When sending fuel cells back to ATL for service, repair, modification or re-certification, please adhere to these following guidelines:
Please completely drain fuel cell of all fuel…….. Note: Failure to do this will result in a £150 excess charge being added to the final invoice for excess work that is carried out by ATL before the commencement of the repair, recertification or modification work can take place. An additional charge of £75 will also be added for fuel drainage and fuel disposal. We will also not be able to remove any fuel until an appropriate material data safety sheet has been supplied in compliance with COSHH Reg. 6(2002).
Remove all top plates and internal foam baffling (Caution: The internal foam will hold approx. 2% of the fuel capacity within its pores, therefore, please handle and store with care). When removing foam from a ‘shaped’ fuel cell, try and position the foam in the correct order in which it was removed….this could save a lot of confusion when it comes to re-installing the foam.
The internal foam does not need to be returned to ATL…….only the external plates for pressure testing purposes
Externally and internally rinse the fuel cell with soapy water (Note: Do not use water if the internal foam cannot be fully removed), then degrease the external and internal surfaces with Brake Cleaner. For Diesel Fuel Cells, it is imperative that the fuel cells skins are completely dry and non-greasy before returning to ATL.
Please install the fuel cell into a sealed plastic bag and package into a protective cardboard box (Note: In most instances, courier companies will not take these packages if they detect a smell of petrol or diesel)..
For fuel cell re-certification, the FIA have stipulated that all cells shall not be used for more than 5 years after the date of manufacture (….not when the cell is first used)! After this 5 year period, the cell can then be returned to the manufacturer who will then pressure test and inspect the cell. If the cell is deemed to be acceptable for further use, the manufacturer will then re-certify and extend the life of the fuel cell for a supplementary period of up to another 2 years.
With all returned cells, please package the fuel cells within a sealed plastic bag, before packaging into a box. This reduces the amount of fuel odour being omitted which can cause problems for the courier drivers.
Please ensure that ONLY Fuel Cells manufactured by ATL Racing Fuel Cells are sent back. We CANNOT re-certify any other manufacturer’s fuel cells.
Finally, please include your full name, address and contact details (phone and e-mail) with all returned cells.
Please Note : The fuel cell will only have a maximum life of up to 7 years from date of manufacture. Cells can only have their life extended once!
If in doubt, please contact the ATL Technical Sales department
