I've read the specs. for Coast Guard requirements and still have a
question with regards to batteries.
The starting battery is in the engine compartment.
The engine is a gasoline engine.
I built a tray that the battery has to be lifted up to set it in. Has
a lip all the way around.
The battery has only 1" of clearance on top of the battery. The
battery slides under the berth deck into this tray. It's really hard
to lift this battery up and out of the tray. I have a clamp that holds
the battery into the tray.
Question is, does the battery need to be in a box or is it OK to sit
it on a tray?
I worry about the side of the battery cracking and leaking the acid.
Dan

wrote:

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:38:59 GMT, Dan@ (Dan ) wrote:


I've read the specs. for Coast Guard requirements and still have a
question with regards to batteries.
The starting battery is in the engine compartment.
The engine is a gasoline engine.
I built a tray that the battery has to be lifted up to set it in. Has
a lip all the way around.
The battery has only 1" of clearance on top of the battery. The
battery slides under the berth deck into this tray. It's really hard
to lift this battery up and out of the tray. I have a clamp that holds
the battery into the tray.
Question is, does the battery need to be in a box or is it OK to sit
it on a tray?
I worry about the side of the battery cracking and leaking the acid.
Dan


AFAIK, I has to be in a box. It would probably be a good idea even if
it were not required, especially for flooded batteries. Boats
sometimes capsize or get tossed about violently. It also protects the
terminals in the event something else gets loose and ends up striking
the battery. I'm not really too keen on a flooded battery being in a
confined space with a gasoline engiine, but that's just me.



The battery will emit Hydrogen gas when under load.

The box should be gas tight and vented overboard where a stray spark
can't ignite the H2.

It should also be about to hold spilled or leaked acid without leaking
acid into the boat.

Ok?

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:12:17 -0500, wrote:

I'm not really too keen on a flooded battery being in a
confined space with a gasoline engiine, but that's just me.

It's done all the time.

The top of the battery does not need to be covered to meet ABYC specs
but an insulating boot is required on the terminals. A battery tray
with secure hold downs should be sufficient.

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:29:43 -0800, cavalamb himself
wrote:

The box should be gas tight and vented overboard where a stray spark
can't ignite the H2.

I have never seen that done. It is not required by ABYC specs or for
USCG inspected vessels.

On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:56:52 -0500, wrote:

If you ever had flooded batteries in a boat that
got knocked over, you would likely have the same opinion that I have.

Serious sailboat racers and offshore cruisers, yes, AGMs make a lot of
sense. Power boats and casual day sailors, I'm not so sure. If my
trawler or runabout get knocked over I've got a lot more to be
concerned about than a little acid in the bilge. I once got acid in
the bilge of one of my old sailboats (long story) and nothing was
damaged except a transducer cable.

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:29:43 -0800, cavalamb himself
wrote:

The battery will emit Hydrogen gas when under load.

The box should be gas tight and vented overboard where a stray spark
can't ignite the H2.

It should also be about to hold spilled or leaked acid without leaking
acid into the boat.

About ninty years ago, a US sub had a H2 explosion at the dock.
Eventually the Navy installed proper ventelation. Don't even ask about
the gasoline subs. No venting fumes over the side while submerged..

Casady

I guess I should have stated that this is a sailboat. It's a Catalina
c25. Where the battery is located, I don't think it will fit in a
battery box. There is only about 1/2" clearance over the tops of the
terminals. I have to connect the pos. terminal, then slide the battery
half way under the deck, then connect the negative terminal then slide
the battery into the tray and clamp it down. I would really have to
work at contacting the positive terminal with anything. Its dam near
impossible to see the terminal without lying down and performing some
contortionist maneuvers.

On Feb 15, 1:29*pm, cavalamb himself wrote:

It should also be about to hold spilled or leaked acid without leaking
acid into the boat.

Id add that battry acid in the bilge is not a real problem
unless............ there is also salt water. I belive that electrolite
and sea water do some black magic and create some type of deadly
gas.... ANy chemist out there?

Bob

Bob brought forth on stone tablets:
On Feb 15, 1:29 pm, cavalamb himself wrote:


It should also be about to hold spilled or leaked acid without leaking
acid into the boat.


Id add that battry acid in the bilge is not a real problem
unless............ there is also salt water. I belive that electrolite
and sea water do some black magic and create some type of deadly
gas.... ANy chemist out there?

Bob

Sulphuric acid plus chloride salts produces chlorine gas

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:53:45 -0800 (PST), Bob
wrote:

I belive that electrolite
and sea water do some black magic and create some type of deadly
gas.... ANy chemist out there?

Chemist? No, not really but I did get A 's in chemistry 101,102
This is a legend originating in submarines.[ Battery acid has a
concentration of one third H2SO4.] What does happen when a bunch of
sea water ges into a sub battery is lots of electricity making
chlorine gas by the usual electrolysis.Shorting any lead battery with
sea water will liberate chlorine

Casady