZlEk</a>