Does salesman's gasless engine run on snake oil?

Seattle Times ^ | 2/9/06 | Emily Heffter

[Diddle E. Squat]

Peace through magnetics!

"Dressed in a suit and tie and a red shirt, he blasted the government, touted his Christianity and claimed to be a volunteer for a company called Better World Alternatives.

Then he described the company's products: a detergent-free, magnetic laundry system; paint that will melt the snow on your driveway and insulate your walls; a camera that can see through 6 feet of concrete and into people's bodies...

...In their investigation in 2001, state attorneys determined that Lee's products — most notably the magnetic machine he says creates free electricity — can't possibly exist."

[Bazooka]

Here we go again. In the past years, so many people came up with just as many inventions that turned out to be....well....unfounded, weird ideas. If it works, let them make sure it works well, secure the patents, and present it in the regular way. If it works, the industry WILL eventually do something with it, especially in these days, when even the President wants to decrease oil imports.
Other than that, it may just be one of those attention-seeking attempts by a nutcake (he wouldn't be the first one).
By the way, the only way to decrease oil imports, is to drive smaller cars that use less gasoline. Works instantly!

[Lokibob]

bump for later investing (LOL)

[Khurkris]

Sometimes it takes a little snake oil to lubricate the sluggish cogs of commerce.

[Smokin' Joe]

I found their web page: BWA Network

Reads like snake oil to me...

[Straight Vermonter]

There are many, many FReepers that would happily buy much of what this guy sells. Sadly too many people are far too gullible and scientifically ignorant.

[IronManBike]

Hmm..."snake oil" in her title, "sales pitch," and the staunchly conservative Seattle Times, well, this can't be a biased article. I trust her to tell the truth.

[nightdriver]

"The big products — free electricity, gasless engines — aren't on the market, but Hall believes it's just a matter of time."

So what's he selling? "Business opportunities?" (ie, stock in his scam?)

I'd love to see a working model, but of course, it doesn't exist, but "..it's just a matter of time."

Well, when my contact in Nigeria comes through with all that money, I'll be looking to invest in Lee's enterprise. (/sarc.)

[agere_contra]

By the way, the only way to decrease oil imports, is to drive smaller cars that use less gasoline.

That or use the billions of barrels of oil that America has within its own borders.

[mc5cents]

I believe that the "Doctor" that was treating Correta Scott King in Mexico was using magnets to draw the cancer out of her. His theory was that cancer cells have metal in them. The "Doctor" has disappeared since Mrs. King died I understand.

[carumba]

Well, when my contact in Nigeria comes through with all that money...

Well if its instant cash flow you want, I can put you in touch with a diamond broker in Moscow, a condo developer on the Golden Gate bridge (get in on the ground level!), or a guy in Albuquerque with a corner on the market in antique chess sets (this is going to be hotter than Pet Rocks.)

[wafflehouse]

Does salesman's gasless engine run on snake oil?

YES.

[Fresh Wind]

Big deal. Have you priced snake oil lately?

[G.Mason]

" By the way, the only way to decrease oil imports, is to drive smaller cars that use less gasoline. Works instantly!"

Let me know when you get a bit more serious.

I'll set you up with one of these ...

I have a special deal for two. A his and a her set, in choice of 28 colors.

[ClaireSolt]

With all that stuff to carry, you might consider upgrading to a wheelbarrow. :)

[G.Mason]

"With all that stuff to carry, you might consider upgrading to a wheelbarrow. :)"

I tried that, but when I climb in, with all the stuff, my wife only goes 20 yards an hour. ;)

[usmcobra]

Tesla....Nuff said.

By the way as a certifiable skeptic, and a lover of finely tuuned engines, I will force myself to watch the gas less engine video.

[usmcobra]

Tesla....Nuff said.

By the way as a certifiable skeptic, and a lover of finely tuned engines, I will force myself to watch the gas less engine video.

[KarlInOhio]

If there were 16 million homes that had a 30 kWh generator on them pumping all their excess power back into the grid 24 hours a day for all 365 days a year,

Adding to my initial skepticism, it is looks like the developer of this doesn't know the difference between power (kilowatts) and energy (kilowatt hours). A generator is rated for how much power it can produce continually just as long as you keep it fueled. An amount of fuel or a battery is rated for how much total energy it can produce. This mistake is like asking someone how fast a car can go and he instead tells you only how far it can go.

[usmcobra]

I could duplicate his experiment easily.

Despite all the coke, pepsi, hot sause, ice water, urine, and that little bit of gasoline he puts into his jar first his engine is not running off of any of that mixture but instead runs off of a supply of fuel already in the Carburator.

To get a cleaner running engine he has chosen to run it off of Toulene or Napatha both of which I know can be used to start and run any engine including a V-8. This was easy to spot because of the repeated attempts to get it started, engines using those fuels can be run but are just a tad harder to start at first.

The mower with the "closed loop" system i.e: no exhaust just has a simple modification that routes the exhaust out the bottom where the cutting blade is. It too uses a fuel other then gas in it's carburator to give the illusion it is not running on gas especially since it isn't.