[C320-list] Battery Ventilation

[John Frost]

Since we are moving from guesses to actual requirements (a good thing) I
thought I would share the following

I have a copy of the 2009 American Boat and Yacht Council "Standards and
Technical Information For Small Boats". I believe Catalina builds to these
ABYC standards. There are good sections on chargers, electrical systems and
battery installation. It is a great reference of several hundred pages. The
charging section has very precise descriptions of the various types of
sealed and vented batteries. The Battery installation section specifically
requires the following:
 
"10.7.9 A vent system or other means shall be provided to permit the
discharge from the boat of hydrogen gas released by the battery"
"10.7.10 Battery boxes whose cover forms a pocket over the battery, shall be
vented at the uppermost portion of the cover"

And this interesting note in bold

"NOTE TO 10.7.9 and 10.7.10. These requirements also apply to installations
of all batteries whether they employ removable vent caps, non removable
caps, are "sealed" or maintenance free batteries, or have pressure regulated
valve vent systems with immobilized electrolyte (gel batteries)"

I leave it to you to determine whether your battery box meets the "vent
system or other means" requirement, considering the small size and light
molecular weight of an H2 molecule. I share Scott's greater concern about
heavy fat propane molecules.

By the way, before retirement I was a safety engineer who among other things
co-chaired the Dept Of Defense Battery Safety Committee. I got to blow lots
of stuff up in that job. It was fun! 

Happy Sailing!
John
2007 C320 MKII, Hull # 1118 
Lake Guntersville, AL

'Twenty years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't
do than by the things you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the
safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream."  -Mark
Twain

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Scott Thompson
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 10:39 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Ventilation

I agree it's good advice to not drill the holes.

But for the record, USCG standards DO say that batteries must be vented. 
  See Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, section 183.420(e), which 
reads, "(e) A vent system or other means must be provided to permit the 
discharge from the boat of hydrogen gas released by the battery."  See 
for yourself at this link:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=33&PART=183&SECTIO
N=420&YEAR=1999&TYPE=PDF

This is also in the USCG "Boat Builders Handbook."

http://www.uscgboating.org/SAFETY/boatbuilder/downloads/PART1.pdf

That document is instructive about how compliance with the rules works 
in practice.  As nearly as I can tell there is no government 
certification process for yacht designs in the U.S.

Furthermore, while I do not have access to the relevant ABYC document, 
some web sites indicate that the ABYC standards go even further by 
specifying that batteries must be vented even if they are sealed.  (I 
believe ABYC standards include all of the USCG standards by reference 
and thus are at least as stringent.)

I would never assume my boat has a safe design simply because there 
exist standards.  But I'm not too worried about hydrogen gas build up 
either.  Heavier than air propane worries me a lot more.


Peter & Barbara Sheerin wrote:
> Thanks Warren. Good advice I wont drill the holes.  Pete S Jaraman
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert E. Sloat" <resloat at comcast.net>
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 11:32 PM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Ventilation
> 
> 
>> 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> 

-- 
Scott Thompson
Surprise, #653