Monday, February 2, 2009

New Fuel Cell Rules (NASA)

As of January 1, 2009 no new logbooks will be issued for vehicles with a fuel cell, unless the fuel cell is FIA FT3 (or higher) certified.
[This means no more newly built cars with rotary molded cells. However existing rotary molded cells with an FIA FT 3 bladder will be grandfathered.]

As of January 1, 2012 all fuel cells must be FIA FT3 (or higher) certified, regardless of the date of purchase or date of the logbook issuance.
[This is the “sunset” for all rotary molded cells. No more grandfathering.]


Other notes- We do not subscribe to the hypothesis that “any fuel cell is better than no fuel cell.” The stock tank has been crash tested in its location and at least that’s a known factor. When someone installs a fuel cell, it’s possible to create a more dangerous situation because of the location of mounting and the other things around it. Furthermore, bladders do deteriorate. On more than one occasion old bladders have sprung leaks resulting in fires. One car was a total loss. We do not believe that the stock tank deteriorates at anywhere near the rate that a bladder deteriorates. This is not to encourage people to use the stock tank, but rather to answer some questions that have recently come up.


More Here: http://www.nasanortheast.org/fuel_cell.html

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