25 ms·

A couple comments for your own safety and the safety of the vehicle: 1) Those batteries should be in battery boxes. You can find them at any marine supply sto

A couple comments for your own safety and the safety of the vehicle: 1) Those batteries should be in battery boxes. You can find them at any marine supply store. Note that for boats where batteries are commonly stored like you have them there, it's the law. For RV's it's a good practice and may be required by some insurers and in some states. 2) H2S also known as hydrogen sulfide. It's explosive and it's possible for even the best sealed batteries to have a problem whereby H2S is released. If those batteries have vent ports, you need to ensure they are connected to a vent tube and run out of the vehicle. If they don't have vent tubes, don't assume they won't vent. I run sealed batteries in my boat and it came with a H2S detector connected bilge ventilator. If the H2S detector senses a build-up of the gas it sets off an audible alarm and kicks the ventilator on. I've seen the aftermath of battery compartment explosions. Trust me, it's not something you want to experience. The cheapest option here is to get batteries which allow for the connection of a vent tube. UPDATE: here's a decent article on the issue with a picture of a vented battery box (I didn't know those were a thing - cool!): http://blog.rvshare.com/6-things-need-know-rv-battery-box/ http://blog.rvshare.com/6-things-need-know-rv-battery-box/ UPDATE #2: just went out and looked at my boat. This is what's in the battery compartment attached to the bilge fan: https://www.zoro.com/macurco-fixed-gas-detector-h2s-4-12inhx4inw-tx-12-hs/i/G0461548/?gclid=CjwKEAjwuo--BRDDws3x65LL7h8SJABEDuFRDL7zashd8oAO0Ju2_t5C5wiOXsETw4sJiBAYJKeXLBoCOuPw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds https://www.zoro.com/macurco-fixed-gas-detector-h2s-4-12inhx...

scotty79 10y ago
I read somewhere that higher H2S in the environment is correlated with higher suicide rates in those locations so sharing air with a bunch of h2s leaking batteries might affect you.
mchannon 10y ago
H2S is insidious, but it's not the primary reason for venting lead acid batteries. H2 gas itself is. Particularly when overcharged, batteries will build up a pressure of H2, which specially designed vents within the battery will let out. H2 actually needs a pretty high concentration to flash, but if your RV is airtight, you can reach those conditions.
ArkyBeagle 10y ago
Any H2S you are likely to encounter will be around drilling rigs. H2S is a product of certain organisms that live well underground or in oceans. H2S makes batteries, but batteries don't make H2S :) As mchannon noted, batteries produce H2 gas. Googling "lead acid redox cycle" will provide multiple explanations.

scotty79 10y ago

I read somewhere that higher H2S in the environment is correlated with higher suicide rates in those locations so sharing air with a bunch of h2s leaking batteries might affect you.

mchannon 10y ago

H2S is insidious, but it's not the primary reason for venting lead acid batteries. H2 gas itself is. Particularly when overcharged, batteries will build up a pressure of H2, which specially designed vents within the battery will let out. H2 actually needs a pretty high concentration to flash, but if your RV is airtight, you can reach those conditions.

ArkyBeagle 10y ago

Any H2S you are likely to encounter will be around drilling rigs. H2S is a product of certain organisms that live well underground or in oceans. H2S makes batteries, but batteries don't make H2S :) As mchannon noted, batteries produce H2 gas. Googling "lead acid redox cycle" will provide multiple explanations.