Fuel Cell Legality in Vic?

[Retro Z]

Hi, Not sure if this has been posted before.

Are Fuel Cells Legal in Victoria?

Looking to put one in my EFI 240z and wondering if its legal and will it get through a Roadworthy etc?

I've asked several people even Vicroads themselves and the answers are all different.

Was personally looking at a 40ltr Aluminium box fuel cell.


Thanks,

Tai 

[dat2kman]

It's position will be??

Under our cars is a metal box fuel cell, vented correctly as per emissions requirements, all quite legal.

If you were thinking of removing the stock cell/tank, and fitting, say a round shape thing in the area whwr the spare would normally sit, it would need a flame and fume proof cover over it, and the recepticle it sits in be vented. The tank itself would be vented as per our normal venting.

In this pos it raises your centre of gravity, ie 40 kgs of weight sloshing about.

I am doing a 40 litre approx alloy tank going into same position as original underfloor metal strap slung original pinholed rusted out 45 year old tank, one from a boat shop is pretty close, tne boat mob use them as an underfloor sub tank in runabouts.

[Retro Z]

It'll be a square aluminium cell mounted in the Tyre well. Found a pdf off vicroads and it states its legal but needs to be filled externally of the car. But im wondering more about cutting the wheel well out..would removing metal from the car mean I would have to get my car engineered? Its all sounding like too much work if it does.

[Agno]

Cutting a piece of the chassis out (ie spare wheel well) affects the structural integrity of your car and as a result should be signed off by an approved engineer.

that is the interpretation of the rule i have been given anyway

[Retro Z]

Thanks Agno. I will have to call some engineers and look further into it.
 

[DevZed]

if you are retaining the same position couldnt you modify it to use the same fuel filler setup?

[neRok]

just read vsb14. i think vic might have a slightly different draft, but it should be similar.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP9_Section_LM_Fuel_Systems_01Jan2011_v2.pdf

2.2    FUEL TANKS (Other than LP Gas/NG Containers)
Fuel  system  modifications,  replacement  fuel  tanks  and  drop  tanks  must  meet  the  following
requirements:
- The vehicle must have a minimum ground clearance of 100mm and meet the minimum
ground clearance requirements as defined in ADR 43;
- No part of any fuel tank or fuel system component must lie below a plane created as a
component of that vehicle’s Departure Angle.
- Any fuel tank or fuel system component must be at least 100mm inboard of the OEM
permanent body work (excluding the filler neck and assembly);
- Any fuel tank or fuel system component with a ground clearance of 200mm or less
must be adequately protected by shields or adjacent vehicle components;
- In the event of any tyre being deflated, no parts of the fuel tank or fuel system must
contact the road surface;
- If a replacement tank of a 125% or larger capacity than the original uses the original
mountings, their strength must be checked and shown to be adequate by a Signatory;
- Replacement fuel tanks must not adversely affect the suspension travel, controllability,
handling or road holding of the vehicle;
- The fuel filler inlet and cap should be located outside of the vehicle.  Where an inlet is
located inside a vehicle, it must not be inside the passenger compartment and the inlet
must be separately sealed from the rest of the vehicle to ensure fumes do not enter the
passenger cabin and that provisions are made to ensure any fuel spills are localized
and drain outside the vehicle;
- The fuel tank and filler shall be so arranged that any overflow or leakage of fuel cannot
accumulate nor contact the exhaust or electrical systems; and
- Any apertures created to allow for the installation of the fuel tanks must be suitably
sealed  to  prevent  the  entry  of  exhaust,  road  or  petrol fumes  into  the  cabin  of  the
vehicle.

Additional Requirements for Vehicles fitted with Evaporative Emission Control Systems
- All of the fuel tank evaporative controls for ventilation of the tank must be installed and
operational to prevent hydrocarbon emissions entering the atmosphere;
- If the replacement fuel tank has a greater capacity than the largest optional fuel tank
available for the vehicle, an additional or larger canister of sufficient capacity must be
fitted to vehicles equipped with evaporative emission control systems; and
- Vehicles originally fitted with fuel tanks with expansion/vapour spaces must continue to
provide these facilities (e.g. modified fuel tanks must have vapour spaces proportional
to  their  new capacity).   Vehicles  originally  equipped  with  independent  liquid/vapour separators must have either an additional separator or that provision built into the new
tank.