We have seen a few instances of the batteries themselves blowing, but not from 
hydrogen that we could tell. In one case a guy decided to fast charge his 
battery bank with a DC welding generator...

From: Allan Sindelar 
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 11:10 AM
To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org 
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Knowledge of two incidents - sort of.
About ten years ago a Hydrocap on an L16 blew apart. Not our installation; I 
suspect that it became plugged up or overheated, as the array had been recently 
enlarged. Explosion was contained within the battery enclosure; just made a 
mess.

About four years ago a small 12V automotive battery used only to start a 6.5 
Onan generator blew up, causing modest permanent hearing damage to the 
homeowner. I wasn't there, and heard about it from her. This wasn't a venting 
issue, as the battery was on the floor in a ventilated room, but rather 
apparently a plugged cap in the battery itself. 

Otherwise, nothing.
Allan


Allan Sindelar
al...@positiveenergysolar.com
NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Positive Energy, Inc.
3201 Calle Marie
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
505 424-1112
www.positiveenergysolar.com


On 12/15/2010 10:56 AM, Exeltech wrote: 
        38+ years in RE.  Knowledge of one incident (an off-grid friend).

        Very sunny day.  Very windy.  My friend had both PV and a wind 
generator (still does).  He had just stepped out of the room where the 
batteries were located when (as he described it) he heard something like a loud 
gunshot.  He went back inside to find one of the L16s exploded, top completely 
blown off, and case broken much of the way down one side.

        Had the incident occurred only minutes earlier, injuries could have 
resulted.  He has since relocated his batteries to a dedicated (and vented) 
battery space.

        Dan


        --- On Wed, 12/15/10, Kent Osterberg mailto:k...@coveoregon.com wrote:


          From: Kent Osterberg mailto:k...@coveoregon.com
          Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents
          To: "RE-wrenches" mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
          Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 11:21 AM


          Sounds like, in general, that the off-grid industry has been 
fortunate to not have hydrogen explosions.  That's good.  No explosions here 
either.  But one shouldn't take that as evidence that it couldn't happen.  I 
don't believe this is a circumstance where it is better to be lucky than good.  
That's why I recommend doing the calculations.

          Kent Osterberg
          Blue Mountain Solar



          Dana wrote: 
            Ken – 




            To meet the flow have run 2 and 3 fans to meet the flow. 2” output 
from the fan into a 4” header with a matching 2.5” inlet as far away on the 
lowest portion of the battery box.





            In 22+ years in off grid installations I have yet to see or even 
hear of one hydrogen explosion. I get repeatedly asked why we have to go to the 
efforts we go to for box and venting. I am not able to provide even one 
incident that I have heard rumor of.



            Q - How many battery based hydrogen incidents have happened in our 
collective experience?






            Dana Orzel

            Great Solar Works, Inc

            E - wlmailhtml:/mc/compose?to=d...@solarwork.com

            V - 970.626.5253

            F - 970.626.4140

            C - 970.209.4076

            web - www.solarwork.com



            "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988"

            Do not ever belive anything, but seriously trust through action.



            From: 
wlmailhtml:/mc/compose?to=re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org 
[wlmailhtml:/mc/compose?to=re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf 
Of Kent Osterberg
            Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 12:07 PM
            To: Wrenches
            Subject: [RE-wrenches] Battery Venting



            Fellow Wrenches,

            The discussion about battery venting reminds me of a useful and 
inexpensive program, BattMV, for determining ventilation requirements per 
EN-50272.  EN-50272 is a European standard used to determine how much air flow 
is needed for a room, I don't know of a equivalent standard used in the U.S.  
It takes a surprising amount of ventilation.  For a 400-AH 48-volt L16 bank 
charged at 57.6 volts and 24 amps, it's about 7 CFM just to keep the %H2 down 
to 4%.  A 12-volt Zephyr vent is good for about 5 CFM!   If you think you are 
venting enough, take some time and study this issue.

            Kent Osterberg
            Blue Mountain Solar

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