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From:	Bruce iti03678@****.co.za
Subject:	Cyberdeck power supply
Date:	Tue, 7 Dec 1999 12:12:50 +0200

Message no. 1 What kind of power supply would a 2060 cyberdeck need? If batteries
are an option, what kind of endurance are they going to have and would
they add a lot to weight?

Thanks
- -
Bruce <phantasm@****.co.za>

Give me reasons why the sun has to shine
why they murdered the noisy mime
tell me the answers to the puzzles of Poe
and sing me to sleep on the rivers of woe

From:	Andrew Norman andrew_norman@******.com
Subject:	Cyberdeck power supply
Date:	Tue, 07 Dec 1999 11:11:46 +0000

Message no. 2 Bruce wrote:
>
> What kind of power supply would a 2060 cyberdeck need? If batteries
> are an option, what kind of endurance are they going to have and would
> they add a lot to weight?

Hi,

This is my first post to the list so be gentle ?

I kind of imagine that the cyberdecks use a fuel cell like the ones
under
development for the laptops of today. They are, as far as I can
remember,
around twice as heavy and size as a current laptop battery but lasts a
week. I think it runs on methanol or something. The article I read said
something like in a couple of years the fuel cell tech should get the
size down to a current battery size.

In 2060 I would think that the cells are rechargable at home and give a
couple of weeks supply.

As for the mains type supply I kinda think that the power supply would
be
a universal power convertor built into the cyberdeck (for the prebuilt
ones)
and an adaptor for the homebuilt ones. As for the voltage/current I have
no
idea.

-Andrew

--
"Politics and morality on the same side! That doesn't happen every day"
-Londo (B5)

"These are my opinions and not those of my employer"

From:	Allen Versfeld moe@*******.com
Subject:	Cyberdeck power supply
Date:	Tue, 07 Dec 1999 13:04:56 +0200

Message no. 3 Andrew Norman wrote:
>
> Bruce wrote:
> >
> > What kind of power supply would a 2060 cyberdeck need? If batteries
> > are an option, what kind of endurance are they going to have and would
> > they add a lot to weight?
>
> Hi,
>
> This is my first post to the list so be gentle ?
>
> I kind of imagine that the cyberdecks use a fuel cell like the ones
> under
> development for the laptops of today. They are, as far as I can
> remember,
> around twice as heavy and size as a current laptop battery but lasts a
> week. I think it runs on methanol or something. The article I read said
> something like in a couple of years the fuel cell tech should get the
> size down to a current battery size.
>
> In 2060 I would think that the cells are rechargable at home and give a
> couple of weeks supply.
>
> As for the mains type supply I kinda think that the power supply would
> be
> a universal power convertor built into the cyberdeck (for the prebuilt
> ones)
> and an adaptor for the homebuilt ones. As for the voltage/current I have
> no
> idea.
>

Fuel Cells based on hydrogen (I think?? open to correction) have been
used in space-craft and submarines for many years now... It's a fairly
established technology. I had no idea they were trying to use them for
laptops, though...
--
Allen Versfeld
moe@*******.com

QVANTI CANICVLA ILLA IN FENESTRA

From:	Andrew Norman andrew_norman@******.com
Subject:	Cyberdeck power supply
Date:	Tue, 07 Dec 1999 11:38:07 +0000

Message no. 4 Allen Versfeld wrote:
>
> Fuel Cells based on hydrogen (I think?? open to correction) have been
> used in space-craft and submarines for many years now... It's a fairly
> established technology.

Yes the space craft like apollo used a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell to
provide
both power and water. A problem with one of the two fuel cell systems
caused
the apollo 13 hitch (I won't call it a disaster because no one died).
This
is the main problem with fuel cells of this type is the potiential for a
large bang.

> I had no idea they were trying to use them for laptops, though...

I think the ones for the laptops use methanol or something like that and
give
off CO2. I don't think that I would like the idea of having a cylinder
of
hydrogen sitting on my lap. Its a little too close for comfort :).

If I remember the article correctly that the major problem is the
gas/liquid
that the fuel cells give off during operation. There might also have
been a
problem with the heat as well but a heatsink/fan combo should deal with
that.

-Andrew

--
"Politics and morality on the same side! That doesn't happen every day"
-Londo (B5)

"These are my opinions and not those of my employer"

From:	Bira ubiratan@**.homeshopping.com.br
Subject:	Cyberdeck power supply
Date:	Tue, 07 Dec 1999 22:24:37 -0200

Message no. 5 On Tue, 07 Dec 1999 13:04:56 +0200
Allen Versfeld <moe@*******.com> wrote:

>
> Fuel Cells based on hydrogen (I think?? open to correction) have been
> used in space-craft and submarines for many years now... It's a fairly
> established technology. I had no idea they were trying to use them for
> laptops, though...

There are several groups interested in bringing them to use in
cars, buildings and even things as computers and cellphones. Right now
there are price and engineering constraints, but by 2060 there should be
plenty of them around (perhaps along with more exotic GURPS-style power
cells? :) ).
Instead of methane or methanol, they could use pure hydrogen
stored in a carbon fibre woven matrix (it's one of the methods being
studied now). Lighter, more compact, and more efficient than others, but
still very hard to build (should be way cheaper in 2060!).

Bira - SysOp da Shadowland.BR
http://members.xoom.com/slbr
http://www.terravista.pt/Nazare/2729
ICQ# 4055455

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