Battery Question

[Tom_OC]

While tinkering with my new toy and getting to know it I noticed the battery is a bit of a pain to remove. The lid is screwed into place. My previous TT I always popped off the lid removed it and charged it up before heading out on a long weekend of dry camping. This one in my GD seems almost permanently attached to the rig. Does it have to have a tight seal for the ventilation?Am I missing something or just having to remove the screws to remove the lid part of my new process. Any help given is appreciated
Thanks

[TomHaycraft]

Mine is the other end of the spectrum. Due to routing of the battery cables, my dealer didn't even attempt to screw it down shut, it just "sits" loose over the battery. My preference would be to have a screw at each corner and form some level of enclosure, an item on my to-do list!

I've tried to think through the reality of venting the fumes / gases given off while the battery is charging. Hydrogen (?) gas, lighter or heavier than air, will it rise or sink to bottom of compartment (which is not sealed)? Driving down the road, is my assumption right that air would be forced into the vent tube of the battery box, and out the openings of the compartment, thereby keeping it flushed? I can't seem to rationalize which is best, so long as there is the ability to have air movement and keep the gas from building up in a sealed compartment. Hopefully others better educated on the topic will chime in!

Tom

[LCBoyer]

Hydrogen Sulfude is heavier than air, highly corrosive, harmful if inhaled. All lead acid batteries release small amounts during charging

[J&G garage]

Why can't you charge the battery by just plugging into shore power?

[CWSWine]

I have thought about putting rubber latches on the battery box instead of the screws that are a pain to remove with a bad back. Something like these.



https://www.amazon.com/Buyers-Produc...s=rubber+latch

[Cate&Rob]

I've tried to think through the reality of venting the fumes / gases given off while the battery is charging. Hydrogen (?) gas, lighter or heavier than air, will it rise or sink to bottom of compartment (which is not sealed)? Driving down the road, is my assumption right that air would be forced into the vent tube of the battery box, and out the openings of the compartment, thereby keeping it flushed? I can't seem to rationalize which is best, so long as there is the ability to have air movement and keep the gas from building up in a sealed compartment. Hopefully others better educated on the topic will chime in!

Tom

Hi Tom,

The reason that the battery is in a sealed box with a high vent to the outside, is exactly as you surmise. To prevent hydrogen from collecting in the front compartment where it could be ignited by a spark from a motor or switch. Hydrogen is much lighter than air and will rise naturally up the top vent hose. The hole in the bottom of the box is to allow entry of air to replace the exiting hydrogen.

The hydrogen is created primarily during battery charging, since the process of passing electricity through a liquid containing water causes electrolysis of the water molecules splitting them into hydrogen and oxygen. This is why "wet cell" lead acid batteries generate the most hydrogen and why they have to be maintained by adding water to replace the water that left as hydrogen and oxygen gas. BTW, the oxygen is basically the same density as air and easily recombines with it.

Rob

[Tom_OC]

thank you everyone