CER GAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1940, Page 4

CER GAS

C YRTED CAR VISITS MASTERTON USE OF CARBONISED COAL CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC INTEREST The appearance of a motor-car in Masterton this morning fitted with a producer gas plant aroused considerable interest. Two round receptacles, fitted on each mudguard or running board on the side of the bonnet, indicated to the public that the car has been converted for running on this gas. On the driver’s side, the container, which is filled either with charcoal or char (carbonised coal) has a small fire box at the bottom, while the receptacle on the other side is the purifier. This particular car had travelled from Wellington with one filling of char, and about 65 miles represents the average distance covered for that quantity of fuel. It is a simple matter, however, to remove the burnt char and replace it. When lighting up, it is much quicker to use petrol to start the engine, and the producer gas is ready for use within a minute or so of lighting the fuel. A feature of the plant is that petrol may be used as an auxiliary power on hills, if necessary. A loss of about one-third in power results from producer gas, which however, even with a Government tax of 2s per 100 miles, costs only one-third as much as petrol. The carbonised coal being used in New Zealand comes from the Waikato, where there are said to be unlimited quantities of slack suitable for the purpose. Although experiments are being carried out in New Zealand to ascertain if any New Zealand woods are suitable for making into charcoal, it is believed that none of them are hard enough to give really first-class charcoal. It is too early yet, it is stated, to give any definite opinion, but even if there are no suitable woods, the Waikato slack will provide all the fuel required. The fitting of the plant takes about three days. Quite a number of cars have already been fitted in Wellington and steps are in train for a start to be made in Masterton. Incidentally, the plant is made in New Zealand, and the fuel is New Zealand produced.