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Date:         Sat, 14 Nov 1998 22:04:18 -0600
Reply-To:     Joel Walker <jwalker@TUSC.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <jwalker@TUSC.NET>
Subject:      Re: H2 Power Via Fuel Cell /25 mins left of FRIDAY...
Comments: cc: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Robert "Lighter Than Air" Alexander state: > My '85GL is into its second week of refitting with what I hope to be a > real hydrogen powered engine that will not only produce gobs of

the, Marty "Glow in the Dark" Wallace retorted: > For example, I'm working on a powerplant for my Westfalia right now that > will use a nuclear pile / steam turbine + used electrons hydbrid system.

well,i hate to be the one to break it to everyone, but chemical power is NOT the way of the future. there's a fellow down here in Lucedale, MS, who has almost perfected magneto-eletrical power: by putting 12v into a carefully constructed ring of permanent horseshoe magnets, you can spin a generator (dynamo) and get 240 volts (about 30 amps) out. the 12volts comes from 8 1.5 volt dry cell flashlight batteries.

i didn't want to say anything before i had it working perfectly, but you guys have forced my hand ... i've got it installed in an old 82 vanagon, and it works pretty well ... but there's a problem. :(

every time you go over a manhole, it kinda pulls the manhole cover up onto the bottom of the bus ... i haven't been sued yet, but that's probably cause the cars behind me that crash into the open manhole haven't figured out what's going on. and it makes a real mess to have to stop every couple of miles and peel those damned covers off the engine! and all those little water valve covers and any sort of metal thingies/pieces/trash that falls off other cars into the street. it's really too bad that money isn't magnetic!! :(

also, if one of those old 1950's cars gets too close in back, it's kinda funny to watch the driver burning up the brakes as he gets dragged toward my rear bumper. :)

so far, the mpb (miles per battery) looks good: first set of 8 batteries lasted a whole month. so that's what? about $12/month. i like the Everyready kind ... the Rayovacs didn't seem to have the same "pep" away from the stoplights. that's mostly city driving, though, so i expect that highway running will extend the life of the batteries (not so much stopping and starting). and that if i can get the rear brakes set up with coils inside the drums, i can recoup some of that stopping power .. but i'll need to change to the rechargeable nicad type batteries, so the initial cost will go up.

so anyway, i know it's not Friday, but i just had to respond ... hydrogen is fine, if you want to fly balloons; and nuclear power is great for submarines and boats and stuff. but not for cars!! come on .... :)

unca joel ... can't seem to get this lug wrench off my leg ...


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