GoPackGo wrote:
I used the NOCO HM306BK models ON MY BOAT. They have small vents on the top. Cables are routed through any of those squarish protrusions you see built in to the corners of the caps. These also act as vents. So there is lots of venting - just not directly to the outside. They are good, heavy duty boxes.
My fiver came with boxes that look like the ones in your last link (has vent hoses attached).
I am not qualified to give anything more then an opinion. I don't know the volume of gases given off so I don't know how crucial it is to have direct outside venting. I do know that you want some kind of venting.
My fiver has the battery boxes in the front compartment with vent hoses leading to vents that face outward on the front. The batteries give off nasty fumes when being recharged so you do want some kind of vent arrangement. The compartment on my rig also can double as the genny compartment and because of that has cutouts in the bottom that allow air circulation as well as for an exhaust hose exit. Because of this, I would not worry if the boxes were not directly vented.
IMHO, you do not want boxes that have open drains in the bottom. Any liquid going out that drain will be acidic. I don't want something like that exiting out the bottom and being spread all over the bottom of my trailer. I want boxes with sealed bottoms.
I kind of agree with you, if I had a leak I wouldn't want that spraying all over the underside of my fifth wheel, that would make a mess. I think maybe I should order one of those boxes and maybe, but maybe not cut in the outside vent in to the lid of it?
