The Importance of Externally Venting "Sealed" and AGM Batteries
I wanted to post about a common safety issue I see with our cars: Many C3 Corvettes have batteries that are not vented externally.
It's a myth that a "sealed" (without caps to add water) or AGM battery does not release explosive gas. The reality is that all lead-acid batteries can gas, and therefore need to be vented externally if mounted in an enclosed space.
Don't take my word for it. Here's an excerpt of a post from an Allante forum (another car with the battery mounted in the passenger compartment) by an Optima battery representative:
it is important that any lead-acid battery has proper ventilation. ALL lead-acid batteries can vent gas
Under normal operating conditions, an AGM battery will not vent gas. Since alternators or chargers can fail, the safest and correct mounting method for trunks and passenger compartments is to make sure that any possible gas venting will escape to the outside of the vehicle. All vehicles with original equipment battery locations in trunks or passenger compartments will have a vent provision that should be used. If someone custom-mounts a battery in a trunk or passenger compartment we recommend venting the battery to the outside of the vehicle as well. Optima group 27, 51, 78, 34C, and 31 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose. Other AGM manufacturers can tell you which of their batteries have ports for venting.
Although people do it anyway, .
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries
Link to full thread:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...lacement.html?
Note: Like C3s, Allantes are factory equipped with battery vents that route to the outside. And like many C3s, many Allantes had these vents removed.
It's a myth that a "sealed" (without caps to add water) or AGM battery does not release explosive gas. The reality is that all lead-acid batteries can gas, and therefore need to be vented externally if mounted in an enclosed space.
Don't take my word for it. Here's an excerpt of a post from an Allante forum (another car with the battery mounted in the passenger compartment) by an Optima battery representative:
it is important that any lead-acid battery has proper ventilation. ALL lead-acid batteries can vent gas
Under normal operating conditions, an AGM battery will not vent gas. Since alternators or chargers can fail, the safest and correct mounting method for trunks and passenger compartments is to make sure that any possible gas venting will escape to the outside of the vehicle. All vehicles with original equipment battery locations in trunks or passenger compartments will have a vent provision that should be used. If someone custom-mounts a battery in a trunk or passenger compartment we recommend venting the battery to the outside of the vehicle as well. Optima group 27, 51, 78, 34C, and 31 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose. Other AGM manufacturers can tell you which of their batteries have ports for venting.
Although people do it anyway, .
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries
Link to full thread:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...lacement.html?
Note: Like C3s, Allantes are factory equipped with battery vents that route to the outside. And like many C3s, many Allantes had these vents removed.