Venting 6v batteries in the Imagine XLS pass through

[austi003]

I've read through every thread I can find related to Hydrogen, but wanted to get some feedback on a short term option I'm considering.

I have two separate battery banks:

• 2 - 6v golf cart batteries (dealer provided) hooked up in series and offering 225 ah for my default 12v power needs (TT Battery Bank). These are installed on the A-frame in battery boxes and they obviously vent outside
  
• I also have 4 Duracell 6v golf cart batteries (235 ah) that I was going to hook up in series / parallel in the pass through to use as a Solar battery bank

Specifically asking for the batteries I store in the pass through; do they only give off Hydrogen while charging, or does it occur while consuming power via the Inverter as well?

When I'm parked and want to simulate shore power, I am planning to run my shore power cord and plug into the inverter. When doing so, I'll pull the battery disconnect so that the converter does not drain my Solar battery bank by trying to charge the Trailer battery bank.

For now, I'm going to set my solar panels out on the ground and connect to the charge controller when I need to charge up the solar battery bank, and when charging, I'll leave the pass through door open.

However, when consuming from the battery bank, BUT NOT charging from Solar, I would have the doors closed. I could install a vent on the door on each side, but I don't know if that would properly release the hydrogen and allow enough fresh air in.

I'm not ready to install the Solar panels on the roof, because I'm not yet sure how to properly run the wire down to the pass through, but I need to get on the road (I'm a "new" full timer) and plan to figure out a plan to install more panels on the roof sometime in the future.

Would leaving the pass through doors open while charging be sufficient? If I installed a vent cover on each side, would that also work or would the hydrogen still tend to accumulate in the rafters of the pass through?


Thanks in advance for any advice and feedback!

[JohnJCES]

First, I am NO expert, but my understanding of all lead acid batteries, including gel and glass mat, sealed, etc., is that during charging they give off Hydrogen and Oxygen and some Hydrogen Sulfide, the "rotten egg" gas which is pretty poisonous. If being over charged, I learned that more hydrogen sulfide can be produced.

Personally, I would ensure that each battery was secured in a battery box and properly vented to the outside. I'm not saying that what my example shows is the best, but I believe it to be safe and worry free... so that no other action is needed to make it safe.


John