Fuel cell.....anybody have one of these????

Submitted: Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 14:01
ThreadID: 42413 Views:2651 Replies:6 FollowUps:2
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Looks like another power option (in lieu of gennie or solar panels) to me, but the downside is another type of fuel to carry around (methanol).

Cheers

Roachie
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 14:47

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 14:47
Very nice. I hadn't realised fuel cell technology had move on so much!

However at close to A$3k for 50Ah per day, I'll wait for the Mk 2 version to appear :)

Mike Harding
AnswerID: 222294

Reply By: Member - 'Lucy' - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 14:57

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 14:57
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm! thinking of buying three of these are you Mr Roach, so that you can hide them somewhere in that piece of indescribable chit you just took possession of, in an effort to make it look presentably operational to us discerning members of the 4WD world.

Ooooooooooooh! what a feeling - ******
AnswerID: 222295

Reply By: Willem - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 15:41

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 15:41
Roachie,

Ahhh a New Toy!!!

It took a while to find out just how long a 5litre fuel cell will run before topping up with new fuel cartridge. One to two weeks is stated.

How readily available will a 5litre container be?
The need to carry, say 4 fuel cartridges, for extended travelling.
Fuel Cell will have to be permanently mounted in vehicle?
I wonder of a Fuel Cell will survive the Anne Beadell corrugations though.

Still, it looks promising. Might email them for a costing.

Cheers
AnswerID: 222301

Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 15:54

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 15:54
I love the picture of the white and green container too. In reality if it contains Methanol it would have a black and white logo specifying that it is "Toxic 6" because methanol is nasty bleep .

Also I read this which would really restrict the use in summer:

"Do not store unit and fuel cartridges at temperatures
above 45° C. Do not operate at temperatures above 40°
C. Keep away from heat and direct sunlight."

Now I'm sure as bleep that my car get's hotter than 45c when it's parked up!

It's good to see other technologies being developed but I think it's got a way to go before it's a reality for most of us...
AnswerID: 222305

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 16:08

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 16:08
Oh I love this bit too!! On their website they have a link:

"Want to know more about environmentally friendly methanol?" LOL Ok, maybe it's friendly to the environment, but it'll sure kick your ass if you muck around with it.

From a health and saftey website:
"The symptoms of methanol poisoning, which may not appear for 12
to 24 h, include visual disturbances, nausea, abdominal and muscle
pain, dizziness, weakness and disturbances of consciousness ranging
from coma to clonic seizures.

The lethal dose of methanol for humans is not known for certain,
but is reported to range from 0.3 to 1 g/kg. Autopsies from victims
of lethal methanol poisoning reveal retinal and optic nerve
degeneration and gross pathology in the visceral organs, lungs and
central nervous system, involving a variety of oedematous,
haemorrhagic and degenerative changes."

I've also read before that regular exposure of small doses of methanol is linked to Birth Defects too.
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FollowupID: 483143

Reply By: KiwiAngler - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 20:16

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 20:16
The symptoms of BACARDI AND COKE poisoning, which may not appear for 12
to 24 h, include visual disturbances, nausea, abdominal and muscle
pain, dizziness, weakness and disturbances of consciousness ranging
from coma to clonic seizures.
AnswerID: 222341

Follow Up By: Member - Shane D (QLD) - Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 21:55

Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 at 21:55
and maybe facial lacerations due to being caught drinking bacardi! ! !
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FollowupID: 483201

Reply By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Sunday, Feb 18, 2007 at 10:01

Sunday, Feb 18, 2007 at 10:01
As ters have said above Methanol is no good for you - thats why the metho you buy in the shops should really be called Etho. It used to be methanol, but abuse of the substance lead to poisoning and optic nerve damage etc, so it is now ethanol with a few chemicals added to make abusers physically ill, but the long term effects such as optic nerve damage is reduced substantially.

I wonder if the same thing will work on ethanol.....It is produced in uch higher volumes than mathanol, and goes better with Cike!

Cheers Andrew
AnswerID: 222412

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