AGM location question

[RollandB]

A bit about my project. I have an Arctic Fox27-5L and am about to install solar on the roof and the items needed to charge batteries. The second phase will be the install of a puresine inverter. Currently I gave 2-6V flooded lead acid batteries in the factory location. They are on slides behind a small door. In that area there is enough room for 4 batteries so I'm looking to remove the slides and install 4 AGMs. One other option is to move the location of the battery bank to behind a partition wall next to the storage bay which is where a lot of the plumbing for drains and vents are located.

My question is if I move the battery location and bunch the AGMs together is a problem created. I've read a bit that says AGMs need to be ventilated which I would assume to be for keeping them cooler. Yet I see some installations that have 4 bunched together in a batter box.

Just looking for some good experience advice before the solar install begins as where the batteries are located determine where the controller, inverter, etc goes.

[westend]

Some AGM battery mfgs recommend the batteries be located in a vented space for the safety concern that smkettner related. Some AGM mfgs don't recommend a ventilated space since their products are used indoors, in X ray machines or telecom backup, for example.
I have three AGM's inside my trailer and don't worry at all about them venting. Any top-tier AGM should be good for indoor space. Heat isn't a concern, either. I have them installed against each other. I've never observed them getting anything but maybe slightly warm while charging.

[RollandB]

Thanks for all your help, it's appreciated. What raised the question is on the Lifeline site (one of two brands in consideration) they state ventilation is needed which is a bit different than what I thought.

The trailer is mostly 12VDC, for inverting to 110 it will me mainly TV, DVD, coffee maker and occasional microwave (most due to the light and vent being 110). When dry camping we cook outside and can make coffee on a camp stove but retirement is 15 months away so that could change and planning for that as well.

[2oldnslow]

I have 2 6V AGM batteries in an inside cabinet (that I am sitting on right now). There is a 100A fuse right on the + terminal to prevent discharging at a fast enough rate to cause them to outgas. I am comfortable with this, and have been for almost 4 years.

When I was working, one of our products had a 7AH AGM battery inside a sealed enclosure containing the electronics that it powered, and the charge controller that charged it (it was solar powered). Around 1200 units shipped over 10 years, none had any problem related to the battery being in the sealed enclosure.

[time2roll]

Old Duck wrote:
I've read a bit that says AGMs need to be ventilated which I would assume to be for keeping them cooler.

Nope. Same as flooded AGM can produce explosive hydrogen and oxygen. Typically there is none until some type of failure causes the venting.

That 27-5L might be my next trailer. Very nice 🙂

[free_radical]

Old Duck wrote:
A bit about my project. I have an Arctic Fox27-5L and am about to install solar on the roof and the items needed to charge batteries. The second phase will be the install of a puresine inverter. Currently I gave 2-6V flooded lead acid batteries in the factory location. They are on slides behind a small door. In that area there is enough room for 4 batteries so I'm looking to remove the slides and install 4 AGMs. One other option is to move the location of the battery bank to behind a partition wall next to the storage bay which is where a lot of the plumbing for drains and vents are located.

My question is if I move the battery location and bunch the AGMs together is a problem created. I've read a bit that says AGMs need to be ventilated which I would assume to be for keeping them cooler. Yet I see some installations that have 4 bunched together in a batter box.

Just looking for some good experience advice before the solar install begins as where the batteries are located determine where the controller, inverter, etc goes.

AGM absorbed glass mat are completely sealed and therefore dont need to be ventilated,,I have one right under my bed and never had any problems..
Ive never heard that it needs to be cooled..

[azrving]

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[lc0338]

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