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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 00:41
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Hey all,
A question that's a bit more specific that the other battery thread that's active right now, so I thought I'd start a new thread.
I've had a battery in the boot for ages now but have never had it vented. Yes, stupid, but that's me. I'm lazy.
But now the the interests of my health, I have decided to get off my arse and do it.
Anyway, let's start the questions!
Where would I extract the air from? The top of the box? The bottom of the box?
Do I need to actually seal the box? If so, what's considered a good seal? What's good material to use?
The xA6x's have nice air vents on the side which are ideal for dumping (and hopefully being low pressure areas, extracting) air to the outside of the car.
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 00:58
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Good questions and i'm keen to hear the answers as this is my project for the weekend 
I thought the plastic battery boxes were classed as 'sealed' though. So no extra sealing would be required.
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 01:03
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Ditto that, as I'll be mounting mine in the frunk next week.
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Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 01:21
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Most of the cheap plastic boxes are not sealed, makes sure you purchase a good quality selaed unit if the battery is going ot be in the car with you.
Once you have your sealed box just run a small hose (what ever diameter fits your particular box) from the vent on the box (usually found on the lid) to the outside of you car.
My vent tube runs from the lid through a grommet in the boot floor to vent to atmosphere. Been like that for 5 or 6 years and nothing has blown up, passed engineers and rego etc.
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Location:
VIC, Sth Frankston.
Registered:
July 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 01:26
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Nark, for a vent, consider the little black vents on the rear quarters on the ra60?
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 01:31
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I think they're the ones he was talking about.
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Location:
VIC, Sth Frankston.
Registered:
July 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 01:33
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Yeah, I really should've read the post for more than 2 secs, sorry
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 01:52
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Where do you buy the boxes that are a good seal? Not just the super cheap auto ones i'm assuming?
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Location:
sunny coast, qld
Registered:
October 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 02:28
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also you can get batteries that are designed to vent. Not the oddysey ones. They are a normal fluid type but they are already sealed and they come with two small holes in them for you to plug the tubes into. I have this battery, so I just ran the tubes from there out the lid and through a grommet in the boot floor.
too easy
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 03:17
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| Quote: |
also you can get batteries that are designed to vent. Not the oddysey ones. They are a normal fluid type but they are already sealed and they come with two small holes in them
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Yeah thats the battery I got I think its from a BMW or Merc they run under the rear seat or something.
For all these people in this thread about to tackle the battery box conversion, what method are you going to use for mounting the box and the battery inside the box?
In that other thread I posted a link too seems there are some different engineering opinions there.
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Location:
tallahassee FL usOFa
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 14:53
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don't sweat it unless you've got a bad battery that needs a huge re-charge every time you startup, or an alt that is putting out more then 14v, there isn't that much gas, hydrogen, whatever output.
there are, or were, millions ov\f VW beetles on the road with their battery under the back seat.
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Location:
Newcastle
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 19:48
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hey guys,
i have my battery in the boot of my 28.
we welded in a L shaped piece of 5mm flat bar that is raised from the floor level by about 30mm. This brought it up level with the side of the spare wheel well.
the battery box is bolted to the plate, pus i cut a slit both sides of the base to allow the strap that hold the battery to goout of the box and under the metal plate.
you have to be careful about your mounting set up if you ant to be passed for scruitineering at the drags. The battery cannot just be put in the box and the box secured, the battery must be secured too.
i made my own lid for the box - 1.2 mm alloy plate, bent and tigged together in the corners so it seals better.
i also used one of those batteries that have the vent in the battery with the tube to run out of the car, which i ran through the floor.
Cheers
Stew
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Location:
1st street on the right
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 21:10
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Get the Mer/BMW type Batt for in boot/under seat install. Vented from the battery with tubes, apparently doesn't leak when you flip your car. Century have them, it's a DIN something part number. But never had a problem with mine, even after running flat, sitting for 12mths (no lisc) charging reverse polarity, draining, recharging, then remembering it should have water in it. Gets my stamp of approval.
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 22:06
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I just read this on a battery box site
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Required by ANDRA when there is no firewall between driver's compartment and battery
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Now I'm planning on relocating my battery from my engine bay to my frunk. I have a firewall between myself and the battery, but my frunk is sealed as far as I know and does not "vent to atmosphere".
Do I need to get a sealed battery box? or can I just cut a hole in my car? or is this a question for the engineers?
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Thu, 20 January 2005 23:01
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Hey Stew, did you consider mounting the box just behind the back seat infront of the spare tyre well (assuming you standing at the back of the car). From memory thats a pretty flat surface and was thinking of putting mine there.
Cheers
Joel
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Location:
Newcastle
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Fri, 21 January 2005 03:10
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hey joel,
dont know if you remember, but i dont have a back seat....
it would probly be good there if you have a back seat to hide it from veiw.
i had it set up like a panel van with my sub box twhere the back seat was.
so if i had put it the it would have been right in the middle of a flat panel.
though with my new interior i am doin i am considering putting the battery where the back seat was under a custom plate that forms part of the new stereo/ interior install.
Cheers
Stew
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Sat, 29 January 2005 00:17
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| davedave wrote on Fri, 21 January 2005 09:06 |
Do I need to get a sealed battery box? or can I just cut a hole in my car? or is this a question for the engineers?
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I guess it's a question for the engineers then
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Sat, 29 January 2005 00:35
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just a coupla points.
when charging, a lead acid battery will produce hydrogen.
hydrogen is much lighter than air and will rise (hence venting at top), so venting to a position above the battery box makes more sense.
if you vent to floor, then i guess it doesn't matter where takeoff point is, since the whole box and line must fill before it escapes...
that all said, hydrogen diffuses extremely quickly, and also diffuses THROUGH many plastics and rubbers (similar to how propane escapes through a balloon), and so any vent to atmosphere will let hydrogen escape by diffusion.
the main reason you need a sealed battery box (ie one with a good seal at the top, ie marine type box), is a) to prevent hydrogen build-up in a car, and b) to prevent acid leakage in an accident.
the DIN batteries are a good start, but the COPoLVM is clear in that you need a sealed box, securely mounted, venting to atmosphere.
last thing you want is a 10kg battery flying around the car...
TOY77's method sounds good..
remember the idea is to prevent a 10kg sulphuric acid bomb from going off in your car 
Cya, Stewart
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Sat, 29 January 2005 07:06
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The factory battery location in SW20's are located in the "frunks", no box, nothing(other than being bolted in). Maybe that could help answer you AW11 question dave, maybe you dont need a sealed box, but I'd still speak to an engineer about it.
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Epping, Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Venting batteries to the atmosphere
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Sat, 29 January 2005 07:08
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they dont need a box, because there is a firewall separating the bettery and the passenger compartment.
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