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GENERAL BG PARTS SUPPLIERS

This is a general compilation of Resources for my electrolyzer designs which include those found in Brown’s Gas Book 1, Brown’s Gas Book 2, The ER50 (tabletop) Electrolyzer and the HyZor (automotive) electrolyzer detailed in HyZor Technology Book and Resources.

This Resources Page is generally applicable to all the above projects.  
This page makes it easier for me to make corrections, generally applicable to all the above projects, on only one page.
Resources SPECIFIC to each of the above projects will be listed on a separate page, each available inside the appropriate Resources.

You should be able to find most of your supplies in local hardware stores.  It is surprising what they have, or can get for you.  

Components (like stainless steel sheet) can often be acquired from local (or online) scrapyards and surplus businesses.  

Be sure to research scrap and surplus sources whenever possible because you can often get what you need for pennies on the dollar.  Of course, some critical’ items (mostly involving safety) should be bought new; but for the most part, components either work or they don’t and I’ve been able to buy some really high quality (sometimes military) surplus items really inexpensively.

My early books were written before there was an internet, so supplies that couldn’t be found locally (like in the Yellow Pages), required tedious research to find catalogs and supplier information.  The Thomas Register of Manufacturer’s (pricy but available in most libraries) was a huge boon.  Now, supply searches are not only fast and efficient but you can compare prices and features nearly instantly with a web search.

Safety Supplies

• Industrial Safety Co., 1390 Neubrecht Rd., Lima, Ohio, 45801.  
Phone: 1-800-537-9721.
– Safety supplies (A full range of).

Electronics Suppliers

• Radio Shack
www.radioshack.com (USA)
www.thesource.ca (Canada)
Various wires, clamps, terminal ends, project boxes, switches, capacitors, etc.

Plastic Pipe and Fittings Suppliers

• Value Plastics, Inc., 
3350 Eastbrook Drive, Fort Collins, CO, 80525, USA; 
Phone: 303-223-8306.
Specializes in Plastic fittings, particularly Luer fittings.

• Harvel Plastics, Inc.,
Box 757, Easton, PA, 18044-0757. Phone: 610-252-7355.
– CPVC plastic pipe.

• United States Plastics Corp., 
www.usplastic.com
Has various plastic valves, clamps, pipe, tubing and fittings.  Includes transparent PVC pipe and fittings.  I build my ER50’s out of transparent PVC (even though it’s pricy) because I can then see what’s happening inside the electrolyzer.
– CPVC 3/4” plastic sheet
– Funnels
– High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) tubing and hose fittings
– Table saw blade (Special) to cut plastic
– Tygon tubing (clear), get highest pressure rating.  Formulation R-3603 has a working pressure of 62 psi with ID of 1/4 @ 1/8” walls.  Recommended for sight tubes (put a small dark HDPE ball in the tube to float on the liquid level).

• Cords Canada Ltd., 62 Densley Avenue, Toronto, ON, M6M 5E1, Canada; 
Phone: 416-242-6811.
Catalog of plastic hardware, includes hoses, fittings, bolts, screws, etc., all made from various plastics.  Plastics are a great way to inexpensively get around fluids and materials compatibility problems of your electrolyzer.

General Suppliers

 • Cole-Parmer Instrument Co., 
http://www.coleparmer.com/   (USA)
http://www.coleparmer.ca/   (Canada)
The Cole-Parmer catalog has a bonanza of stuff, and includes a fairly comprehensive materials compatibility chart in the back.
http://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance
– 0 to 100 psi pressure gauge, with 316 SS tube and stem, #H-68811-05
– 60 amp 3 pole relay with a 120 VAC activation coil; #H89950-40.  Also find electronic relays here.
– Brass needle valves #H-68831-00 (have 1/4 NPT(F) openings)
– Check-valves, #H-98676-02 is a 3/8 multi-position brass
– Diaphragm seals are recommended to prevent eventual clogging
– Electrical Multi-meters
– Hose and pipe fittings
– Liquid level sensors and controls
– Pressure relief valves
– Pressure switch #H-07355-43 has a 316 stainless steel diaphragm and stem (1/2” FNPT); and a pressure range (field set able) from 10 to 100 psi, with 1.5% set-point repeatability 
– Safety equipment (A huge amount of).
– Stopwatches
– Temperature shut-off switches three wire design allows you to shut-off the electrolyzer and ring an alarm from the same switch.  #H-93880-54 is a stainless steel, 125°F (52°C) snap action switch rated at 3 amp inductive at 120 VAC.  Note: Install capacitor across mechanical relay coil to reduce inductive arcing.
– Torch set (Little)

• Industrial Specialties Mfg, Inc., 
2741 West Oxford, Unit #6, Englewood, CO, 80110. 
Phone: 303-781-8486
– Gauges and many other items.

• J. C. Whitney & Co., 
Box 3000, LaSalle, IL  61301-0300
Phone: 1-800-529-4486
Has a complete line of aftermarket automotive accessories in their catalog.  You would be interested in high amperage gauges, various switches, etc.

Suppliers of surplus parts

• C & H Sales Co., 
Box 5356, Pasadena, CA, 91107; 
Phone: 213-681-4925.
Long list of surplus supplies: rectifiers, capacitors, switches, etc.

• H & R Company, 
Box 122, Bristol, PA, 19007-0122; 
Phone: 215-788-5583.
Long list of surplus supplies: rectifiers, capacitors, switches, etc.

• Surplus Center, 
PO Box 82209, Lincoln, NE, 68501-2209, USA; 
Phone: 402-474-4055.
Long list of surplus supplies: rectifiers, capacitors, switches, etc.

For electrolyzer CAL (power supply) capacitors, you want to use ‘motor run’ capacitors.
http://www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/Capacitors/Motor-Run-Capacitors/ 

• All Electronics Corp., 
PO Box 567, Van Nuys, CA, 91408, USA.; 
Phone: 818-904-0524.
Long list of surplus supplies: rectifiers, capacitors, switches, etc.

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