Battery Compartment Ventilation

[Fuzzy]

Many places mention the importance of flooded battery compartments to be
well ventilated however on the C34 battery compartment there appears to
be no ventilation.  Have anyone here have had a problem with no ventilation
or has anyone added ventilation to this area?
Larry

[Stu Jackson]

Hi, Larry,

Yes, some have reported adding ventilation to the battery compartment.  I looked briefly in the KNOWLEDGEBASE (accessed via the C34 Te h Notes page, link at the top of this and all other Forum pages).  Sorry, couldn't find it, but Ron Hill wrote a Mainsheet article, with pictures, about twwo adding Nicro vents and drilling through the fiberglass.  One high, one low on the forward facing plane of the settee seat just forward of the galley sink.

Many of us who haven't done so (yet? ) have also not reported any "issues" in not adding vents.  In reality, very little gas is given off unless your charging system is or goes snafu.  I recommend checking charging voltages and amperage as a regular past of the skipper's responsibilities during ANY charging session.

[Ron Hill]

Larry : I've added a number of the fixed teak louvered vents(9"x7") to each of the storage areas under the seats in the salon area.

Specifically one for the battery compartment on the walkway side. I uses a saber saw and then screws with plugs over the top of the screw heads.  I try to screw the vent inplace from the inside, but the battery compartment on my 1988 is double walled!
 
I also added another one on the other end of the settee fwd of the mast.  There is another mounted above the sink drawer (so the heat from the water heater can rise and dissipate and not go over toward the fridge!!).
Two vents with doors(12"x12") on each side of the Vberth and one fixed under the settee in the aft cabin.

I believe in ventilation, ventilation, ventilation to combat any mildew and have a sweet smelling interior.

A few thoughts

[Fuzzy]

Thanks for the replies Stu and Ron.  And, Merry Christmas to guys and the rest of the membership.
Larry