Any rules for battery location

[CTD]

I'm getting my boat back together. (a 19 ft open bow) The battery sits at the back by the engine. I want to move it forward and on center and add an aux battey. I also want to install them in the bildge below the floor and put a hatch cover over them. They will be in boxes, strapped down. What I'm wondering is if there are any rules about where to install and venting. I know they give off hydrogen gas when charging and discharging but hydrogen is lighter than air and so will rise up out of the bildge. I guess I would need a vented hatch cover. Any one see a problem with my plan or know of rules about where they can be installed.

 

[bossee]

Re: Any rules for battery location

I'm getting my boat back together. (a 19 ft open bow) The battery sits at the back by the engine.<br />--------<br /><br />Hi,<br />Battery should not be in same place as engine because of heat generated from engine and explosion danger becuase of gas and gas fumes can be ignited by a spark/shortcut from battery/leads).<br /><br />--------<br />I want to move it forward and on center and add an aux battey. I also want to install them in the bildge below the floor and put a hatch cover over them. They will be in boxes, strapped down. <br />--------<br /><br />Use a quality battery separator switch then.<br />I belive http://www.bluesea.com/ <br />has both battery boxes and battery switches etc You may need for Your modification.<br />Remember that gas fumes are heavier than air and will go downwards if you get any gasleak. And the lower You place the batteries the greater danger it will get near each other.<br />So do not place the batteries to low.<br /><br />-------<br />What I'm wondering is if there are any rules about where to install and venting. <br />-------<br /><br />Yes, see above. Venting is also very important.<br /><br />-------<br />I know they give off hydrogen gas when charging and discharging but hydrogen is lighter than air and so will rise up out of the bildge.<br />-------<br /><br />It is the gas fumes also that are dangerous since they sink downwards.<br /><br />-------<br />I guess I would need a vented hatch cover.<br />-------<br />Yes.<br />Actually best would be if you have the batteries in such height that the vent is at the battery compartment floor level, on the side. Then You know the lowest point in the battery compartment is vented and any gas fumes that could be sinking to this place has a chance to be vented out.<br />You can see a picture below on my boat model that battery compartment is vented this way (but my battery compartment is to the left, not to the right as a I have drawn on the photo). My gas tank is under the floor.<br />

<br /><br />-------<br />Any one see a problem with my plan or know of rules about where they can be installed. <br />-------<br /><br />In my boat (that is CE approved - I live in Europe, Sweden) the battery is placed about 10 inch (25 cm) above floor under the bench in the stern and the battery is tied down in a separate compartment and this compartment is vented from the side at the bottom of the compartment, see below. There is also a main switch beside the battery that break all electrical when turned off. My boat has an outboard by the way (Yamaha F115).<br /><br />

<br /><br />/Bo

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Any rules for battery location

CTD – in addition to Bo’s excellent advice, keep in mind that a flooded lead-acid battery, the most common type of battery, will need routine maintenance so placement should allow easy access to the battery and the ability to add water to the cells, as needed.

 

[Philip Stone]

Re: Any rules for battery location

So is it inadvisable to locate batteries under sleeping quarters? I had thought to fabricate two battery storage compartments under the bed in my cuddy. Obviously the O/B won't be running and charging the batteries when people are sleeping but do the batteries still give off gas when sitting idle?<br /><br />I guess intuitively it sounds best to keep them out of the cabin but with fuel, motor etc.. there's already enough weight sternward and I'd hoped to site them forward.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Any rules for battery location

Batteries only off gas when they are charging or discharging…well, ok, they pretty much off gas all the time. Hydrogen is a byproduct, volatile but not reactive with your body’s chemistry. Ok to breath. The other byproduct is sulfuric acid fumes, corrosive; and I’m thinking maybe not a good idea to breath.<br /><br />Batteries installed in living spaces should be in airtight, sealed boxes that remote vent outside.

 

[swist]

Re: Any rules for battery location

I would never place batteries very low in a boat not only for all the reasons cited above, but if you start taking on water, you don't want the first sign of it to be loss of electrical power so you can't read your position off your GPS and call for help.

 

[Philip Stone]

Re: Any rules for battery location

I think I've found a solution to my battery siting problem. I'm going to chop the seat pedestals off in the cockpit and fabricate plywood & mahogany storage compartments with room for cooler, tackle etc... and remount the seats on top. That'll keep them out of the cuddy yet still move the weight further forward, there's a roof over the cockpit which will help keep them dry too.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Any rules for battery location

Alpine, it kind of doesn’t matter if there is a roof or not over your batteries…because they belong in battery boxes, whether you make the box or buy the box. You want (1) a container that will hold any spilt battery acid, (2) a non-conductive covering over the terminals, and (3) the battery strapped down. Above, #1 is nice to have, number 2 and 3 are USCG requirements so I suspect there is something similar in place in Canada.<br /><br />BTW, epoxy/fiberglass is a wonderful material to make battery boxes out. Any wood framing may/will become victim to sulfuric acid fumes. It will find it's way in, thru, around fiberglass unless it's thick and solid. The deeper your batteries are discharged, then recharged, the more acid fumes are an issue.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Any rules for battery location

Hey folks, a-lot of great info and advice here, however two things seam to have been overlooked.<br />#1) battery cable length and gauge. If you move the battery more than a couple of feet, you should increase the size (lower# gauge) of the wire to prevent voltage drop and cable heat.<br />#2)Fusing or circuit breaker. Some older outboards are permitted to not have a fuse or breaker at the battery becuase of the short factory cables. If you extend these cables, run them under the deck, back out and under a seat, please install a main circuit breaker or fuse at the battery. Also please make sure any place the cables pass through a deck,seat,etc that you use a ruber bushing or grommet.

 

[97trophy]

Re: Any rules for battery location

Check out this site.<br /><br />diynet.com<br /><br /> http://www.diynet.com/diy/bo_maintenance_repair/article/0,2021,DIY_13718_2277961,00.html

 

[rwidman]

Re: Any rules for battery location

Some light reading on the subject:<br /> http://www.bluesea.com/Article_detail.asp?Section_ID=139&id=119 <br /><br />This ties in to waterone1's post.