Battery Venting
11-03-2006, 06:44 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Battery Venting
Well, one too many electrical gremlins (now fixed) and failure to plug in the battery maintainer (for good measure) into the outlet 
finally killed my battery. I got a new battery today that had an optional "vent tube" strapped to the side so that it could be "vented" to the outside, if needed, since the battery was inside the car.
I don't recall hearing any mention of this here, but does anyone have an opinion; to vent or not to vent?
60 degrees and sunny here today!
finally killed my battery. I got a new battery today that had an optional "vent tube" strapped to the side so that it could be "vented" to the outside, if needed, since the battery was inside the car. I don't recall hearing any mention of this here, but does anyone have an opinion; to vent or not to vent?
60 degrees and sunny here today!
11-03-2006, 07:24 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
Definitely vent. The 78 battery box's lower lid had provisions for the vent lines, your 81 must have some place to route the vent. If nothing else, route it alongside the positive cable and down to a place where it can't spew acid onto the undercarriage.
11-03-2006, 09:13 PM
#6
Chronic Tool Dropper
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Yeah, what Dave said...
I used some handy drip irrigation tubing, tie-wrapped to th positive cable and routed out through the same grommet from the battery well. It is forward of the battery box on front, with the tip of the tube just below the level of the well on the outside.
A little venturi action give some negative pressure inside the battery itself, reducing the backpressure on the electrons as they come out of solution to flow up inside the coating on the ground strap to the frame. This also helps them overcome inertia so they can flow forward in the frame tubes, even under hard acceleration.
Why do the call it "elecotrolyte" when you really want it to be heavy?
I used some handy drip irrigation tubing, tie-wrapped to th positive cable and routed out through the same grommet from the battery well. It is forward of the battery box on front, with the tip of the tube just below the level of the well on the outside.
A little venturi action give some negative pressure inside the battery itself, reducing the backpressure on the electrons as they come out of solution to flow up inside the coating on the ground strap to the frame. This also helps them overcome inertia so they can flow forward in the frame tubes, even under hard acceleration.
Why do the call it "elecotrolyte" when you really want it to be heavy?
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11-04-2006, 12:51 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by SharkSkin
Definitely vent. The 78 battery box's lower lid had provisions for the vent lines, your 81 must have some place to route the vent. If nothing else, route it alongside the positive cable and down to a place where it can't spew acid onto the undercarriage.
Originally Posted by dr bob
Yeah, what Dave said...
I used some handy drip irrigation tubing, tie-wrapped to th positive cable and routed out through the same grommet from the battery well. It is forward of the battery box on front, with the tip of the tube just below the level of the well on the outside.
A little venturi action give some negative pressure inside the battery itself, reducing the backpressure on the electrons as they come out of solution to flow up inside the coating on the ground strap to the frame. This also helps them overcome inertia so they can flow forward in the frame tubes, even under hard acceleration.
Why do the call it "elecotrolyte" when you really want it to be heavy?
I used some handy drip irrigation tubing, tie-wrapped to th positive cable and routed out through the same grommet from the battery well. It is forward of the battery box on front, with the tip of the tube just below the level of the well on the outside.
A little venturi action give some negative pressure inside the battery itself, reducing the backpressure on the electrons as they come out of solution to flow up inside the coating on the ground strap to the frame. This also helps them overcome inertia so they can flow forward in the frame tubes, even under hard acceleration.
Why do the call it "elecotrolyte" when you really want it to be heavy?
Thanks to all!
P.S. Sunny and 60-65 degrees here again today! Woo hoo!!!!!!!
P.P.S. Sharkskin, is there anything on your car that you DON'T have a picture of?!
11-04-2006, 12:59 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
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My car apears to have a factory drain tube from the battery compartment. I will have to check it out, because when I charged it up last from being dead, it looks like some kind of white- yellow powder accumpulated on the leather seats and fortunately it wiped right off with some lexol leather cleaner.
Anybody know what that powder on the interior is all about? The car sits in a climate controlled garage, very little moisture with the windows shut and the battery charging with the cables hooked up from the engine compartment.
Anybody know what that powder on the interior is all about? The car sits in a climate controlled garage, very little moisture with the windows shut and the battery charging with the cables hooked up from the engine compartment.
11-04-2006, 01:30 PM
#10
Racer
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IIRC, my GTS has ventilation slots in the battery box so no drain tube. Last year I left the battery in there but unhooked the neg cable. This year I'm going to try a 1.5v automatic battery maintainer because we'll have a week of nice weather in January and I'll want to unplug and drive it.
Last edited by F4GIB; 11-04-2006 at 02:52 PM.
11-04-2006, 01:38 PM
#11
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Lots of places I don't have pics of yet -- but I'm closing the gap! I have a little explanation about why I take so many pics and post so many procedures on my home page if you're interested.
Warren, you might want to check the gasket around the battery cover and make sure the drain tube is hooked up and check the general state of the battery compartment. I've never heard of the white powder accumulating like you describe.... maybe the ghost of Scarface paid you a visit?
Warren, you might want to check the gasket around the battery cover and make sure the drain tube is hooked up and check the general state of the battery compartment. I've never heard of the white powder accumulating like you describe.... maybe the ghost of Scarface paid you a visit?
11-06-2006, 12:15 AM
#13
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by SharkSkin
Lots of places I don't have pics of yet -- but I'm closing the gap! I have a little explanation about why I take so many pics and post so many procedures on my home page if you're interested.
.
Originally Posted by Alan
Here is a picture of my direct battery venting...
Alan
Alan
What's the other "plumbing" you've got in there?
11-06-2006, 01:04 AM
#14
Electron Wrangler
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Well at the top is a 0.5 Farad capacitor for my audio system with a charging switch. Its a very very tight install - I am currently building a custom cover for it since the stock cover is too small. In the battery box at the top is a Maxi fuse for the Audio, and below that a 4 way ATC fuse block for some of the direct battery feeds:
1 for my charger port/power outlet port (the red wire next to the ground strap)
2 & 3 for the 2 main cooling fan final stage supplies.
4 for the DI & MFI direct supplies.
I don't like that Porsche runs these 4mm^2 & 6mm^2 lines directly from the battery unfused to the CE panel (this is very very bad practice...) - so I have fused them direct - I will later remove the CE mounted fused for the Fans - they need not be there anymore (and are a well known problem area anyway), the MFI & DI feeds are not even fused - anywhere.
Alan
1 for my charger port/power outlet port (the red wire next to the ground strap)
2 & 3 for the 2 main cooling fan final stage supplies.
4 for the DI & MFI direct supplies.
I don't like that Porsche runs these 4mm^2 & 6mm^2 lines directly from the battery unfused to the CE panel (this is very very bad practice...) - so I have fused them direct - I will later remove the CE mounted fused for the Fans - they need not be there anymore (and are a well known problem area anyway), the MFI & DI feeds are not even fused - anywhere.
Alan
11-06-2006, 02:28 AM
#15
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that white powder could be residue from acid in the air. when a battery is charged it will make that really neat hydrogen gas, wich alo contains some acid with it, when it accumulates and then condenses it "falls" out of the air for lack of better termoniligy. Then the moisture dries up leaving behind that tell-tell powder, much like what you would see on a corroded batt term. Frankley I would pull out the batt while chrarging, or you can leave the windows down to provide some form of circulation in the car.
