battery venting

This is what you should have 12 Volt (12v) Toyota Prius Auxilary Battery for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 with installation kit

 

The optima battery is a an absorbed glass mat type battery that recombines hydrogen in the battery so that it does not require venting. As such it can be used in any attitude.

Float and absorb charge voltages are very critical for AGM batteries, since they can over head and be destroyed in the event of over charging.


Most probably the best, most comprehensive battery info web site if you are interested in how batteries really work etc :Car and Deep Cycle Battery FAQ, Battery Manufacturers and Brand Names List, and

 

Mine had a plug on one end (or was it two, one at each end?). Remove that and insert the vent tube adaptor. The eLearnaid kit comes with everything needed (tube adaptor, cables, clamps).

 

The adapter kit alone is $15 plus S&H

Instalation kit for installing Optima battery in 2000 - 2003, 2004 - 2009 & 2010 Prius

JeffD

 

Great link, thanks. From the description, and Hobbit's identification, it appears that the original is a wet "maintenance-free" type, with sealed non-removable filler caps - hence it has a vent, because charging above 80% will produce some hydrogen gas.

The AGM Optima battery is a valve-regulated type with recombining of gases produced in charging, so is very unlikely to vent. I don't know why they originally provided a vent hole, but if it's been redesigned without one, I wouldn't think it was a big problem.

 

I'm thinking of buying a used 2003 Prius with 137K miles, but don't know much about hybrids or the battery issue... Any help or advice would be appreciated...thanks.

 

In 'normal' cars, you can tell when the battery is dead when the starter won't start the car. Since the Prius uses the HV Battery to start, it is harder to tell when the 12 Volt battery is dying. Just like 'normal' cars, a 4 year life span is average.

You are buying a 7 year old car, if it still has the original 12 Volt battery, it is ancient. It would be possible to be near the end of life for a second 12 Volt battery. Most auto parts stores can test the 12 Volt battery.

The Prius uses a 12 Volt battery with non standard cables, you can get one at the dealership or get the elearnaid kit.

 

Hello, I saw some confusion regarding our batteries, which I hope I can help clarify. Although our batteries are “sealed,†it is important that any lead-acid battery has proper ventilation. ALL lead-acid batteries can vent gas. Traditional wet batteries do this immediately when recharged, since they are not sealed. Sealed lead-acid batteries like Optimas and all other “dry cell†batteries have safety release valves that should only vent if they are seriously overcharged.

Under normal operating conditions, an Optima will not vent gas. Since alternators or chargers can fail, the safest and correct mounting method for trunks and passenger compartments is to make sure that any possible gas venting will escape to the outside of the vehicle. All vehicles with original equipment battery locations in trunks or passenger compartments will have a vent provision that should be used. If you are custom mounting a battery in the trunk or passenger compartment we recommend venting the battery to the outside of the vehicle as well. Optima group 27, 51, 78, 34C, and 31 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose.

Although people do it anyway, we would never recommend installing an unvented battery in any enclosed space, because there’s a legitimate, albeit unlikely, safety risk involved.

For example, IF there is a voltage regulator failure, and IF the battery is severely overcharged, and IF this goes unnoticed, and IF the battery vents because the internal pressure exceeds the release pressure of the vents, the gasses are both flammable and toxic. This may sound like a lot of “ifs,†but attorneys and engineers get paid to plan for every worst-case scenario. If you have any other questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.

 

hello Jim, thanks for the info. about venting the optimas... that answered a lot of my questions... i had called some auto parts stores that carry the optima D51R and asked if there was a vent hole on the battery for a vent tube connector so that i could vent the battery to the outside of the vehicle... and received answers like: "its sealed, it doesn't need to be vented" and "i don't see one". yesterday, i was finally able to get to the store and look at the D51R for myself... i saw a hole on the end of the battery (on the side, near the top-- on the same end as the negative post). am i correct in assuming that is the vent hole? are there any special instructions for venting the battery? or, do i simply need to push the connector into that hole? (and attach the vent tube to the connector)?

another question for Jim, does the D51R come with a vent hole connector? (i'm guessing it doesn't)... my original (12+year old) vent hole connector was so brittle it broke in two when i tried to remove it from the original battery... elearnaid no longer includes a connector in their install kit... do you (or, anyone) know where i might find a vent hole connector (elbow shape) that will work with the optima D51R in a 2002 prius?

 

The vent port on my yellow top is located near the positive terminal. I would imagine that your local Toyota dealership parts department would be more than happy to look up that 90 degree elbow and sell you one.

 

I apologize for the delay in responding. All of our group 51 batteries, as well as our Prius-specific DS46B24R have provisions for external venting, as gen1tom described. While AGM batteries are less likely to vent gas, all batteries can toxic and flammable gas in extreme situations. Our batteries do not come with vent tubes or other such accessories for venting.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
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