Battery vent pipe routing

[DevonPaul]

I just got a new battery and realised that for the last 7 years I've been driving around with no vent pipe.

So I got a vent pipe, I can see a 20mm ish hole in the compartment floor it should go into, but this seems to lead to the top of the exhaust heat shield and I can't find a route past it to the outside world. Surely even Maserati wouldn't just vent acidic fumes on to an Aluminium plate?

It also looks like there should be a grommet in the hole, but I reckon I can find a blind one to fit and ream it out for the pipe.

The other option is that as I've not died for the last 7 years, just coil the vent pipe up and tape it to the side of the battery, though it might get condensation in it then?

Anyone able to point me in the right direction?

thanks

Paul

 

[SteveM]

My 3200 vents vertically down through grommet at rear (short) side of battery ( my battery has vent at either end). Not sure I discovered or looked what's underneath

 

[RJ237]

The vent is for hydrogen gas, very little acidic water vapor escapes.

 

[Saigon]

The other option is that as I've not died for the last 7 years, just coil the vent pipe up and tape it to the side of the battery.
thanks,
Paul

You could, but it’s supposed to be vented to atmosphere for obvious safety reasons. Under normal conditions hydrogen will be produced and possibly hydrogen sulfide. More so if there is a battery or charging problem, both explosive especially when accumulated in a confined space, and hydrogen sulfide is also extremely toxic. The chances of something catastrophic taking place within a car boot are minimal, but why take the chance when you have an alternative.

 

[alfatwo]

New batteries nowadays don't have external venting like they did 20 years ago!
Its nothing to worry about.


Dave

 

[jasst]

New batteries nowadays don't have extremal venting like they did 20 years ago!
Its nothing to worry about..

Dave

Oh yes they do, two that I bought last year did.

 

[alfatwo]

Thanks James, but all of the batteries I've bought in the last few years have been totally sealed

Dave

 

[jasst]

1 was an Exide for the Mas, one for the van, (might have been Exide as well) and one for the other half's Sorento, all from Tayna, all had instructions to remove the transit bung from the vent.

 

[Scaf]

I have never knowingly vented a battery or seen one with a vent tube in any of my cars (including my new Jag XJ).
This has got me thinking and I got this off the net

 

[GroovyBoovy]

I so pose most car batteries are in the engine compartment, which is open at the bottom. In the Maserati, well my 4200, it is effectively sealed in the boot, unless there is a vent pipe. I must check if i have 1.
Rob

 

[Phil H]

I recently replaced the AGM battery in the QP (2015), the original battery and the replacement both having vents to connect to the oem vent pipe. Likewise, when I installed a leisure battery circuit in my son's campervan I made sure that the battery safely vented to atmosphere.

PH

 

[alfatwo]

Well you live and learn, thanks guys!

Dave

 

[jasst]

Well you live and learn, thanks guys!

Dave

Never to old to learn Dave

 

[DevonPaul]

Thanks all.

Well, as the vent pipe is missing, the battery vented into the boot, but as the vent pipe grommet was also missing, there was a much larger gap to the outside world. This explains why I didn't die in a horrible fireball (or a loud squeeky pop if I remember my O-level experiments with lighting hydrogen).

I've attached the vent pipt and run it to the hole, where I have replace the grommet with a carefully crafted piece of gaffer tape.

You'd think the hole in the boot liner would be big enough to get the &^&* battery through though