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Date:         Fri, 10 Mar 2006 21:41:59 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: 2nd battery; two questions
Comments: To: Doug F <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <002c01c6447b$506f5ea0$6501a8c0@ibmt23laptopdef>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Very! In large battery charging operations, the atmosphere is usually monitored at the ceiling level for hydrogen accumulation. At 1% you turn up the exhaust fans. At 2% you sound alarms and start shutting down chargers. At 4% you notify the emergency response team just in case. Cheap chargers should never be used unsupervised, especially in small spaces.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Doug F Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 2:46 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: 2nd battery; two questions

Dennis, I wonder the same thing when the issue came up in my westy conversion, if to do the venting or not. I had thought the batt vented during discharge as well? and thought while sleeping / living in the van one may be exposed more so?

I cooked a battery with my 15 amp charger in one of my vans during a hot summer week. I had let the self adjusting charger stay connected with the cord going through the sliding window. I forgot about it and left it charge for days and days. Till one day I could actually "smell" the fumes from the battery outside the van. I rolled the slider open to see the charger pegged at 15 amps and the fan fully engulfed in battery fumes. Took the battery out it, and it was so hot I could not even touch the outside of the plastic case.

How close to creating a "vanagon explosion" did I come?

Doug

----- Original Message ----- From: Dennis Haynes To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 10:11 AM Subject: Re: 2nd battery; two questions

Only the campers had the sealed and vented battery boxes. Why? I don't know. Beetles for years had the batteries under the back seat without venting. Later Audis used a battery with a small vent tube. Many group 41 (Vanagon) and group 42 (Beetle, Gas Rabbit, etc) are available with this feature.

Normally, the venting is not a problem and a battery will only off-gas while charging. The normal 13.8 charging voltage does not create much gas. In crease the voltage to 14.5 and gassing will occur. If a battery has a cell sort out, the remaining cells will gas vilently and electrlyte can spill over. This can make a real mess.

A typical group 41 battery is good for ~ 65 amp/hours.

Dennis

----- Original Message ----- From: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET> Date: Friday, March 10, 2006 12:55 pm Subject: Re: 2nd battery; two questions

> First, let me point out that my '84 7 passenger came from the factory > without a sealed or vented battery box for the MAIN battery. > > My '85 Westy has the vented box for the main battery only. > > I installed an ordinary group 41 battery as my aux battery under the > driver's seat in the Westy (box not sealed or vented) and I've had no > problems with fumes. I have my aux battery feeding the interior > lights,the sound equipment, the cigar lighter, etc. > > Mike > > > Gerald Masar wrote: > > For those who have installed a regular group 41 (or other size, > same type) battery, do > > you have any problems or concerns with fumes, given that the > compartment under the > > driver's seat is neither sealed nor vented. > > > > How does one figure out the amp/hour rating of a battery if it > is not listed and the > > sales person hasn't the foggiest idea what you are talking about? > > Or, what are the approximate amp/hr ratings for run-of-the-mill > group 41's and > > Optimas? > > > > Thanks, > > Jerry > > >


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