Don Szczur

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I read somewhere recently that I am classified as a national level pattern pilot. Well I can tell you that people read this and as a result I get a lot of advice. It's good to listen to all of it, sort through the useful recommendations, hints and experiences folks offer and learn from them to become a better pilot, modeler, and then spread that word for the betterment of this hobby.

A month or two ago, I got about an hour of discussion from one of the local flyers on a revolutionary (yet so simple it has never been discovered) idea. This fairly old and distinguished gentleman, actually a retired full scale airline pilot, had some advice. He mostly has electrics now and does not fly much. First time I've seen him this year in fact. He has a large family with many children and grandchildren. I know because one phone call and there was a small army of grandsons to help him get his plane out of the tree one day. This in my mind gives him a lot of credibility. He said to increase performance of my gas powered plane, and fuel efficiency, he suggested using the magnet technique. Now to say that I was a bit skeptical, is to say the least. He went on to describe his experiences and that of everyone that he knows that tried this technique and the results were... lets say astounding. My first question- an obvious one, but none the less innocent the way I asked it was, "This is a really great idea, but if it works so well, why hasn't someone already marketed it?" In fact, I went on... Airlines would all be using it, any commercial venture that is looking to reduce costs would do it. I say, jet turbine companies would spend tens of millions of dollars for a half of one percent increase in fuel efficiency- netting billions of dollars in annual jet fuel cost savings.

Anyhow, I'm getting ahead of myself. The gentleman opened the hood of his large pickup truck and showed me how he put two magnets around the fuel line going into his engine. Says it aligns the oxygen and hydrogen molecules for cleaner burn. He stated that he gets about 15 percent better diesel -mileage, and never has to change his oil any more. Now, he is a really nice guy. After he talked about his buddy that owns a private jet tried it and says he gets several hundred more miles out of his plane with the same amount of fuel... or the cement truck fellow who tried it and went from 8 mpg to 11 mpg... I began to wonder.

So, I said 'OK, I'll try it"...I am a very courteous guy and would feel bad if I went back on my word. I gave my wife's van back to her for the year, I've got back my Sable wagon. So here I am, I bought the magnets today from Lowe's. They cost something like $2.77. I have carefully started taking measurements on my car's gas mileage. It will take several weeks to run the test, but the intent is to try it out.

Stay tuned.

Don

RobT

My Feedback: (17)

Don,

I have heard this claim before and I believe it has been tested and does not live up to the hype. I will be very interested in your results.

On another note I don't know if you remember me but we have spoken many times about various designs on the market. (Eps CARF vs Carden 330 Vs Carden 260 Vs Carden yak Vs QQ Yak Vs Radiowave 300.) I am currently building one of the prototype Cardedn 300. I will let you know how she stacks up. I would be great if you had a chance to fly her...

Rob

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the info Rob. Been out of town the last couple weeks but am back now... so perhaps over the next several weeks I'll be able to do some testing. I'm very pleased with the Radiowave Extra 300 and would expect the Carden would fly well also. A large reason for me going with the Radiowave PAK vs. Carden was the high degree of pre-fab done in terms of sheeting on wings, tail, deck, etc. Best of luck with yours!

Don

kregan

Don,

Any results yet?

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

First baseline was 22.3 MPG, second was 20.9 MPG. I want several more tankfuls to establish a more solid baseline before putting the magnets on. Unless I can get within about 5% variation in MPG from tank-to-tank, I will not have enough confidence in the data to draw conclusions. These MPG ratings are based on a DC area work commute.

On this topic, of interest is a change in the way advertised Estimated Fuel Consumption data is derived for new vehicles. There is so much variation (accleration, deceleration, traffic patterns, use of AC or heat) that a more realistic MPG rating on cars will be established. The prediction is that MPG ratings will drop from 10% to 30% making car manuracturers unhappy, but will give consumers a more accurate or realistic projection of the MPG expected in a car.

Don

Mastertech

My Feedback: (31)

As much head aches as automotive engineers go through to add a tenth of a mile to gallon because of Federal Regs if these worked they'd be on every car made. They don't work, neither do Tornados and K&N filters. Many lab results prove it.

livindead

you can get away from all the variables ..like traffic, and all that... do the test on your lawn mower..same thing only you control the environment...faster results....use a measuring cup and a stop watch...

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

Third tank yielded one is 21.7 mpg. Three data points and can try going with the average.

RickP

My Feedback: (2)

Don,
I believe this is a known scam. Proven not to work. How does aligning molecules help it to burn more effeciently? FWIW I got much better results on my gas milage by watching how I was accellerating and coasting up to lights.
RickP

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

I have my first data point with the magnets. The gas mileage was 22.39 mpg. Last baseline number was 23.25 mpg. Absolutely no relevance at all to gas mileage is my initial conclusion.

It really is interesting, how the gentleman that made the claim had absoutely nothing to gain opened his hood and showed me how he had it configured...and was so convinced. I did get a bit skeptical when he talked about his railgun. However I was true to my word. I did try it out.

Well, what I did learn is how much gas mileage varies with different types of driving, traffic, etc from day-to-day commutes. My gas mileage varied up to 10% based on this. So, if everyone drove carefully without over acceleration, and we had incentivized work-at home pilot programs in our major cities (if everyone worked at home just one day every two weeks all of the traffic congestion would dissapate).

So, 2 mpg times 300,000 vehicles in the DC area times 12,000 miles per year commuting equals 1.8 million gallons per year, equals $4.5M saved by driving more efficiently. Probably not enough to justify a program. Well, that's it. Back to the workshop.

MarkNovack

My Feedback: (3)

Hi Don,
Don, my father-in-law is a real salt of the earth, Belgian gentleman. He would give his shirt from his back to warm a fool who burned his own and expect nothing in return. However, he is also a simple man and extremely trusting and gullible, but not at all dumb. Over here, we pay 7.50 US dollars for a gallon of gasoline and about 2.50 for a gallon of heating oil. At those prices, ask yourself if you might pay for a dream.

Hence, when the home owners exposition came through town and there was a nice and pleasant vendor selling "inductors", known to you and me as magnets, he was absolutley taken in by the mumbo jumbo of aligned molecules and a promised 30% increase in efficeincy all around for savings on both heating oil and gasoline. Luckily, his own financial awarness is keen, and he does not spend the equivilant of 150.00 US dollars, a good sum in Belgium, without consutling his son, a heating professional. Well, his son had the official word, and that was that "inductors" are nothing more than a scam. When the savings are not realized, the buyer is told that they did not install them correctly or that they require major repairs on their heating system, all services that these criminals are will to provide without the real expertise required. Their favorite is the relining of the chimney at 200.00 per meter, a service only required for very old chimnies that are losing refractory brick and clogging the flew and one that is done for cheaper by real chimney service people and they do much more work than just shoving the tube in. Its more an issue of not getting killed by carbon monoxide, but a really plugged up flew can take 15% off the heating effinceicy also. My father-in-law was shocked that someone so nice and pleasant would try and steal from him but after a frank discussion with his son and me about magnetism (go ahead, see if fuel oil or gasonline sticks to a magnet) and scams and con artists, he realized that it was his own desire for unreal savings that made him believe in the possibility.

A bit about efficeincy. As I previously mentioned the cost of heating oil and gasoline, I have a good amount of experience in efficeincy. I drive a car, a small wagon, with a 1.1 liter motor. On the highway I relax and go no faster than the 120kph (about 75mph) speed limit which gives me about 47mpg. It not only saves real money, but it helps relieve this mental Hollywood image of some gold toothed terrorist feathering my dollars in his hands running down to the local explosive formed projectile store (a gross simplification of a real money train). My house stays about 68 degrees during the winter instead of a balmy 72 and we wear flannel and quilted shirts indoors. My dogs love the cooler temps and our sinuses are better for less drying radiated heat. We combine our trips whenver possible and walk to the corner store a half mile away when needed which really helps my heart problem. Our flew is cleaned annually and our oil heated water is not heated between 2300 and 0500. More and more people are going to wood pellet burning boilers at a fuel cost savings of 60% which can pay for the installation in 4 years as people try and reduce the dependency on Middle Eastern oil.

As to the gentleman's claim, that falls into the realm of psychology. People tend to validate their purchases by seeing what they want. Remember MDS motors? Many people claimed that those garbage motors were the best deal on the market because it is easier to handle that belief than to admit one's own poor decision. I would say that he was Fusco'd. They sell the same inductors for softening water, and witch doctors like to use them to cure various ailments that don't show up on medical tests.

Regards,
Mark

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

My wife is making good use of the two magnets on my refridgerator door. They work very well holding notes and pictures .

From what we hear, no fear- global warming will reduce our need for heating oil. Well, maybe next year since this one was sure a cold one here.

One item of interest. I've been running 20% nitro in my YS 170 rather than 30% nitro and that has in fact reduced the fuel mileage by about 20 percent. Instead of two sequences I can get about 1 3/4 sequences. This is primarily because I'm having to go to full throttle at some points rather than half to 3/4 during up lines and radius segments.

All the best!

Don

MarkNovack

My Feedback: (3)

Just before I read your last sentence I had deduced that you require more stick with the reduced nitro content, although I have found that YS do not need the same amount of richening for higher nitro content as other motors. Still, the power difference I experience between 20/20 and 30% heli is incredible.

Of course, a couple of magnets around the finsky upstart valve behind that highspeed motivator may do the trick and allow a transatlantic flight of a DZ170 on Li-Po's! :-)

Mark

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

Needle valve was in the same spot for 30% and 20%. However you may need to richen the needle valve if you go lower on nitro, under some circumstances.

All the best to you,

Don