Whos got a Vented Battery?

[M@H]

A nice man at TVR was telling me that I should have a Vented Battery in my Chim and that they were all supplied with one... I'll bet at least 50% of us havent got one.. apparently its really not a good idea not to have one...

Anyone ?

Matt.

[incorrigible]

I have, replaced it last august, about £50 from my local auto factors IIRC

[andy lockett]

Matt i sell batteries both SLA - sealed lead acid and Gell and all batteries are vented.If they wernt they would explode as they all give of gas as they produce electricity.No battery is SEALED they all vent.Some are supplied DRY and you put in the water to activate the process.These still vent regularily through the cap.Fully sealed no maintenance types still vent but into a void/air gap under the top where the lead connection points are.The gasses are recombined back into the battery to keep the whole process going.Obviously a Sealed no maintenance is better as they are a bugger,can i say that! to get at.I hope this helps any questions just email me.

[M@H]

Hi Andy... thanks for the exhaustive response

TVR told me that the battery should have an extra "cover" over the top which connects to a tube which exits the car through a hole in the floor.. this stops the battery gasses damaging the footwell.
I've got a no maintenance Calcuim battery in the car.. but no little vent pipe to the outside world, therefore am a little aprehensive..

what do you think?

Cheers
Matt

[incorrigible]

Andy,

So the one I've got, has a hole at the top with a small polythene tube onto the battery box, is more likely to lose electrolyte ??

There isn't any way to top it up (top of the battery is sealed)

Or is that vent for something else

[Andy Lockett]

Matt yours sounds like a Varta silver/calcium sealed for life no maintenance which are the dogs danglies..No gasses will leak as they will recombine etc so no plastic pipe is needed or indeed can be fitted.
Incorrigable, yours has the vent hole but is also sealed for life so i am pretty confident this is just a breather incase there is a slight gas build up which pops a small rubber bung situated on the inner layer that you cant see which vents at 2psi lets the gas out and then reseal.After a long journey the internal temp of the Batt will increase and then cool when you stop.This is when some condensing/venting may take place but as it is sealed you wont loose electrolyte.Any gas given off is insignificant and with all the draughts in a chim its the last of your worries!!You have to abuse a batt pretty badly ie over charge with wrong charger or short cicuit to make it do something nasty even then it all happens inside the inner layer.Hope this helps any Q. just ask,PS mine doesnt have the tube attached i just went and looked.

[M@H]

Cheers Andy.. I'll stop worrying now..


Matt.