Sponsored

Related to intervers, batteries, battery placement...........

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
178
Messages
29,084
Reaction score
34,569
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
If I may insert a bit of a safety thing here - since there has been a lot of discussion about power inverters, batteries, charging, discharging, battery and inverter placement and other fun related stuff.

Some safety stories to bore you and/or annoy -
Since I have restored antique engines, cars, tools and other items for decades I have a lot of stuff in my shop that isn't always safe -

I've restored antique engines since I was a teen and in the 90s I put up a large page about using electrolysis to safely (environmentally safe) de-rust steel and iron parts. It became a pretty popular page.
Another fellow used my electrolysis web page as a basis for setting up his own de-rusting bucket like I did.
He set it up in a room in his garage - and closed the door. OK, fine, not real safe - because some of the fumes are the same as those generated by batteries - besides the sulfuric acid mist in the air from batteries, I'm talking hydrogen - and oxygen.
So his little grand daughter went into his garage, opened that door, bumped his electrolysis setup and BANG. No one was hurt but scared the heck out of the poor little girl.
She'd caused a spark by bumping things - generally this process is powered by a battery charger, or a battery charger AND a battery.
The process breaks down water as it works and creates hydrogen and oxygen and with no air movement it's an explosive combination. (Hindenburg, anyone? Although that was bad more because the fabric was coated with flammable stuff!)
Batteries, electricity, water, acid - you get explosive stuff, and sulfuric acid in the air.

My first boss as far as an auto shop was old-school, he had worked on a generator and had a car in the shop with a battery charger on it. He knew he needed to polarize the generator after his work, so he took the generator to the car with the battery being charged and proceeded to use that battery to polarize the generator. (I worked in a former AMC shop in the 1970s)
You know what happened next.
We had to rush him over to the water faucet and hose and wash his face down ASAP. Blew the top clean off that battery, busted up his glasses (thank goodness he was wearing glasses!!!!!!!!!!!) There were pieces of battery everywhere, even several feet away.
Batteries produce explosive fumes - and fumes with ACID in them.
It's why battery cables and the terminal bolts corrode, why metal battery trays in older vehicles rot, hold down clamps rot and you may find holes in the inner fenders of some vehicles. The fumes from a battery charging and discharging. And if you run a battery down low and then let the vehicle's charging system recharge it, it's going to get a heavy dose of power and is very likely to produce acidic fumes around the battery. (alternators are made to maintain, not charge..........but it's what people do)

I don't directly "know" anyone here - but that doesn't really matter as I still don't want anyone to be blinded or burned, or even something as simple as their new JT rusting because of this stuff.
I do electroplating in my shop - zinc and nickel so far - you should see the rust in various areas of my shop. HCL, ammonia, bleach, zinc and potassium compounds, lye, really nasty stuff.

Just please be careful, folks. If putting another battery somewhere, just think of the side-effects, your safety, and the possible impact on surrounding metal parts.
Sponsored

 
 



Top