[C320-list] Battery Ventilation

[Pat Moriarty]

Ok enough is enough on battery fumes. The fumes are lighter than air 
so they rise and escape so unlike gas or gas/propane vapors which are 
heavy and collect in the bilge where there is a starter for a spark, 
it is not a potential problem Even if you are frying your battery it 
probably will not produce vapor fast enough to cause a problem. I 
have seen batteries explode in a car but the cause was low water and 
a plate short inside the battery which caused it to blow the top off 
the battery. Now just think how ventilated a car engine is, also look 
at the caps and the tiny hole for the vapor to come out of vs the 
volume of the compartment and the interior. You might blow up a 
battery in your boat but if you blow up your boat with hydrogen gas 
you are likely to be the first person to do so. If you have converted 
your boat to all electric with a big bank and a generator I will 
retract all the above and advise a ventilation system.


PAT #130


At 08:32 AM 6/10/2009, you wrote:
>Jeff-I agree.  I assume the USCG would have something to say if the 
>Catalina battery location and venting were inadequate.  It has a say 
>in engine venting and fuel storage.  ABYC also comes into play.
>
>For those who add batteries, maybe a remote issue.
>
>Bob Sloat
>Savannah 894
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Hare" <catalina at thehares.com>
>To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 10:35 PM
>Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Ventilation
>
>
>>Pete,
>>
>>I wouldn't bother with holes.  I think you'll be hard pressed to 
>>find a case of this ever being even a minor problem let alone a 
>>dangerous situation.
>>
>>Look for problems in air tight battery rooms with lots of batteries 
>>not in our installation
>>
>>JeffH
>>
>>------Original Message------
>>From: Peter & Barbara Sheerin
>>Sender: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
>>To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>ReplyTo: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Ventilation
>>Sent: Jun 9, 2009 4:55 PM
>>
>>Warren Good note about battery ventilation. I'm considering drilling a
>>couple of vent holes in vertical f glass section of seat adjacent to
>>batteries. Should then provide adequate ventilation.  Peter # 1096
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "warren updike" <wupdike at hotmail.com>
>>To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>>Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 6:12 AM
>>Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Ventilation
>>
>>
>>>Chris, my blower enters the engine compartment and exhausts via another
>>>hose
>>>leading from the engine compartment. The batteries are in the stbd setee.
>>>There is no path for air between the battery compartment and the engine
>>>compartment.  Did I misunderstand you?
>>>Warren #26
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Chris Burti [mailto:clburti at gmail.com]
>>>Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 10:51 AM
>>>To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>>>Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Ventilation
>>>
>>>If you run your blower long enough, it will vent the compatment.
>>>
>>>On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 10:11 AM, warren updike <wupdike at hotmail.com>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>>All this talk of batteries got me to thinking: If hydrogen and oxygen
>>>gases
>>>>produced by charging lead-acid batteries can be dangerous, why is it that
>>>>Catalina provided no ventilation for the battery locker?  Has anyone
>>>>added
>>>>any positive ventilation to a C320?  I'm interested in how it was done.
>>>>
>>>>Warren & Pattie Updike
>>>>Catalina 320, #62, "Warr De Mar"
>>>>Middle River, Chesapeake Bay
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Chris Burti Farmville, NC
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

Pat Moriarty
PSI Urethanes Inc
PH: 800-888-5156  Fax: 512-837-8733
Please visit our web site at
www.psiurethanes.com