Water Power!

Good Housekeeping
April 2000

[DanielDingel.com Note: This is a text-encoded version of an original magazine article as depicted in the photograph.]

It's not quite like turning water into wine, but this miracle worker is set to make cars run on nothing but water.

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Turn on the car's engine... not a trace of black smoke or carbon emissions from the exhaust pipe.

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We drink it, use it to cook, wash the dishes, take a bath, and clean our car. But can you imagine using ordinary tap water to fuel the car you've just washed? One of our own has gone beyond imagining - he has made the water-powered car a reality.

Engineer Daniel D. Dingel, a 67-year-old inventor and businessman, created and perfected the world's first ever "water-powered" car. For this feat a major daily newspaper has gone as far as to call him "the greatest Filipino inventor."

A native of San Fernando, La Union, Mang Daniel got most of his technical training and know-how from American servicemen based in Clark and Subic, where he served as a "tent-boy" with the United States Armed Forces. Marine engineers taught the young Daniel the rudiments of mechanics and chemistry.

A mechanical engineering degree from the International Correspondence School and years of practical experience led to a 10-year teaching stint at a Japanese university and some work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). At home, he has served as a consultant for both the AFP and PAF.

History Begins

Mang Daniel began working on this innovative car in the 1970s. As early as the 1980s, he caught the attention and interest of several foreign car manufacturers such as Mitsubishi, Nissan, General Motors, BMW, and Daewoo. Foreign and local scientists and experts have also been impressed with his invention and have certified the authenticity of his work.

The converted car, a 1996 GLi Toyota Corolla, looks no different from the thousands of cars which ply the streets of Metro Manila, save for the numerous stickers and decals proclaiming "this car runs on ordinary water." But open the car hood and see the many modifications Mang Daniel has made to produce his water-fuel system.

The car consumes only one liter of water for every hour of travel. Mang Daniel has used the car in numerous trips out of town, going as far up north as Cagayan Valley, and down South to Albay in the Bicol region. In one 246-kilometer trip going to Baguio, the car was said to have consumed only a few gallons of water. In an earlier test drive in the United States, a distance of approximately 1,300 kilometers was covered from Detroit, Michigan to Florida using only 60 liters of water!

Mang Daniel believes his invention will greatly reduce the transportation expenses of budget-conscious homemakers. He even computes that mass production of his car will cost no more than making a gasoline-powered car.

Giving Nature a Lift

Another advantage is that the machine is environment-friendly. Turn on the car's engine and you will see not a trace of black smoke or carbon emissions coming out of the exhaust pipe. A trail of water is the sole evidence of waste product produced by his fuel system! The waste product is rich in nitrogen which can serve as rich fertilizer for one's home garden.

Mang Daniel clarifies that the principle behind his invention is not something new and has been here for a very long time. He explains that it is not the water itself that powers the engine but hydrogen, which is a component of water.

But coming up with such an innovative and lifestyle-changing invention does have its share of difficulties and obstacles. Before developing the current system, Mang Daniel has had several engines explode on him due to the volatility of hydrogen. Years of painstaking work was put into improving the system to make it safe from sudden explosions caused by head-on collisions or other accidents.

Blind to Brilliance

One wish of Mand Daniel's is to have the government fund the patent of his invention so that it will be the national government that will collect royalties should foreign investors wish to manufacture his invention. Unfortunately, after four administrations, no serious attention has been given him. He believes that due to the country's indebtedness and commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), the national government is obligated not to manufacture any product that will compete with products made by first-world countries, and is therefore not giving any notice to his invention.

Nevertheless, Mang Daniel is blessed with a strong faith and a big heart. His primary concern is to improve the welfare of his countrymen, particularly the poor and the oppressed. He feels that all the effort put into making his invention will be futile if it does not help the lives of many.

When asked what he still wants to achieve at this point in his life, he grins broadly and says, "This may sound funny, but I want to be the richest man in the world." After which he gives a small chuckle, as though enjoying a small, private joke. He continues, "That way, I can help more people."

Big ideas from a man with a big heart. He just may get the last laugh. --Dandee Adapon