Fuel cells

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patm0007
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Fuel cells

Any information on a 36V 10 amp fuel cell for the E-bikes?
I've done web searches and I have even googled it but haven't found any info.

antiscab
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Re: Fuel cells

my first question is why?
and my next is what are you planning on running the fuel cell on?

i do remember coming across a methanol fuel cell that would fit on a bike, however the cost of the methanol and the fuel cell were extreme, even by electric standards.
ill post the link if i find it again.

Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

patm0007
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Re: Fuel cells

Reason : The range on the battery is so limited. $600 lithium is good for only 15 miles or so. My SLAs are down to 3-4 miles.

Also I just read that the fuel cell was finally going to be ready for mass production for a wide variety of gadgets such as computer batt, Ipods , etc. Cheap fuel cells for all. Maybe the prediction is like the cure for cancer which is always within the next few years.

reikiman
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Re: Fuel cells

Did you see this?

http://visforvoltage.org/forum/5322-fuel-cell-systems-small-ev039s

The EVCAST had coverage of a fuel cell system for small vehicles. The power level is enough to power a small EV like a bicycle but not high enough to make it suitable for recharging a large EV. That particular vendor though made it so their fuel canister is a proprietary shape/size/connector which you can only buy from them.

You say you want a fuel cell for extended range .. but where are you going to get the hydrogen? Having a fuel cell is going to make you dependent on a source of hydrogen, you probably do not have an electrolyzer at home, and ...?

spinningmagnets
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Re: Fuel cells

Agreed David, The longer the molecule, the higher the heat required to strip H2 from a dense liquid hydrocarbon.

Methanol is the most affordable low-temp reformer fuel and it still takes a couple hundred degrees F (IIRC)

The other fuel cell hydrogen is dry compressed H2. You can make it with a VAWT-driven wind-electrolyzer, a compressor, and expired-date firemans composite air bottles, but even then...

Fuel cells are available to the public, but are large and expensive.

Lithium batteries cheaper and easier by a factor of 100:1?

I am crossing my fingers for a physics breakthrough (or an "Instructables" home fuel-cell from free junk), but I am not holding my breath...

patm0007
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Re: Fuel cells

Thanks for the info. Yep, I'm looking for an inexpensive fuel cell that would run on something like rubbing alcohol! Guess I will have to get Scotty to beam me to the future !

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