Battery location

[Victor Benz]

Just adding my two cents worth. There are two issues.

One, is that a discharged battery will generate significant hydrogen during recharge, or boosting. That is why the final connection during boosting should ALWAYS be done at the charging vehicle. In fact, in the good old days of all metal vehicles, I had a 30 foot positive cable and a 4 foot negative cable, making the final connection bumper-to-bumper. Any spark or open flame around a charging battery risks fire or explosion.

The second issue is one of battery acid. this eats everything, and I would never have a battery outside a plastic box.

Combining the two, a number of years ago, a colleague of mine was boosting his car. He made the right initial connection, but once his car started, he disconnected that battery first. The subsequent explosion scarred him for life, and he lost some vision in one eye.

Thiss is definitely nothing to fool around with.

Victor

[Ryan Kennelly]

you guys are on the right track! vent the battery to the outside, and make sure its in a spill proof container, and then make sure it stays away from heat! I dont think I would mount it next to the heater. It would give off gas the same way as in charging!

And for the Volkswagon incedent, I know three costomers that had battery fires in there bugs! All were from the bottom of the back seat touching the terminal posts and setting the horse hair on fire! two of the three had the wrong battery, and the last ong had a great big guy sitting back there. Man did he get a hot seat!

[Ryan Kennelly]

Ok, I did a little home work on the hydogen from the battery. And for the most part, If you charge the battery at its max c rating, roughly 20 amps, you could fill the egg with enough hydrogen to make a flash of fire in 3 weeks! Its not thet big a deal apparently the only people that really blow up from battery charging hydrogen, are people that exceed the c rating for extended amounts of time! and for hydrogen to make a flash of fire, you need 4% hydrogen with your standard air supply.


This eazes my mind, cause Im going to put a group 31 in my trailer under the front bunk. Im going to hook up to the vent, and run its natural vent out side, and leave the battery exposed to dissapate any hydrogen that gets by the cap. Im only going to charge at a max of 10 amps(5 c) so for me to get 4% hydrogen in my trailer, I would have to srink wrap it air tite, then come back in a year.

4% is the unstable mark for hydrogen, at 15% it would blow windows out of your trailer. At 4% you might loose an eye browe! anyone feel better about this?

[ttmatson]

welllllllllllllll, my little trailer came with NO battery and there is no place to put in on the front outside, so I too am looking into installing it inside and have been going over the "enclosed, vented outside OR a regular battery box" . . . I still haven't decided, tho I tend to fall into the camp that there just won't be enuff gas to cause a problem EXCEPT for one little problem - I have a very hard time "trusting" mechanical things - thus while I "know" I can set the charger, what is to say that the charger will NOT malfunction? (possibly OVERcharging causing a "gassy" situation). Therein lies the rub - I intend to have a "small solar" charger setup as well as landline charger - - - anything mechanical is just like anything "human" prone to a failure - - - so I'm still on the fence as to which way to go decisions decisions decisions

[MyronL]

Re: "homework on hydrogen"

Not me. You sold me, Ryan. I love it when you guys with the academic skills to analyze and produce cold, logical, numerical answers volunteer their conclusions to help us "intuitively artistic" types get comfortable with our little hunches. Thanks.

[Ryan Kennelly]

Thank you Myron for your kind words. But Im more the spacial, mechanical type like yourself! I just happen to love electric model planes. So It seems that Im allways charging a battery or 2.

As for TT, You are very right! If you over charge your battery, you will produce double the amount of hydrogen gas. this is why Im going to use the factory vent that came on the battery. If by chance you boil your battery95% of the gas produced will go out the vent to the out side. That small percent that slips by the cap, wont be enough to make a mixture of 4% of the trailer.And thats the reason Im not putting mine in a plastic box. the plastic box now becomes an atmosphere. you can raise that atmosphere to 10% really easy in an over charge situation. Still an eazy fix, would be to vent the top of the plastic box. Hydrogen goes up!

[ttmatson]

Ryan,
Thanks for the insight
So I think I'll go with a regular Battery Box (in case of leakage, etc., it will be contained) and install a tube to vent through the floor of the trailer - seems like the "easiest" and best compromise for my situation.

Seems that with a bit of discussion things tend to solve themselves - I love these forums with so many helpful opinions, ideas, and YES even logic

[Coach George Jessup]

...think I'll go with a regular Battery Box (in case of leakage, etc., it will be contained) and install a tube to vent through the floor of the trailer ....

Not sure that a vent on the floor will do you much good. Hydrogen probably goes UP not down. Thus as the gas fills the area; the hydrogen will go UP and push the oxegen down out the floor vent, leaving a pocket fuel ready hydrogen at the top. That's probably why in the one pictured above; the vent is at the end of a tube that rises above the box.

Nowwww when the trailer is flying down the road, that's different cause the air flow under the trailer may cause a pressure differencial that will suck out what ever gases are in their but that is only speculation on my part. Still though the trailer sits more than it gets pulled down the road.

[ttmatson]

Without question the "gas" will rise (go UP) - But having had Motorcycles in the past, those batteries have the "vent" nipple with a hose going downward (thus I assume the full size battery will also have just a "vent" nipple to attach a hose to as well) - anyways - I "assume" the gas will go through the "vent" down the hose (thus outside) since it will be the path of least resistance - the battery I intend to purchase is a sealed one (yes I know you can pry the panel away on top and add distilled water).
OR
Am I missing something here?

I think it is time for a trip to the parts place and get a battery
and start this project

Any more suggestions OR ideas are welcomed

[Benny K]

Murphy`s law...if something can go wrong, it surely will....have a great evening...Benny

[ttmatson]

Murphy`s law...if something can go wrong, it surely will....have a great evening...Benny

So "apt"

Went to the parts store AND the battery I have selected does not have a side vent
The "regular" style battery box has a vent on TOP of each pole

So now what

Wellllllllllllllllllll after much discussion in the aisle at the battery display, we decided that we would go with this because:
1) It will be under the seat;
2) Chances are there will be enough ventilation not to "matter";
3) "IF" I don't do something, I will keep "second guessing it" and camping season will be over OR so She Who Must Be Obeyed sez

So sometime this week (after the solar panel arrives) the installation process will begin

[Ryan Kennelly]

I know this topic is getting out of hand! The group 31 I have selected has 3/16 holes on each cap. a plastic vacume connector will push right into it! now you have a place to put vacume line! next week, I'll get the gas leak detector out and set up a battery in this configuration. and we will know for sure if this works!

and just for TT, I'll take lots of pics for future reference!

[ttmatson]

I know this topic is getting out of hand! The group 31 I have selected has 3/16 holes on each cap. a plastic vacume connector will push right into it! now you have a place to put vacume line! next week, I'll get the gas leak detector out and set up a battery in this configuration. and we will know for sure if this works!

and just for TT, I'll take lots of pics for future reference!

Great
Good idea - will be looking forward to the report

Yes - this is getting a bit long - but it IS helping and being informative - I guess I owe an
apology to Dan for "hijacking" the thread

As She Who Must Be Obeyed would say - "Bad Toad"

[MyronL]

So I bought a vented battery box, came today, and it looks exactly like the picture shown earlier and seen below. What you don't see here is underneath where there's a 2 inch diameter hole extending out 1 inch deep from the bottom tray. A second vent for a second hose? What's that all about??

[ttmatson]

So I bought a vented battery box, came today, and it looks exactly like the picture shown earlier and seen below. What you don't see here is underneath where there's a 2 inch diameter hole extending out 1 inch deep from the bottom tray. A second vent for a second hose? What's that all about??

From the original link:
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-conv...oxes-vented.htm

""Battery boxes that are vented include a kit (wall connector, outside vent and 9" hose) for inside installations. This battery box that is vented [b]also has a hole at the bottom to help with air circulation. This product meets the RVIA Code.""

Hope this helps

[Roger H]

So I bought a vented battery box, came today, and it looks exactly like the picture shown earlier and seen below. What you don't see here is underneath where there's a 2 inch diameter hole extending out 1 inch deep from the bottom tray. A second vent for a second hose? What's that all about??

Does anyone else see a certain family resemblance here?





Ok, sorry... going to my room now...

Roger

[Rick B]

So you would drill a hole in the wall or floor for the hose to expell what its venting? Gosh I don't think I would do that.

My 17' Bigfoot used to have two 12 volt batteries under the front bench seat. They were in a custom wooden box with a gasketed lid that screwed down. The box was vented outside of the trailer via clean plastic tubing - seemed to work well

[Victor Benz]

So I bought a vented battery box, came today, and it looks exactly like the picture shown earlier and seen below. What you don't see here is underneath where there's a 2 inch diameter hole extending out 1 inch deep from the bottom tray. A second vent for a second hose? What's that all about??

I have a 1982 Fiber Stream with a steel interior battery box. It is unsupported as descrribed by Frederick Simpson in another thread, plus taking the battery in and out is a real pain!

I was lucky to purchase a used vented battery box of this description plus hose yesterday. The [b]real problem solver was that a standard 1.5" crumb cup (PlumbShop PS2256) is a friction fit into the 2' vent nozzles on the tank. This is also a standard drain stop for many RV sinks. I plan to install two, with metal window mesh to prevent insects getting in.

I plan to install the box as follows.

1. Site the box location on the trailer floor.
2. Nail in 1"x2" support strips on the floor to frame the battery box and keep it positioned.
3. Mark the floor drain hole.
4. Drill the floor hole to allow the hose to pass.
5. Plush the first crumb cup in the bottom section vent with the window mesh, from inside the box (then it won't fall out).
6. Glue a short section (2" to 3") of hose to this vent. This will ensure anything leaking from the box (like battery acid) will exit below the trailer floor.
7. Place bottom section in between the 1"x2" framing supports.
8. Insert the battery, and connect cables, using wiring grommets to seal the box at the cable entry points.
9. Run a small width, thin foam weatherstrip arond the bottom sealing surface.
10. Place the top half of the box onto the bottom half.
11. Screw fiber straps with buckles to the 1'x2" side supports, and strap in the battery box
12. Push the second crumb cup in the top section vent with the window mesh, from outside the box (then it won't fall into the box).
13. Install a manual water filler unit upside down (so that rain water coming in won't run to the battery box) on the side of the trailer, plugging the 3/8" vent line.
14. Grind angled vent slots in the manual water filler cap with a Dremel tool, and permanently glue in place.
15. Connect one end of the vent hose to the battery box top vent.
16. Connect the other end of the vent hose to the modified manual water unit.

Voila!

I'll provide phtos as this comes together.

Victor

[MyronL]

Wow, Victor, pix of that I gotta see. I especially want to see that crumb cup.

[Louise]

We have just had a battery installed and it is located underneath the seat in the bed area. It is in a sealed battery box with a hose to a vent on the side of the trailer. It's exactly the same setup as we had in our old camper van which vented out of the side of the van. We never had a problem with it if we remembered to check its fluids. The only time we had a problem with fumes was when we forgot to check the fluids and it dried up. Otherwise, never had any fumes or obviously no explosions!
Louise