I found a battery box at a Marine store for under $10.00. It's not vented but otherwise good quality. Can I just fabricate a 1/2inch hose or something to vent it? Is this even needed? What do the regular automotive ones come with that make them vented? One big hose or several. Where is the hose on the box?

Steve

You can make your own vent tube.

I dont think its necessary. I have had mine in my trunk for almost a year with no vent tube.

Its one long hose on the top of the box.
Vapors go up.

just get a gel cell like me!! :D

i don't know about batteries nowadays, but my superbeetle had the battery under the back seat and i never felt funny. :)

Hi Steve,

I think 1/2 inch will be somewhat big. You can try a smaller diameter. I'm thinking 3/8 will be good enough.

I've e-mailed you the box that I bought. The hole for the vent are mostly found on the backside of the box closer to the top. The other end of the hose should be to an outlet outside your car (you might have to drill a hole for an outlet - which I have done to my car). You just need one hose. The vented box is usually preferred over others because of safety issue of having your battery inside the car with no firewall. The vented box and aluminum box are usually the preferred ones because of fire and acid issues.

Steve

I used a piece of 1/2" clear tubing on my ghetto battery box (the box started life as a plastic file box that you use for filing paperwork). I drilled a hole at the top of the box, silicone sealed one end of the tube into the hole, drilled a hole in the floor of the trunk, and siliconed the other end of the tube thru it.
I went thru the extra effort since I still actively use my trunk plus I carry my kids in car seats on the other side of that flimsy cardboard "firewall" behind the rear seat. Call it "peace of mind".

Thanks for the information.

Steve