Indoor pollution from battery charging

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Mik
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Joined: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 15:27
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Indoor pollution from battery charging

What do all these "zero emissions vehicles" really emit - especially inside our homes each day during recharging?

How do different battery types and charging processes compare in respect to these emissions?

Which ones should be charged outside, which ones with open windows, which ones away from pregnant women etc etc etc.

Anyone sick since charging their EV at home each day?

Anyone else worried at all?

From the maybe slightly paranoid

Mr Mik

davew
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Re: Indoor pollution from battery charging

The NiMH batteries on your Vectrix are sealed and will emit nothing. If they do ever emit something they will explode and you should take this as a sign to not charge them any more. :-) The power plant making your electricity is probably releasing some nasty chemicals like mercury, but if your electric vehicle is replacing an internal combustion vehicle then you are miles ahead.

"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"

NickF23
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Re: Indoor pollution from battery charging

Never charge flooded lead acid batteries indoors. In the final stage of charging the batteries gas meaing hydrogen and oxygen is dispersed into the air, this also disperse electrolyte vapour into the air aswell which contains lead and other heavy metals. Adults can survive a certain level of exposure to lead ok but its extremely neurotoxic to small/unborn children. Intereresting research linking lead and violent crime below, I had a link to the original research but I can't seem to find it.

Nickle metal hyrdride and lithium batteries don't contain anything directly toxic but if there's a short they do sometimes get very hot and can set things on fire.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/07/AR2007070701073.html?hpid=topnews

deronmoped
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Re: Indoor pollution from battery charging

Mr Mik

I can tell you that Lead Acid batteries can put out some gases. Not sure exactly what gases they put out, it may be more then just hydrogen, there is sulfuric acid in there so some of that may gas out.

SLA batteries (sealed lead acid) I can tell you they are not all sealed. The ones I have seen have holes for venting, pin holes with valves. Probably to allow for expansion and contraction from heat and altitude changes. So those may gas a little, although they tell you they are not supposed to.

A very important point a friend of mine made a long time ago. "If you can smell it, you are breathing it". I try to remember this as it will help me save my lungs from unnecessary damage.

Who knows what all those other batteries gas out, I would definitely check into it if I was going to have a car charging all the time in a enclosed space.

Deron.

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