HHO welding?

[Golden_eagle]

I have been looking at DIY Welders/Cutters and have Happened across HHO Cutting torches, My question is Can you weld with them and where can you get them?

[Joe H]

Short answer : not really.

Not that they don't work, jewelers have been using them for years. They are impractical for anything other than brazing small objects. Also, the moisture from burning hydrogen will cause hydrogen embrittlement when welding.
You can't cut with them either, not without a tank of oxygen from the LWS at least. It takes a large excess of oxygen to do any cutting, the HHO systems only produce enough for a nuetral flame.

There is alot of hype around these things lately. In reality they are only useful for very specific applications. You are much better off with O2 and acetylene, or even propane.

[ornametalsmith]

Just thought I'd toss this out there:
YouTube - Hydrogen Technology
And their website, which has other interesting videos:
Hydrogen Technology Applications, Inc.

I've got an invitation to go down and Play with the TOYLS.......I'll post a first hand experience report afterwards.

[Joe H]

The very first line in that youtube video says it all. "(whatever his name was) shows off his hot new invention". BS! These things have literally been around longer than I have.

Yes, you can make a torch that runs off of water (and LOTS of electricity). Is it a very useful torch? Nope. That's why you only see them on the internet.

[Golden_eagle]

What about Browns gas?

[bipolarandy]

Browns gas is the same as Klines gas is the same as HHO gas, every 10 or 20 years another scam artist come along and puts his name on it and sells it as brand new state of the art tech, Water powered torches have been around for 100 years, why dont people use them? They take tons of electricity and are not as hot as a O/A torch

[ornametalsmith]

fwiw, The technology works, there are many water torches used in the jewelry field, which was where I first saw the Aqua Torch(mid 80's). They don't use "tons of electricity". Can you get your O/A torch to burn at almost 5800 degrees? Mine won't.

Flame temperatures

* 2200°C = 3992°F, for Propane/Oxygen
* 2927°C = 5300°F, for MAPP Gas/Oxygen
* 2700°C = 4892°F, for Acetylene/Oxygen
* 3200°C = 5792°F, for Hydrogen/Oxygen



AND they are capable of a LOT more than "brazing small objects".

the last thing I'm trying to do is be disagreeable........just thought that I'd share the info.

here's some info on Brown's Gas:
PowerPedia:Browns gas - PESWiki


Not trying to convert anyone......fwiw. I've got no dog in the fight. LOL

[Golden_eagle]

the one I'm working on has a three gallon water reservoir and one-gallon aniti-spark HHO holding tank, and the main flashback arrester is right next to the torch: the torch it self is a pre-made factory torch. it runs off a rectifyed 110 wall current and draws 1-25 amps depending on what your doing...

P.S. bipolarandy i knew that browns gas and HHO are the same along with Hydroxagen, but Klines gas i dident know about, thanks!

[h2extreme.com]

Originally Posted by Golden_eagle

I have been looking at DIY Welders/Cutters and have Happened across HHO Cutting torches, My question is Can you weld with them and where can you get them?

hho for welding is not a choice I would use. although i do build these and would love to sell you one. the heat from the hho burns the steel and makes it crisp. some bubble acetone to cool the flame, but why not just use a plasma arc welder. believe me i've done both. you can check out my torches and videos at water for fuel

[Joe H]

It's not the heat, it's the hydrogen that makes the steel brittle. It's called hydrogen embrittlement. Moisture can cause it in any welding process.