Battery location

[grockell]

Hi, 

 

Just wondering, where do people keep their battery banks on the boat?

 

Mine are in the engine bay and I've noticed they lose their charge a lot quicker now it's cold. Does anyone keep them in the living area to keep them at a more stable temp. How does this work with the BSS regs?

 

George

[nicknorman]

If they are lead acid batteries, bear in mind that they produce explosive hydrogen, and oxygen. If there is some sort of battery malfunction (over charged due to a regulator fault, or a cell short circuit) then thy can give off sulphuric acid vapour, hydrogen sulphide, the former very corrosive and the latter lethal in low concentrations.

 

This is why the BSS requires batteries to be in a ventilated space. If you can have them in the cabin in a compartment that doesn’t allow the fumes easily to get into the main habitable space, and ensure the compartment is externally ventilated, then OK. Otherwise, a bad idea!

 

Having cold LA batteries doesn’t cause them to lose charge any faster, but it does make them more reluctant to quickly give up the charge they have. If you are noticing that batteries are lower, it is because the nights are longer and you are making more demand of the batteries, and maybe because they are dying anyway.

 

We have a trad stern with a rear engine and so the batteries are partially protected and slightly heated by the cabin temperature, but if you have a cruiser stern I don’t think that practically, you can do anything about it.

[grockell]

On 21/11/2019 at 08:39, nicknorman said:

If they are lead acid batteries, bear in mind that they produce explosive hydrogen, and oxygen. If there is some sort of battery malfunction (over charged due to a regulator fault, or a cell short circuit) then thy can give off sulphuric acid vapour, hydrogen sulphide, the former very corrosive and the latter lethal in low concentrations.

 

This is why the BSS requires batteries to be in a ventilated space. If you can have them in the cabin in a compartment that doesn’t allow the fumes easily to get into the main habitable space, and ensure the compartment is externally ventilated, then OK. Otherwise, a bad idea!

 

Having cold LA batteries doesn’t cause them to lose charge any faster, but it does make them more reluctant to quickly give up the charge they have. If you are noticing that batteries are lower, it is because the nights are longer and you are making more demand of the batteries, and maybe because they are dying anyway.

 

We have a trad stern with a rear engine and so the batteries are partially protected and slightly heated by the cabin temperature, but if you have a cruiser stern I don’t think that practically, you can do anything about it.

Thanks for your advice on this! That makes a lot of sense.