# electrical devices near batteries



## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

Hi

I've always had the understanding that electrical devices shouldn't be installed too close to a leisure battery, especially if the area isn't very well ventilated. 1. due to potential fumes which can corrode electric components. and 2. due to potential electrical sparks from devices that could ignite fumes.

Does anyone know how things stand regarding AGM batteries? i understand these shouldn't give off the fumes that a wet lead acid potentially could, therefore is it considered safe to install electrical devices/connections/switches etc very close to these?

interested to hear any opinions

Many thanks


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

lgbzone said:


> Hi
> 
> I've always had the understanding that electrical devices shouldn't be installed too close to a leisure battery, especially if the area isn't very well ventilated. 1. due to potential fumes which can corrode electric components. and 2. due to potential electrical sparks from devices that could ignite fumes.
> 
> ...


I don't know what you mean by 'too close' when applied to leisure batteries and electronic/ electrical devises or the logic behind it. In my working life I used hundreds of electronic systems which had a leisure type battery powering them. They were permanently charged from a float charger with a maximum voltage of 13.8v. All this equipment including the battery and charger were in a locked 600x600m cabinet 1200m high. 
Nothing went wrong and there was certainly no damage due to fumes or electrical sparks. The electronic componenets were in pristine condition after 10 years or more in service on an operational railway environment.
PS. My first MH had the leisure battry installed under the fridge with only a wooden floor between it and the fridge.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Wet lead acid leisure batteries should have a vent kit which is attached to tubing venting the batteries to the outside. In that case there can be no risk of either corrosion or explosion.


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

rayc said:


> I don't know what you mean by 'too close' when applied to leisure batteries and electronic/ electrical devises or the logic behind it.


Hi Ray

I'll put it another way; my understanding (right or wrong) is that a wet acid battery can give off gas whilst being charged and that the gas can be flammable or even explosive in certain concentrations. also that electrical devices, especially switching devices can create small sparks in operation, so as an example; you shouldn't charge a wet lead acid battery in a confined space and directly under a light switch, as operating the light switch could potentially ignite gasses from the battery.

assuming the above is correct, would the same apply to an agm battery.

Lee


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

sallytrafic said:


> Wet lead acid leisure batteries should have a vent kit which is attached to tubing venting the batteries to the outside. In that case there can be no risk of either corrosion or explosion.


Hi Frank, yes, that i'm aware of, but what about agm batteries, what is your opinion regarding them?


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Hi,

Our van has a gel battery mounted within the double floor about 20cm from the charger and main 12v habitation fuse unit. There is nothing to separate them apart from 20cm of air. The section of floor they are in is enclosed but with plenty of air gaps to the rest of the double floor, and some ventilation to the main living area. This is the set up as it came from the Dethleffs factory. 

Am I taking a leap of faith when I believe that the manufacturers have co-located the battery and electrical equipment in a safe manner?


Regards,
John


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

I'm sure it would be safe, especially if that's how it's designed.

Lee


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Should a battery suffer one internally shorted cell then the remaining cells will be overcharged by the charger. Similarly if the regulator within the charger failed this too can result in overcharging. Overcharging of ANY lead acid battery, wet, AGM or GEL will result in gassing and the misture of hydrogen and oxygen produced is in the ideal mix for an explosion. Any moisture produced will be acidic so can corrode metal components. For these reasons ALL batteries should vent outside the vehicle and any components that might cause a spark (fuses, relays etc) should not be in the same place as potentialy explosive gasses.

Hope that clear enough.

C.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

The battery in my Ford Fiesta is mounted in the engine compartment. The ECU is mounted on the battery carrier and the HT leads run very close. There are also some relays mounted very close to the battery. Is this a hazard?

On the Lunar Premier 592 I had the battery was mounted internally in the MH in a drop down cupboard under the fridge. It was vented but it would appear from replies on this topic that this is hazardous because there is for example, the naked flame from the fridge gas supply only a very short distance above it.


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

Clive, thanks for your input.

Ray, i think the engine compartment is normally considered a ventilated area as when the battery is charging the vehicle is normally moving.


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