Battery Vent requirements

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Iminei

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I've found the perfect spot for a 110AH house battery, which is inside the engine compartment under the companionway. The compartment is not air sealed from the aft cabin, and has ventilation slots to the saloon. There is a 3" air supply duct for the engine. Do I need any extra ventilation to accommodate the house and (85AH) starter battery? Both batteries are sealed lead acid.
 
Lead acid batteries can produce hydrogen and oxygen when in use. if these gasses are permitted to build up and reach a source of ignition then things go very wrong.
In your case either the engine is running which will very quickly extract and safely burn any hydrogen in the engine Compartment, or there is the 3" duct which will either allow it to dissipate to outside or create enough of a draught to or from the saloon.
 
The battery on my Jag. XJ8 is tucked away in a separate compartment adjoining the boot and with no obvious ventilation. It's just coming up to 14 years old now and still looks like new ...never needed charging from an external source and I've never topped it up.
 
Thanks Guys, thought as much. The site supplying the battery had a "do you need a vent tube" option when buying it
 
reeac said:
The battery on my Jag. XJ8 is tucked away in a separate compartment adjoining the boot and with no obvious ventilation. It's just coming up to 14 years old now and still looks like new ...never needed charging from an external source and I've never topped it up.
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Are you sure that it doesn't have a vent tube on the battery? I've not changed mine for a few years now but I'm sure I recall that when I replace it I have to make sure to buy a battery with the vent in the right place.

Richard
 
RichardS said:
Are you sure that it doesn't have a vent tube on the battery? I've not changed mine for a few years now but I'm sure I recall that when I replace it I have to make sure to buy a battery with the vent in the right place.

Richard
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No, just had a look. No sign of any ventilation facility and furthermore there's wacking great fuse box in there with the battery so clearly it's not giving off acidic fumes or there would have been electrical problems by now.
 
reeac said:
No, just had a look. No sign of any ventilation facility and furthermore there's wacking great fuse box in there with the battery so clearly it's not giving off acidic fumes or there would have been electrical problems by now.
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You've inspired me to check on mine .... and now it all comes back to me. There was a vent pipe on the original sealed battery in 1997. I replaced it around 2004 with another battery which had a vent. However, when I replaced that around 2013 the new battery had no vent so the pipe is just hanging there .... unattached. :)

Richard
 
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