How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

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JHC
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How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

Post by JHC » Fri May 24, 2019 5:15 pm

I've set up my battery etc. and used it for two nights in a row. ResMed AirSense 10, pressure avg a little over 12, the first night had the humidifier and heat, the second night without.

Now it's time to recharge. I have the U-1 battery in a typical Small Battery Box, with vents. That, the 24V converter, the charger, and almost all the wires are all in a rectangular zippered case (a tackle bag), with separate side-compartments for pulling out the cord that goes to the cpap and the cord to plug the charger into the wall.

When I charge the battery, do I need to leave the zippered lid open, to ventilate heat or gases? Do I need to take the charger out of the bag? Do I need to take the battery box out of the bag?
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Rob K
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Re: How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

Post by Rob K » Fri May 24, 2019 7:24 pm

Batteries and chargers heat up when charging. You might get away with leaving everything closed up but why take the risk. At a minimum do the charging where you won't burn anything down. I would leave the top open on the bag and set the charger out when charging. Feel the battery and charger after they have been running for a while, this will provide you with some good feedback on how things are doing. Smart chargers are nice since they regulate things and keep charging safe.

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palerider
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Re: How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

Post by palerider » Fri May 24, 2019 7:32 pm

JHC wrote:
Fri May 24, 2019 5:15 pm
I've set up my battery etc. and used it for two nights in a row. ResMed AirSense 10, pressure avg a little over 12, the first night had the humidifier and heat, the second night without.

Now it's time to recharge. I have the U-1 battery in a typical Small Battery Box, with vents. That, the 24V converter, the charger, and almost all the wires are all in a rectangular zippered case (a tackle bag), with separate side-compartments for pulling out the cord that goes to the cpap and the cord to plug the charger into the wall.

When I charge the battery, do I need to leave the zippered lid open, to ventilate heat or gases? Do I need to take the charger out of the bag? Do I need to take the battery box out of the bag?
9aa35143-000b-4de7-aadd-b28c59c73e37_1.1b8e9033e9b7588efd601be1262e2ada.jpg
There shouldn't be any gasses, unless it gets too hot, but there will be heat, a little from the battery, and some from the charger... I'd leave the lid open and take the charger out so it can get plenty of air, it'll thank you for it.

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Rob K
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Re: How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

Post by Rob K » Fri May 24, 2019 7:45 pm

Regular lead acid batteries have removable covers on top for topping off the electrolyte as it gets low. These produce a fair amount of hydrogen gas since they are not sealed, defiantly want good ventilation with them. AGM type batteries can be used in more confined spaces and in just about any position, they still have a vent that works like a pressure relief valve. If they are overcharged they can let off hydrogen gas which is explosive, thus your venting question. Better to play it safe.

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Goofproof
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Re: How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

Post by Goofproof » Fri May 24, 2019 8:16 pm

I'd be using a Battery Box, not a bag. The charge rate and over charging are what you don't want.Slow and Low, makes the batteries last longer, that's the idea of using a Battery Tender, correctly sized to your needs. Jim
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CapnLoki
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Re: How much ventilation needed when charging battery?

Post by CapnLoki » Sat May 25, 2019 3:30 am

I agree with most of the above. AGM batteries will only vent gas if severely overcharged, which means both a high voltage and a high current. This is essentially impossible with a trickle charger like a BatteryTender. Remember, this is the same type of battery seniors use for their scooters and geeks use for their computer UPS. I'd guess the charger creates more heat than the battery itself. Is the tackle bag insulated? If so, definitely leave it open, but otherwise its probably a good idea to crack it enough to let hot air come out. Try charging a depleted battery for an hour and see how hot the system gets. I keep my U1 in a box with the charger under the bed.

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