Frenette Heater

General Discussion
#1

Does anyone have any actual information on the Eugene Frenette heater story ------- maybe someone that bought a franchise? I actually built a small version of this heater a couple of years ago ----- I did not have positive results. As the story goes in NH, the heater worked great, Frenette sold franchises all over the country, built a large facility in Londonderry NH -------- end of story! Although this seems to have been a scam, there is an interesting history dating back to the early 70s.

http://www.rexresearch.com/frenette/frenette.htm

#2

Hi Peter
Was it similar to this?

Thanks Patrick

#3

Hi Patrick,

Yes, Frenette’s heater was of similar design but not as refined as this one. Many of these heaters have been built over the years by others, but looking at the patent records seems that Frenette was the original inventor.

My findings were basically, too much energy expended to turn the rotor. It appears that Frenette was not using cavitation, rather friction only. Seems strange that so many years of updated patents ----- time & money would be wasted on a scam.

Peter

#4

People like this have tried for centuries to overturn the laws of physics. But friction, cavitation and so forth all lead back to energy in, energy out. All electrical energy eventually becomes heat (entropy); the only question is when and where. That also means that all electric heaters of the same wattage will produce the same heat. The only difference in them is how they distribute that heat.

Personally I’m a lot more interested in going the other direction - can I take unrefined heat and turn it into electrical or mechanical energy? Woodgas is a good way to accomplish that.

#5

Chris, that’s only true when you are converting electricity into heat. If you are using the electricity in a different way (heat pump) output can greatly exceed the “electric heaters of the same wattage will produce the same heat”. Cavitation, in particular, may have a similar advantage, as electricity is merely a lever, not the actual prime mover.

That being said, I don’t think you gain anything with the friction heater, as you introduce many points of losses. Overall efficiency will probably be lower than a electric heating element.