On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 10:35 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote: > Anyway there are two considerations for venting reqiurements. One is for a > vehicle and the other is for a dwelling or living space. Passenger Vanagons > do not seal the battery compartment. Flip top cover and a vent-drain on the > bottom. Campers as a dwelling get the sealed, screwed down battery cover. > This is particualry important if you paln to add charging capbility while > the vehicle is occupied such as when sleeping. > I think Dennis has answered a basic part of my original question on the importance (or not) of venting. Never having owned a non Westy I was not aware that the battery compartment is only sealed in the campers. That implies, at least to me, that VW (and the various bureaucrats that have power over such things) did not consider the open battery a hazard in normal use but added what might be called an abundance of caution for the camper where people would be living in the van. An additional thought on this subject. I've been following several Vanagon and Vanagon/Westy related Internet list for about 10 years now. And I don't recall a single instance where someone reported any kind of problems related to venting or no venting. I have to come to the conclusion that given normal use and prudent behavior there is not a problem. But I'll close with this admonition, posted many places including owners manuals and stickers in most vehicles: Don't cause a spark at the battery like when jumping from or to another battery! Ground to the frame (so no spark occurs right at the battery) and always connect the ground LAST! |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.