I've always put LA batteries in the basement with a tender now the Squeeze is concerned about them being there. Does she have anything to worry about?
Charging lead acid batteries in the house?
- Thread starter timtune
- Start date
Mostly no but a little yes. Charging a LA battery can result in hydrogen gas release. If in a large space, no big deal. If you charge them in a closet or cabinet and get unlucky, you could theoretically have a fire or explosion. Even then, I doubt a tender would release gas fast enough to get a high enough concentration, I think you'd need to leave a real charger on it.
When we lived in a condo, I had all of these tucked away in one of our spare bedrooms every winter...
Dirty Frank
Well-known member
Risk is minimal but use some common sense and keep the batteries away from ignition sources like appliances with pilot lights.
... and put it in an open floor area away from flammable or expensive stuff in the extremely unlikely event that the case splits and dumps sulfuric acid everywhere.
If you have a security system in the house, the control box probably contains a sealed lead acid battery, that's how it keeps working (for a while) if mains power is cut. So, there's a good chance you already have such a battery inside!
If you have a security system in the house, the control box probably contains a sealed lead acid battery, that's how it keeps working (for a while) if mains power is cut. So, there's a good chance you already have such a battery inside!
I went to start my work van years ago and the battery exploded under the hood and I mean exploded, I thought it was a car bomb. There was acid and plastic battery parts everywhere under the hood. There must have been hydrogen buildup under the hood and a spark from a loose battery cable set it off when I turned the key. I would hate to have that happen in my house.
Normally to get a battery to explode like that, you need a dead short. Makes sparks, heat and hydrogen all at the same time. I've seen people do that with an accidental wrench across terminals.
MCT
Well-known member
As long as the charger is operating correctly, the answer is NO.
Batteries do not gas unless you take the voltage above 14.4V. If they did, I'd be filling my battery with distilled water every few weeks to make up for the fluid loss due to gassing.
