Battery Location

not so grey nomads · Veteran Member

Battery Location

Colin Penrose · Senior Member

Not if they are sealed batteries, which they would be. Plenty of ventilation space under the bed I would think. I cant see a problem mete.

not so grey nomads · Veteran Member

Thanks Colin for your quick reply, is it easy to tell if they are sealed

T1 Terry · Guru

We have retro fitted quite a few "sealed" batteries to lithium after the batteries started spewing rotten egg gas fumes through the RV. This happens when a lead acid battery dies and the gas pressure forces the relief valve open to avoid the cases rupturing. The plastic case gets hot and soft and the valve doesn't always relieve the pressure before the case lets go, quite a mess and stink, you have to experience it to believe just how bad it can be. Fortunately these were either in front boots or lockers, sure won't like to experience one doing that under the bed .....

T1 Terry

not so grey nomads · Veteran Member

Hi Terry thanks for the info great to get many different views. I would much prefer to have the batteries in a different location, I am weighing up options, do you know roughly how old the sealed batteries were before they had issues?

T1 Terry · Guru

not so grey nomads wrote:
Hi Terry thanks for the info great to get many different views. I would much prefer to have the batteries in a different location, I am weighing up options, do you know roughly how old the sealed batteries were before they had issues?

One set was less than 3 yrs old and the owners were not impressed at all. So you either need to change battery location or chemistry to a type that don't emit gases or leak acid. Neither is a cheap option unfortunately, my recommendation would be to spend that money improving the battery technology for something that will last long enough to pay for itself.

T1 Terry

not so grey nomads · Veteran Member

Thanks mate

Hetho · Senior Member

Hi Paul

I have 2 x 120 AH batterys under my bed. They are sealed lead acid.

No fumes, however; i replace them every 3 years, which is their warranty.

I dont wait for them to die.

Regards.

Hetho.

not so grey nomads · Veteran Member

Funny you should say that, after reading Terry's experience I said to my partner Kylie maybe we just replace them every few years, great to know from someone like yourself that my thought made sense.
Really enjoying the forum I have many more questions I hope people don't get sick of me
Thanks Guys

iana · Guru

The batteries in our van are under the bed, 2 x 100AH, the bed is over the wheels, so its an ideal position weight and balance wise. Try to keep the weight as close to the axles as possible.

Mike Harding · Guru

Don't worry about it.

I have owned and worked professionally with sealed lead acid batteries for more years than I care to remember and I cannot recall one ever "gassing" to the point I could smell it - even the ones which reached the end of their life. Such gassing is a possibility and a designed safety feature but rare and other than a bad smell is of no safety consequence.

Be aware; Terry runs a business selling lithium batteries and has something of a predilection for them :)

I would sleep above a bank of sealed lead acid batteries without a care.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

I would have no qualms putting a battery under provided it was in a decent battery box, NOT a wet cell (sealed or otherwise) and vented to the outside.
Cheers,
Peter

EJP · Senior Member

There must be thousands of caravans with batteries under the beds or seats without having any problems and I would imagine not all of them would be of the sealed type. However, I relocated the battery in my Jayco Freedom to the front locker for piece of mind. The battery was located inside the van under a seat next to the charger and next to the 3 way fridge and with not a lot of ventilation for my liking. The wooden side of the seat separated the fridge and the battery, but there were gaps and in my opinion did not isolate the two areas sufficiently. I left the charger in position, made a box for the battery, complete with ventilation holes, and positioned it in the front locker approximately 2 metres distant from its original position. I left the fuses between the battery and charger in position and fitted duplicate fuses at the battery. I ran the cables under the van to the charger using the same size cables and protected them them with conduit. There is more weight on the towball but acceptable. I am happy with the result and I have that extra piece of mind.

EJP

not so grey nomads · Veteran Member

Thanks EJP

swamp · Senior Member

HI
Located under the bed or just under a seat does is acceptable for an AGM battery, thousands of vans are done that way . Venting outta the presure relief valve would be catastrophic wether located inside or front boot etc .

Its the wet/flooded batteries that will emit a lot during charge/discharge .

If you are worried just ensure u have a very very good charging/discharge regime
Fit a low volt disconnect which willnot allow over discharge eg below 50% =12.00 thereby preserving/extending the life of the battery .
Recharge to full 100% capacity every day is also a way of preserving life of battery.
Fit ON/OFF isolater for when in storage .
By not stressing your battery u could almost guarantee u will not at least have an operator induced failure under normal usage .