Bigfoot Battery Bodge

[dogteam]

Finally, at 61, brought home my very first travel trailer: a 17.5' 2005 Bigfoot! I'm hoping my wife will use it enough going to retriever trials that it will be worth it!

It needs a bit of touch up, but there is one glaring problem...a local "RV professional" installed a solar panel, and upgraded to (2) 12 volt batteries...but he moved them inside, under the drivers side dinette seat. They're inside some sort of plastic dual battery box. Now...
I know this is not good. Pain the butt to relocate them again. Occurred to me that a possibility would be to bite the bullet and pay for 2 replacement AGM batteries, but repeatedly in this forum I see people insist that the explosion danger still exists with AGM's. But no explanation? All the info I read on them insists that they DO NOT vent to the atmosphere. Can anyone clarify this for me?

Cheers,
Dogteam

[tractors1]

The battery box should be vented outside the shell of the trailer. If not, I would either take it to the upgrader or do it myself; it's just a matter of flex hose over to a vent fitting. The whole shebang looks like this, but you could just buy the pieces you need for probably $10 or less.

Vented Battery Box Large White - $29.99

[dogteam]

Ah. Interesting. The box looks airtight, I could add the vent i suppose...If I could bring myself to cut a 4" hole in the shell....
Thanks for that!

dt

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by dogteam

Ah. Interesting. The box looks airtight, I could add the vent i suppose...If I could bring myself to cut a 4" hole in the shell....
Thanks for that!

dt

Any RV type shop could do the install; the parts are cheap. I think the hose on my Escape is only a little over an inch diameter. The outer vent is nowhere near the size needed to cover a 4 inch hole!

[dogteam]

Oh, OK. I was going by the ad, says 4.5" vent. How large would you figure is adequate?

(BTW, if anyone has an answer to my AGM battery question...still curious!)

DT

[tractors1]

Dunno hole size. I could measure mine tomorrow. You might call these guys:


MTS Products 274 Battery Box Vent Kit w/ 30" Hose Polar White

Can't answer the AGM question, just know I wouldn't spend the money compared to putting in a vent.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Dunno hole size. I could measure mine tomorrow. You might call these guys:


MTS Products 274 Battery Box Vent Kit w/ 30" Hose Polar White

Can't answer the AGM question, just know I wouldn't spend the money compared to putting in a vent.

Charlie is right - a proper vented battery box with a small vent in the side of the trailer will fix the issue.

I know there is a lot of info on the internet that suggests AGM batteries do not need any venting - I would suggest that is not necessarily true will all brands/types of AGM's and people really do need to start reading the manufactures install instructions

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by dogteam

I see people insist that the explosion danger still exists with AGM's. But no explanation? All the info I read on them insists that they DO NOT vent to the atmosphere. Can anyone clarify this for me?

Cheers,
Dogteam

I forgot to mention that the issue with not venting AGM Batteries came up here a few years ago when a new trailer manufacture failed to vent theirs and it resulted in a few members here having overheated batteries burning the bottom of the hatch they where in and some smoke in the trailer - one member had a young child sleeping on top of the battery hatch when it happened in their trailer.

On another forum: Evoluionm.net - Battery Vent - scroll down to post #7 The rep for Optima batteries explains why there instructions state their sealed batteries should be vented to the outside and they actually are designed with a vent built in to attach the hose to them. He came on here as well due to the above mentioned incidents and gave the same explanation as to why Optima sealed batteries should have been vented to the outside.

[dogteam]

Carol, Charlie...thank you for all that good advice! I understand now about the AGM batteries, and I have a pretty inexpensive fix for my problem!

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.

Cheers!

dt

[Daniel A.]

First I spent my working life dealing with Hydrogen manufacturing.

The chances of you having a problem with so little hydrogen from a battery I would not be concerned. There is enough air movement in the trailer to deal with it, at best I would if concerned add one vent in the dinette seat.

As for AGM batteries I use them in my electric dive hookah 68 amp size it is a sealed unit as it has to be water tight with an electric compressor that can run for 2.5 hours. Mine are layed on there side to fit in the space no venting needed as they are sealed.

The kind of Hydrogen levels you would need to be a problem are very remote.

Its not unheard of to have some other problem with batteries ie an internal short that can cause a battery explosion but one should not assume its hydrogen without facts.

The thing to always remember is anything sold in the USA that carries any kind of liability is something every manufacture will guard themselves against. Hence warnings about everything even if remote.

[dogteam]

Originally Posted by Daniel A.

First I spent my working life dealing with Hydrogen manufacturing.

The chances of you having a problem with so little hydrogen from a battery I would not be concerned. There is enough air movement in the trailer to deal with it, at best I would if concerned add one vent in the dinette seat.

As for AGM batteries I use them in my electric dive hookah 68 amp size it is a sealed unit as it has to be water tight with an electric compressor that can run for 2.5 hours. Mine are layed on there side to fit in the space no venting needed as they are sealed.

The kind of Hydrogen levels you would need to be a problem are very remote.

Its not unheard of to have some other problem with batteries ie an internal short that can cause a battery explosion but one should not assume its hydrogen without facts.

The thing to always remember is anything sold in the USA that carries any kind of liability is something every manufacture will guard themselves against. Hence warnings about everything even if remote.

Yes, I suspected as much. And I'm very familiar with litigious butt-covering. But...the trailer is mostly for my wife, and I want to make it as safe as possible for to use. I'll probably, based on what you said, go with a small vent. Maybe throw in a couple of yellow tops when the time comes (but probably not, I'm at heart pretty cheap <_<).

Thanks,
DT

[dogteam]

Daniel, not to sidetrack this thread, but I see you have a 17' Bigfoot. What do you use for a hitch? This one just came with one of those Reese friction sway bars...
I'm towing with a Sequoia.

dt

[Daniel A.]

Your talking about a weight distribution hitch,yes I have the Reese it keeps everything level, as long as you set your brake controller properly it works like a charm.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Daniel A.

The thing to always remember is anything sold in the USA that carries any kind of liability is something every manufacture will guard themselves against. Hence warnings about everything even if remote.

While you may believe it to be remote for an unvented AGM battery to become a serious hazard to the occupants of a travel trailer we have more than a few members here who will tell you it REALLY can happen!

[Daniel A.]

The real hazard is in overcharging this goes for any battery, my AGM batteries have never in 7 years been vented.

Many people drive on old tires they can blow common knowledge but it does not stop a lot of owners from heading out.

If a charging system is not functioning properly that is not the fault of the battery. Sorry batteries just don't for no reason decide to melt down there needs to be a fault somewhere.

The bigger issue with our fiberglass trailers is that because they can last so long many people never look at upgrading the electrical systems even when they know there is a problem and the reason most give is I don't want to spend the money so I can do some backyard handy work and save the money.
My 1991 Bigfoot has had the electrical system upgraded two years ago at a cost of close to 1000.00 dollars but I know it works properly.

[Jack L]

Originally Posted by Daniel A.

The real hazard is in overcharging this goes for any battery, my AGM batteries have never in 7 years been vented.

Many people drive on old tires they can blow common knowledge but it does not stop a lot of owners from heading out.

If a charging system is not functioning properly that is not the fault of the battery. Sorry batteries just don't for no reason decide to melt down there needs to be a fault somewhere.

Yes indeed! Overcharging will cause some significant problems. I have seen several lead acid batteries "boil over" from a charging system that was out of control. The rotten egg smell (hydrogen) was atrocious. The danger of explosion was great. In all cases the charging voltage was somewhere north of 18 volts. The batteries ware ruined and the collateral damage from spilled acid added to the repair cost. One of the batteries exploded and it sounded like a large caliber rifle had been fired. Gel batteries are a little more forgiving but will still be subject to problems when overcharged. The battery was not the problem, It was the voltage regulator malfunctioning.

[WaltP]

I've seen a 2005 17.5 footer but didn't think to look under the front cowling to see what's there and how much space. My 2002 17 footer has two form 24 batteries under there with the propane tanks, which I really like. All I'd ever need for boondocking, and not stealing any storage space from the cabin.
Was it necessary on the later model to move the location inside and lose all that storage space? If it were me, and there's enough space, I'd move them back to the front cowling, recover all that lovely storage space and render moot any venting questions.

Walt

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Daniel A.

The real hazard is in overcharging this goes for any battery, my AGM batteries have never in 7 years been vented.

Yup thats the problem with not venting ANY type of battery - no one knows with 100% certainty that their converter or solar controller is not going to malfunction and over charge the battery. As I said previously it has happen with AGM's on a few fairly new trailers here. On all of the trailers burn marks were left on the bottom of the hatches the batteries where in - as well in one case toxic smoke in the trailer a child was sleeping in.

In this case the OP question the reason why manufactures suggest the AGM's be vented although folks on the internet say otherwise. They now have the answer and will have to decide what level of risk they wish to take in leaving a battery unvented - regardless of the kind or make.

[dogteam]

Originally Posted by Daniel A.

Your talking about a weight distribution hitch,yes I have the Reese it keeps everything level, as long as you set your brake controller properly it works like a charm.

No, I don't have a weight distribution hitch. The sway control bar just dampens the side to side movement.

It's been used that way by the former owner for ten years...I guess i'm asking if I need a WDH as well.

dt

[dogteam]

Originally Posted by WaltP

I've seen a 2005 17.5 footer but didn't think to look under the front cowling to see what's there and how much space. My 2002 17 footer has two form 24 batteries under there with the propane tanks, which I really like. All I'd ever need for boondocking, and not stealing any storage space from the cabin.
Was it necessary on the later model to move the location inside and lose all that storage space? If it were me, and there's enough space, I'd move them back to the front cowling, recover all that lovely storage space and render moot any venting questions.

Walt

I'm guessing a larger tray would have to be fabricated? But there should be room if you did it on an '02.

dt