Pulse Plugs Boost Fuel Economy in Prius 6%-8%
29 April 2008
Recent tests performed at Enerpulse, Inc. demonstrate that its newly released product, the Pulstar pulse plug, improved fuel economy on 2005 and 2007 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles by 6% - 8%, or approximately 3 miles per gallon. The 2005 Prius, for example, showed a 6.72% reduction in fuel consumption on the US06 cycle.
An acceleration test (from 40 to 80 miles per hour) showed an improvement of 5% compared to the factory-installed spark plugs.
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| Drawing of the pulse plug. Click to enlarge. |
Unlike a spark plug, a pulse plugs uses a capacitor to boost the energy to the spark. In a traditional spark plug, the voltage builds in the spark gap until a spark can be formed. During this ionization phase, the incoming voltage heats up ignition components, including the spark plug. When the ignition voltage overcomes the resistance in the spark gap, the spark discharges with about 50 watts of power.
By contrast, the pulse plug uses a capacitor to store the energy until spark formation, at which time the pulse circuit discharges the accumulated power, approximately 10 times the conventional plug. The resulting more robust spark improves engine combustion yielding better fuel economy and engine performance.
Enerpulse developed the Enerpulse Performance Evaluation Procedure (E-PEP) to compare pulse plugs to spark plugs in a controlled test that measures horsepower, torque, acceleration and fuel economy. The fuel economy portion of the test utilizes the EPA US06 driving cycle in combination with a real time fuel flow monitoring system. The test vehicle is first run with the factory recommended spark plug and then again with the pulse plug. Numbers reported are in percentage improvement of pulse plugs to spark plugs. Test details on a series of vehicles are available on the Enerpulse website.
Well, this is certainly an interesting concept and all, but I'll wait until I see the results of independent studies.
Posted by: Travis Rassat | 29 April 2008 at 05:26 AM
C'mon GCC, don't buy some crap marketing hype. The company sent me and a friend some of these plugs a while back and after they caused his car to misfire so badly the engine died and wouldn't run, I decided not to put them in my car...
Posted by: Benjamin Jones | 29 April 2008 at 06:00 AM
Benjamin Jones, do you have like, pictures or video graphic evidence of this? Perhaps a lawsuit for the damage caused to his car? A certified letter to the company regarding this issue? ANY KIND of corroborating evidence t back up your assertion?
Because if you don't, I am simply going to call your post a FUD job.
Posted by: The Scoot | 29 April 2008 at 06:22 AM
Scoot, So somebody claims a 6-8% increase in thermodynamic efficiency with a spark plug and you don't question it, but a guy that has some first hand experience with them has to send you paperwork or a video? Don't drink the Kool-Aide man!
Posted by: PhilB | 29 April 2008 at 07:17 AM
Hmm, I hear Diesels increase fuel economy even more. And they don't even need spark plugs at all.
Posted by: Peter | 29 April 2008 at 07:17 AM
How ingenious, timing retardation built right into the spark plug. I expect that emissions would increase faster than fuel economy. No thanks.
Posted by: richard schumacher | 29 April 2008 at 07:31 AM
These plugs have been around for a couple of years,
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/pulse_plug_demo.html
but no manufacturer uses them yet. So I'm sceptical.
Posted by: DavidJ | 29 April 2008 at 07:49 AM
First you had companies putting the capacitor in the spark plug wires (like Nology) now you get them in the spark plugs...
I too wait for the results of independent tests.
Posted by: Patrick | 29 April 2008 at 08:26 AM
Every 5 or 6 years somebody comes out with a wonder plug and fades away,for unknown reasons, about 2 years later.
Is this one different?
Did anybody else try them?
Posted by: Harvey D | 29 April 2008 at 08:44 AM
I notice there are some independent tests referenced
in the FAQ page of the manufacturer
http://www.pulstarplug.com/tresults/05prius.html
Look for the FAQ link then bottom of FAQ page.
Posted by: RoySV | 29 April 2008 at 09:11 AM
These plugs have been around a few years. They have been tested by "third parties" (magazines, tuners and the like). They are expensive at about 25 USD each.
Some tests show them to have a slight benefit. Others show a dramatic performance increase. One tester had constant miss fires that were traced to an anemic ignition system that failed to charge the plug capacitors consistently.
They have a 30 day money back guarantee.
Look around a little bit. The answers are out there.
Posted by: RustyLugNut | 29 April 2008 at 09:39 AM
These plugs have been around a few years. They have been tested by "third parties" (magazines, tuners and the like). They are expensive at about 25 USD each.
Some tests show them to have a slight benefit. Others show a dramatic performance increase. One tester had constant miss fires that were traced to an anemic ignition system that failed to charge the plug capacitors consistently.
They have a 30 day money back guarantee.
Look around a little bit. The answers are out there.
Posted by: RustyLugNut | 29 April 2008 at 09:41 AM
What you've all been waiting for:
Spark Plugs.com testing on SRT4.
Change to E85's testing.
A (somewhat biased?) review from DSport Magazine. It smacks of being an advertisement.
These were all quoted from the Pulstar web page, but some of them at least give the illusion of independent testing...
Posted by: Bike Commuter Dude | 29 April 2008 at 10:35 AM
They sound good in principle, but your ignition system would have to be up to the task. Independent lab tests would be good as well. I keep an open mind about these things until they are proven wrong. I wonder how they effect engine timing and if the timing needs to change to compensate.
Posted by: SJC | 29 April 2008 at 10:40 AM
I'll wait until I see what Consumer Reports has to say about these. Until then, I'll stick with magnets on my fuel line. They line up all the gasoline atoms real nice so they blow up better.
Posted by: David | 29 April 2008 at 11:14 AM
PhilB, read my words carefully. Did I say anything about believing Enerpulse? I just don't like FUD. A "friend of his" used the plugs...
It smacks of innuendo.
Posted by: The Scoot | 29 April 2008 at 11:47 AM
Well,
Based on Bike commuter dude's links you would probably be best off with a set of Iridium plugs. Similar power gain, longer life, lower price and more consistant performance (especially when you look at the "hot" runs).
Posted by: Patrick | 29 April 2008 at 01:02 PM
Pulstar Plug with tests results , with this no revelation the spark gives 1000000 watt this should Sie should change the stoichiometric ratio .The cost of the spark plug is 25 $ high , not wroze of mass- using in cars. I disappointed sie new Hallo Spark Plug with brought with US.
Revolucyjna the candle should be such:
Fire Storm Capabilities
First, let look at what Krupa FireStorm spark plugs give an
internal
combustion engine:
More horsepower;
44-50% increase in mpg;
Dramatic decrease in emissions.
Second, let see what FireStorm plugs eliminate:
Smog pump;
Catalytic converter;
Radio frequency interference (RFI) and the use of resistors in the
centre
electrode;
Gap growth;
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems;
Misfire/hesitation/detonation/stutter and stumble.
Full Text
,http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=87928>Disp=0
,http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=200213
Full text http://www.unicusmagazine.com/pioneers2003/firestorm.htm
Posted by: Henryk | 29 April 2008 at 10:51 PM
This would be a popular racing application if legitimate. Currently the expensive MSD ignition systems will boost mileage, though usually are used to tune the other way for more speed. See what the tuners do.
Posted by: Elliot | 01 May 2008 at 05:02 PM