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I have a Mazda Miata with the battery already located in the trunk right from the factory. It is an AGM battery (absorbed glass mat technology) which means there is no free running liquid electrolite in the battery; it is located in sponge like material and could be mounted upside down if necessary. Even with this battery, the engineers who designed the car included vents comming off the top of the battery and vent tubes that vent out through the bottom of the trunk. The vents in the battery are not actually open but are actually pop-off valves designed to allow hydrogen gas to escape in case of a major battery failure. All batteries produce hydrogen gas which can become explosive given the right set of circumstances. Remember the Hindenburg? You also have electrical wires in the trunk and insulation can get frayed producing a spark. In an open engine compartment this is not a problem. In an enclosed truck this can be a real problem. Although this is very unlikely to occur, there is a potential for something really bad to happen.
The moral of all this is yes, it's my opinion and apparently the opinion of Mazda engineers that if a battery is going inside the trunk you do need some additional ventilation.
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125 front wheel horsepower with major retard issues between 4500-5200RPM -
OD switched off, even when not in 3rd results in major power loss/rpm drop.
Its a Century Battery.
Middle of the range one..non sealed..that is..has the water top up points.
Mmmm... lead acid battery in the trunk. Not good.
You have a decision to make. If you were to keep the lead acid battery, you must install vents, and soon, like NOW. However, your battery being not intended for installation in a closed compartment may not have vent outlets. That makes collecting the fumes or gases rather complicated.
You can look at Optima YellowTop and RedTop, Duralast AGM or Westco AGM. They range from $90 to $150. Optimas are heavier so if you are looking to go fast that may not be for you. YellowTop is a deep cycle battery and thus popular with folks that run 1000w amp.
All batteries produce hydrogen gas which can become explosive given the right set of circumstances. Remember the Hindenburg?
Mike
not to get off subject, but hydrogen is very safe and is not what caused the hindenburg. if the hydrogen leaks, most that will happen is you get some water in your car.
not to get off subject, but hydrogen is very safe and is not what caused the hindenburg. if the hydrogen leaks, most that will happen is you get some water in your car.
Wrong!
Hydrogen is one of the most volitile materials on the surface of the planet. And yes, hydrogen did cause the Hindenburg incident, BECAUSE IT FUCKING IGNITES WITH ENERGY 10x GREATER THAN PROPANE
Not to mention that it is the fuel source for the primary fusion reactions in stars!!!
NASA scientist at Cape Canaveral has found proof that the hydrogen in the hull was not to blame, but the fabric of the Hindenburg's outer skin and a new protective coating. A single spark of static electricity was enough to make it burn like dry leaves. The sealant that was used is the same composition as rocket fuel used today.
A hydrogen flame burns quickly and emits very little heat (hydrogen radiates only 10% of the heat from hydrocarbons per comparable unit of energy). This means that a hydrogen fire will do much less damage to the immediate surroundings than a gasoline fire, while consequently creating less damaging gases caused by the burning of “secondary” materials.
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