Hydrogensagas

[Hotblack]

I'm thinking how nice it would be to charge my motorcycle battery in my basement, but I'm wary of hydrogen. Does a motorcycle battery on a low trickle charge gas enough to cause concern in that situation? I won't do it if there's even the slightest doubt, I might not anyway, but I really am curious if anyone has real 'official' knowledge of this. I do remember an explosion from a boat battery once that shook our house about 500 yards away. That was a big battery on full charge in a small place though, the fool put the cover back on the engine compartment with the charger going. I'll never forget that, it burned half a marina down.

[jimcor]

I trickle charge my batteries in my apartment kitchen... One amp charger. No gas appliances so no pilot lights to worry about. I don't smoke. So far, so good. 8O

[Anonymous]

but I'm wary of hydrogen

Well, use a bit of common sense and it will be fine. Hydrogen is lighter than air and will disperse on its own, given a chance. Keep a window open a bit if possible and do not close it into a small space with a pilot light around. Should be fine. I know have charged all sorts of batteries in a closed garage and never had a problem.

Mark

[Hoomgar]

Trickle charging a motorcycle battery should be no concern at all unless there is something wrong with the battery (shorted platlets) or the charger. Even then, the battery is small and should'nt cause enough gas to worry about. I have a one amp charger which is a bit heavy for a trickle charger so I put the charger on an outlet timer

I charge with one amp for 1 hour twice a day. Keeps my battery fresh as it would be in normal use.

I take it off for 3 day periods then put it back on. Give or take. It's better than letting it just sit.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if it's safe or not but I will recommend you read the instructions a few times to get the order down pact. Even so, I cover my face with my arm when disconnecting the battery. Don't leave the house with the battery charging either, you'll be able to hear it if is starts to boil but 1amp will just make it bubble. So, I guess if you hear bubbling there is gas present. Also, Hydrogen floats so it will accumulate in covered areas. For example, if you've got a car with a wrap down hood that would be a hazard. The gas will get caught in the wrap down part when the hood is open so boom when you disconnect the cables the wrong way.

Steve

[Anonymous]

if you only have a 15 amp charger (like most car chargers are) then only charge for 15 minutes then off for a day then on 15 minutes and off for a day. this method is acceptable for a modified trikle charge. especially if you dont have a smaller charger. DON'T USE ANYTHING HIGHER THAN THE 15 AMP SETTING OR YOU CAN WELD YOUR PLATLETS TOGETHER AND COULD POSSIBLY EXPLODE YOUR BATTERY.

[Hotblack]

Whack my battery with 15 amps? 8O Luckily someone gave me a Sears motorcycle battery charger a few years back, it can go eithe 6 amps for a car battery or a variable trickle from something like .2 amps to 1.2 amps.

Thanks for all the input.

[earlfor]

I have an old "brick" charger that came with my 12v bag cell phone I once used. It charges about 14v @ 500 milliamps (1/2 amp). That seems to work well as a trickle charger and if accidently forgotten, it doesnt boil the battery dry. Unfortunately, if the battery is really flat, it takes quite a while to fully charge it too. :-)

Earl

Whack my battery with 15 amps? 8O Luckily someone gave me a Sears motorcycle battery charger a few years back, it can go eithe 6 amps for a car battery or a variable trickle from something like .2 amps to 1.2 amps.

Thanks for all the input.

[argonsagas]

Will a small charger build up enough hydrogen gas to be dangerous?

YES


If, that is, I believe the gas detector in my basement. The detector is about 5 feet off the floor, and I place the battery on a board on the floor.

If I leave the battery on charge for more than a few hours, the detector will trigger, every time. They are about 30 feet apart, so it is not a matter of proximity.

I have yet to take mine out of the bikes, (Last rode it three weeks ago) but they get charged for a few hours every week.

Batteries will come out this weekend.

[Hotblack]

Ohooooo, so what do you know about gas, Mr. Fancypants? Next you'll be telling us that argon is a gas. Seriously, thanks for the heads up.

[Paul]

When charging a battery an amount of hydrogen gas will be emitted.
Whether or not it is enough to be concerned about is up to you
But a little story with a that demonstrates what can happen.
About 10 years ago a Friend of mine lost his eye when his car battery blew up. He had it on charge in the car with the hood up - outside. He turned off the charger went to disconnect the battery and he thinks there may have been a small spark as he removed the leads, the next he knew he was in an ambulance with a bandage around his face. this was an experienced guy who had been building bikes & cars for about 25/30 years.
About 14 years ago I was at work when there was an huge bang that shook the building. The fork lift truck was on charge and the battery pack had exploded. The probable cause was a guy who was grinding welds, about 30 feet away. The fork lift service guy said it happens regularly, as the hydrogen gas is ignited by a small spark. It makes you wonder when you see guys with *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$s in there mouth in the fork truck bay!

####s - What is wrong with the word f-a-g-s?

[Jethro]

Holy crap!

I never knew this could happen! I just charged my car battery in the basement the other day, unhooked the charger after it was nice and charged while smoking a cigarette, then proceeded to play games with the sparks created when you click the charger clamps together!

Last summer I put my GS battery on the charger at 6amps and forgot about it. The next morning it was bubbling and gurgling and really warm! Again, I was enjoying a Camel while messing with the thing. Oh, and it was about 2 feet away from my oil bruner blower.

Jesus, one of these days I'm gonna get into real trouble from not reading the owners manual.

"Oh, the humanity!!!"

[Hoomgar]

Holy crap!

I never knew this could happen! I just charged my car battery in the basement the other day, unhooked the charger after it was nice and charged while smoking a cigarette, then proceeded to play games with the sparks created when you click the charger clamps together!

Last summer I put my GS battery on the charger at 6amps and forgot about it. The next morning it was bubbling and gurgling and really warm! Again, I was enjoying a Camel while messing with the thing. Oh, and it was about 2 feet away from my oil bruner blower.

Jesus, one of these days I'm gonna get into real trouble from not reading the owners manual.

"Oh, the humanity!!!"

Jethro, it is all true and can happen. I am not saying you don't have to take precausions but I can tell you that I have been around batteries and the making and charging of them all my life and have never seen anything happen like any of this. We even tried to get them to explode. It was impossible for us. I worked at a car battery manufacturer and can attest to so many stories of incidents that should have led to an explosion or gas poisoning. I am sure there are cases out there where it has happened but in my experiences it is one of those things that is so over warned that I would almost like to submit it to "Myth Busters" for testing.

I think that in cases like Paul mentions above there was a defective battery or really extreme circumstances that led to something of that magnitude actually happening. It is a sad story too. Sorry to hear about your friends eye Paul. That stinks.


Don't get into a panic about it ever. Just take precausions and you will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Hoomgar: If you want to try the lead poisoning thing bypass the regulator in your car and drive around until it boils dry. My friend had this happen to him in a Nissan pick-up and he was so sick that he would be sitting around with snot running out of his face all over him and he couldn't even feel it.

Batteries are dangerous. They are as notorious as split rims, maxi-pots, and Dodge trucks put in park on a hill without the E brake on. I've known a couple people that have been pinned against walls by their parked Dodges...If you can hear a clicking sound coming towards you ya better DODGE.

Steve

[Paul]

Hoomgar, I've welded next to charging batteries, checked for bubbling when the battery is charging using a lighter to see down the holes and, obviously, I'm still here.
I suppose it is like a lot of things - you get away with it for 99.9% of the time but when you don't - Oh crap!
The 2 stories I related above shocked me. Especially the fork-lift truck. The explosion actually bent the steel carrier that the batteries are housed in! And I, and a lot of other guys at work, have used the forks as a sort of elevating welding bench!