We all look forward to the new guy who will beat the law of conservation of energy. Nobel prize here they come ( unless it turns out to be the Darwin award ) I appoligize for the snarky nature of the above.

First I would like to thank those members who offered responses without the rude remarks.
As far as the other members…
IN RESPONSE to all of the so called, “Snarky Remarks” and as I said before, “RUDE” behavior.
Again, I am not interested nor did I request your opinions of on HHO, Laws of Conservation, Research Analysis or the many dangers of HHO.
Now that you’ve all gotten some of it out of your system and supposedly trounced me.
I will attempt to ask the same question again.

All I asked was, “I need to be able to take a 12 volt current and reverse the positive to negative in pulses automatically.
Can this be done and if so how?”

After all the time wasting bull, I have what should have been the first response and thanks for the link.

1) Relays, for low frequency switching.
2) H-bridges, for higher frequency switching.
3) And if you want to go even higher, you could use (a) transformer(s). You'd have to wind your own, though - using a toroidal core would likely be the most efficient. Transformer design and construction is in itself a pretty specialized field.

I would love to delve into each more thoroughly but having to put up with all of the opinionated so-called “extensive experience” concerning HHO is such a waste of time it would take months.

Again Thanks to those who provided informative and un-opinionated responses!
CB

 

Hint: making HHO is a waste of time.

 

Nobody was rude to you, or looking to "trounce" you.

As Beenthere said, if you are not trying this out for automotive applications, some comments that may seem critical simply don't apply.

The safety warnings were a must. While this Boards' primary focus is electricity and electronics, safety is the top priority. If you look in the rules anchored at the top of the forum, members are obliged to avoid discussions on topics that may result in bodily harm or property damage.

We encourage our members to experiment, but to do so in a safe and sane manner.

Back to what you are considering:
1) Keep in mind that the first two options (Relays, H-bridges) will not work for very long at all unless there is some kind of inductive current limiting/regulation.

2) With simple PWM, the current would simply be much too high. Relay contacts would burn/melt/fuse together. MOSFETs would get extremely hot during switching, unless the switching was performed extremely fast.

3) If the polarity on the plates is reversed, then the anodes and cathodes switch roles. You will have both (sets of) plates emitting both oxygen and hydrogen, with no practical means of separating the two.

Since you will have a potentially explosive mixture of gases in stoichiometric proportions in an enclosed container, all you need is an ignition source to cause an explosion. A loose wire, buckled plate or misplaced piece of hardware (screws, nuts, washers) could easily cause a short, thus a spark and source of ignition.

Said explosion would very likely cause property damage, and has the potential of causing bodily harm. This is why I have to recommend against it.

You may be attempting to find a "resonant" frequency for water that promises to release large quantities of gases. Water does have a resonant frequency; it's somewhere between 22GHz and 23GHz; if it's dispersed in a fine mist first.

Unfortunately, about the highest frequencies you'll be able to reach (even with RF power transistors) with components available to hobbyists is perhaps 300MHz - with a LOT of time, effort and research involved. You'd need to be operating nearly two orders of magnitude higher (about 74x higher) in frequency.

Operating in the GHz range is anything but trivial, even to "old hands".

Obtaining oxygen and hydrogen by electrolysis DOES have practical applications, such as welding. However, the two gases must not be allowed to mix until they are at the torch nozzle, or other point of combustion.

 

You forgot to say what frequency you need it to switch at? Hz, kHz, MHz, GHz?

 

As was pointed out, be attitude seems to be your problem. when you say -

IN RESPONSE to all of the so called, “Snarky Remarks” and as I said before, “RUDE” behavior.
Again, I am not interested nor did I request your opinions of on HHO, Laws of Conservation, Research Analysis or the many dangers of HHO.
Now that you’ve all gotten some of it out of your system and supposedly trounced me.

- essentially you are being quite rude.

There are dangers associated with producing an explosive substance. When you tell us you are angered by being reminded of them - if you were aware of them in the first place - it seems odd.

Why do you feel "trounced"? Nobody beat up on you. The only accusing finger that got pointed was your own. I believe it was not we who were rude.

 

First I would like to thank those members who offered responses without the rude remarks.
As far as the other members…
IN RESPONSE to all of the so called, “Snarky Remarks” and as I said before, “RUDE” behavior.
Again, I am not interested nor did I request your opinions of on HHO, Laws of Conservation, Research Analysis or the many dangers of HHO.
Now that you’ve all gotten some of it out of your system and supposedly trounced me.
I will attempt to ask the same question again.

All I asked was, “I need to be able to take a 12 volt current and reverse the positive to negative in pulses automatically.
Can this be done and if so how?”

After all the time wasting bull, I have what should have been the first response and thanks for the link.

1) Relays, for low frequency switching.
2) H-bridges, for higher frequency switching.
3) And if you want to go even higher, you could use (a) transformer(s). You'd have to wind your own, though - using a toroidal core would likely be the most efficient. Transformer design and construction is in itself a pretty specialized field.

I would love to delve into each more thoroughly but having to put up with all of the opinionated so-called “extensive experience” concerning HHO is such a waste of time it would take months.

Again Thanks to those who provided informative and un-opinionated responses!
CB

I take offense at the imperious notion that we were put upon this Earth to educate you and satisfy your desire for knowledge that does not exist. I especially take issue with the notion that anybody said anything rude to you. I think you were the one that engaged in rude behavior by flinging baseless and unsupportable accusations.

Well no matter, it is unlikely you will be back.

 

Nobody was rude to you, or looking to "trounce" you.

As Beenthere said, if you are not trying this out for automotive applications, some comments that may seem critical simply don't apply.

The safety warnings were a must. While this Boards' primary focus is electricity and electronics, safety is the top priority. If you look in the rules anchored at the top of the forum, members are obliged to avoid discussions on topics that may result in bodily harm or property damage.

We encourage our members to experiment, but to do so in a safe and sane manner.

Back to what you are considering:
1) Keep in mind that the first two options (Relays, H-bridges) will not work for very long at all unless there is some kind of inductive current limiting/regulation.

2) With simple PWM, the current would simply be much too high. Relay contacts would burn/melt/fuse together. MOSFETs would get extremely hot during switching, unless the switching was performed extremely fast.

3) If the polarity on the plates is reversed, then the anodes and cathodes switch roles. You will have both (sets of) plates emitting both oxygen and hydrogen, with no practical means of separating the two.

Since you will have a potentially explosive mixture of gases in stoichiometric proportions in an enclosed container, all you need is an ignition source to cause an explosion. A loose wire, buckled plate or misplaced piece of hardware (screws, nuts, washers) could easily cause a short, thus a spark and source of ignition.

Said explosion would very likely cause property damage, and has the potential of causing bodily harm. This is why I have to recommend against it.

You may be attempting to find a "resonant" frequency for water that promises to release large quantities of gases. Water does have a resonant frequency; it's somewhere between 22GHz and 23GHz; if it's dispersed in a fine mist first.

Unfortunately, about the highest frequencies you'll be able to reach (even with RF power transistors) with components available to hobbyists is perhaps 300MHz - with a LOT of time, effort and research involved. You'd need to be operating nearly two orders of magnitude higher (about 74x higher) in frequency.

Operating in the GHz range is anything but trivial, even to "old hands".

Obtaining oxygen and hydrogen by electrolysis DOES have practical applications, such as welding. However, the two gases must not be allowed to mix until they are at the torch nozzle, or other point of combustion.

I'm Baaaack!
Ok Guys just let it go!

Now, again, if possible, back to what I'm asking:
Addressed to SgtWookie, whom I thank for his input.
I understand how you feel and your points are well taken.

I'm not attempting to find a "resonant" frequency for water.
I want to change the polarity of the plates automatically at a stable frequency.
I’m not interested in high or low frequency, just to equally apply current as anode and cathode to either prevent or at least slow plate degeneration from the electrolytic process.
If that particular stable frequency also enhances HHO production then great, if not, so be it.

Thanks
CB

 

From our rules:

Forum members must not knowingly provide any information that may adversely affect another member; this includes, but is not restricted to, information that may potentially result in injury, death, damage or destruction of property and possessions. The administration takes this matter seriously and has the right to remove any contentious content and deal with the offending member as it deems is necessary.

SgtWookie has mentioned that -

Since you will have a potentially explosive mixture of gases in stoichiometric proportions in an enclosed container, all you need is an ignition source to cause an explosion. A loose wire, buckled plate or misplaced piece of hardware (screws, nuts, washers) could easily cause a short, thus a spark and source of ignition.

- which is realistic to mention as -

If the polarity on the plates is reversed, then the anodes and cathodes switch roles. You will have both (sets of) plates emitting both oxygen and hydrogen, with no practical means of separating the two.

A large volume of gas will be necessary to use for heating (although it is hard to see how that gas may be safely burned without detonation), so that really makes any such a scheme wildly dangerous. We are not going to be able to provide further information, as the method cannot be made safe.