Hydrogen Fuel Rocket Set
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend Estes takes model rockets to the next level with the Hydrogen Fuel Rocket. This incredible rocket actually generates hydrogen fuel from water, meaning all you need is water to power an unlimited number of rocket launches. Hydrogen fuel is clean burning, environmentally safe and energy efficient. Just put tap water in the rocket's generator and hydrogen fuel is produced. The reaction chamber then triggers the fuel for a launch… Product details and pricing info |
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12 Customer Reviews Posted
- Fun when it works, but the batteries will bankrupt you!
- My son absolutely LOVES this thing, but the battery life leaves a LOT to be desired.
It uses a set of 6 D-cells, which need to be alkaline types due to the high current drain (I measured about 4A while generating the hydrogen, and 5-6A to heat the ignitor coil). Using a fresh set of cells, figure on getting 12-15 launches before the batteries start to go flat, and when they do, misfires become the rule rather than the exception. At ~$8 for a set of batteries, this thing can easily cost as much or more per launch than the standard model rockets, but only achieves a fraction of the altitude.
I ended up modifying the launcher to run from an external 12 volt battery (motorcycle battery), and it will now run all day without draining the wallet. Estes should offer a rechargeable battery pack or 12V cigarette lighter cord as an option.
The other problem is the igniter system. It uses a nichrome wire coil that gets heated to ignite the hydrogen. If the launcher gets moved, liquid can splash onto the coil and prevent ignition until the coil gets heated a few times, or dried manually with a q-tip. - 2007-08-31, 9 of 10 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Great, Endless Fun
- Why are there so many negative reviews on here?! This toy is great. I suspect the others who posted simply did not follow the instructions closely -- there are some strange caveats in the directions-- such as presoaking the generator in water and trying to keep the igniter dry (while pouring water at it...) but worked GREAT right out of the box for me. Had a fabulous time this past weekend launching again and again.
Agree that waiting 3 minutes between launches can seem long, but when you consider you don't need to buy any engines (water from the tap is all that is required for endless launches) it's really not too terrible to wait 3 minutes... patience is a virtue. - 2007-07-25, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Try it, You'll Like it!
- I got one of these for the 4th of July and it works great! Coworkers and I discuss options on all types of alternately fueled vehicles, and there is always a discussion about "water engines". I had dismissed them until I saw this thing in action. You wont believe how little hydrogen/oxygen mix it takes to create a tremendous amount of energy. My rocket reliably went over 10 stories high again and again. I was impressed. Now I just need to figure out how to get this technology into my car engine...
- 2007-07-23, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Success! (finally)
- NOTE: this is for a similar system that has only one rocket in the kit and one LED; maybe called the "1876"? Looks like the same thing...
I got one of these for Fathers Day, and had several unsuccessful launch attempts. If I'd written this last week, it would have gotten 1 star. But with the following caveats, it defied gravity 5 times today, although the first was only a 6 inch liftoff that left everyone rolling on the ground.
1) The orange battery caps seem to pop off their threads, sending the batteries sliding out. Fixed this with nylon cable ties (shouldn't have to do this- bad design!)
2) When screwing the tanklike thing onto the base, you have to turn it hard UNTIL IT STOPS. You have to turn it past the first detent that feels like the end; there is another! If you don't turn it to the FINAL "click" detent, it will run the LED, give you a launch beep, but there won't be any H2 to ignite :( Of course now I see that others have noted this here also... oops.
3) When making H2, bubbles will appear nearly constantly. When not working (in my case because of item #2, you may still get occasional bubbles as the pad gets wet, but don't get your hopes up until you see a nearly constant stream...
Now that it works, I like it! Still working on better range; I'd guess I got 60-70 feet today, but I don't think there was enough fluid in it... - 2007-06-20, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Two words: It. Sucks.
- There is nothing more I can say other then it didn't work. When I bought it was told as long as I followed the directions closely I'd be fine. I read every single thing in the box many times over and did countless tests and it just never fired. There was not even a hint anything was going to happen every time I pushed the launch button.
I had a group of kids with me ranging from Kindergarten to Jr. High and most of them were really disappointed, especially the 6 year old who's job it was to push the button... again and again and again and again.
Don't buy this, and if you absolutely must, try it out yourself to make sure you can do it before sharing it with any kids. - 2007-02-12, 3 of 4 people found this review helpful, Rated:
