Re: Welcome Vance

["richard hess" <rohess@hotmail.com>]

>Richard,
>	Tks.  My sub is an old one, built at the Kittredge works when 
there 
>was one, and rebuilt several times over the year.  Typically, the 
K-boat pods 
>are too small for the 6-volt golf cart batts, so am restricted to 
smaller 
>cells.  More's the pity.  Sounds like you've got things covered for 
>Hydrogen--Do you use a blower of some sort to vent the battery 
compartment 
>while charging?
>Best Regards,
>Vance






Vance,

I use compressed air to vent my battery compartment.  I have 
permanently installed compressed air lines that branch off inside the 
compartment and push fresh air from the back to the front of the 
battery compartment.  I have an exhaust tube that I run overboard, any 
hydrogen is vented well clear of the hull.  I just let the air flow at 
a medium rate, and it flushes out the compartment continuously, while 
I'm charging.  When I surface, I just turn a valve to flush out any 
hydrogen that built up during a dive.  The HydroCaps take care of most 
of it, but I like to play it safe and not depend on just one system.  
Even when the sub is in storage I like to flush the compartment from 
time to time.  I always have LP air available from the shop 
compressor, or from external HP bottles at sea.  I like to conserve 
the subs onboard air as much as possible.  For my sub, I think 
compressed air does a more complete job of flushing out all the small 
spaces between the batteries.  For people with large pods, a blower 
with an explosion proof motor might be the way to go.  Either way, 
hydrogen gas has to be eliminated one way or another.  For the folks 
out there that have never seen a hydrogen gas explosion, this stuff is 
very dangerous in the confined spaces of a sub.  If you ignore 
hydrogen gas build up, the hydrogen gas will eventually eliminate 
itself, and possibly the subs occupants as well, in a bright white 
flash!

Yes HBOI is funny when it comes to opening up things at sea.  They 
have the oil compensated battery procedures down to a fine art.  Not 
opening your one atmosphere battery pods can lead to all kinds of 
problems, like a boiled over cell, acid damage to the inside of your 
pod, damaged cables, etc..  I think it's a good idea to take a look 
inside from time to time.

I think Trojan makes a smaller profile 6V deep cycle battery now, I 
have a new brochure from them somewhere.  Give them a call, they might 
have something that will fit your pods without sacrificing too much 
capacity.

Do you have an arm for your K-sub yet?


Richard



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