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Real Men (TM) use these
of course you also need this
to run it and this to keep your system from shorting out!
(Make Tim PROUD of you! grunt grunt grunt...) };-)

2 cycle? What are you talking about? Those little Honda jobs? Even these are 4 cycle. This is what I have.

Coleman is marketing a Fuel Cell, but it's hardly prime time, or convenient. Cost to refill is extremely prohibitive.

Maybe Toshiba has figured it out, but you have to wonder.

I recall an earlier Slashdot article discussing the Coleman portable fuel cell generator. This would seem like a better solution for the laptop user, as you still have the option to charge from a standard wall outlet, but if you are in the field you could carry a resevoir of methanol and the Coleman for recharging in the wild.

The URL posted above isn't correct. Try, http://www.colemanpowermate.com/fuelcell/

BTW, this site doesn't support Netscape. They don't know how to close off tables. Why is it that more then 40% of the websites I have gone to recently do that ?

The whole idea of fuel cell technology is that hydrogen is cheap, clean, and renewable. Petroleum products like propane are limited, non-renewable resources. As they become more scarce and harder to extract, prices will continue to rise. H2 can made cheaply from seawater and solar cells. Burning hydrocarbons generates greenhouse gases and other pollutants -- bad enough outside, completely unacceptable inside -- too much CO2 or worse CO and you're down for the count.

Here's a bit on the basic science of the technology: What is a Fuel Cell?

As an aside, is it just me or does anyone else get a "SecureIIS application firewall security alert" on this animation URL?

[W]hat if the (flammable / volatile) hydrogen is no longer safely contained in the 'low-pressure' containers?

If you really wanna know, their advice (from this fascinating page is:

Problem: Hydrogen sensor has detected a fuel leak. The AirGen will cease operation immediately.

Action Required:

Move mode switch to MANUAL position, depress reset button, open doors and windows in the vicinity and evacuate the area. Call Customer Service at 1-800-445-1805 for further instructions.

Anyone remember the Bloom County strip in which the black genius kid asks his parents to ``Move away from the basement'' while he tests his nuclear experiment? When asked ``How far?'', he suggests New Jersey.

>Really cool, but the fuel cells are expensive
>for only 6 hours of back up time @ 50%. I wonder
>what the unit itself will set you back.

Golly, I wonder...

AirGen Starter Pack
Model # PAXXXXX

Generate up to 8 hours of continuous, clean
electricity. Replacement canisters are just a
click or phone call away.

Includes:
AirGen
3 Fuel Canisters (shipped separately)
$7495.99

Read, then talk,

what you want is one of these:

Coleman Powermate