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BOSCH 12v AGM 51-440BAGM does not need to be vented!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by prius4-me, Mar 1, 2017.

  1. prius4-me

    prius4-me Member

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    PepBoys installed the BOSCH 12v battery w/4 year warranty in my 2012 Gen 3 Prius a few days ago but did not connect the vent tube. They told me the battery does not need to be vented. I called BOSCH tech support who said the same thing even though the battery is in the passenger compartment, it still does not need to be vented. It will not vent hydrogen unless it is over charged which does not happen in a Prius.
     
    #1 prius4-me, Mar 1, 2017
  2. NavyLCDR

    NavyLCDR Active Member

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    They were mistaken. When I purchased my Bosch 51-440BAGM battery from Pep Boys it had a plastic vent elbow already attached on the right hand side of the battery. I pointed it out to the sales clerk, he said, "No problem!" On the left side of the battery is also a vent port with a cap on it. Pop that cap off, move the vent elbow to the left hand side and the vent port cap to the right hand side.

    These batteries were specifically designed for the Prius and specifically designed to be vented to the outside of the vehicle. If you look at the sides of the battery, near the top, horizontally centered just below the seam where the top of the battery meets the case (or it might be up in the blue top of the battery) you will find a vent port on each side. My battery came with the vent elbow attached to one port and the other port capped. The vent tube in the car fits right onto the elbow that came with the battery. Since the battery already has the vent ports and even if you have buy a 25 cent plastic elbow for it (which is supposed to come with the battery for "free"), then why would you not just use it?

    I'll post a photo of mine when I get home.

    Right on their website:
    Bosch Premium Performance Battery Group, Size 51 | Tire Details | Pep Boys

    "BATTERY IS VENTED OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE - OE BATTERY IS AGM ONLY REPLACE w/AGM BATTERY - S6 HIGH PERFORMANCE AGM - OE CCA: 325"
     
    #2 NavyLCDR, Mar 1, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2017
    xliderider and Mendel Leisk like this.
  3. NavyLCDR

    NavyLCDR Active Member

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    #3 NavyLCDR, Mar 1, 2017
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    AFAIK, OP has all the items need to vent the battery, well that is if PepBoys didn't pull it it out. Barring that: all he has to do is lift up the floor and plug it in.

    (I've got a hunch when the floor is lifted: the vent plug will be connected. Maybe just a miscommunication??)
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Mar 1, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2017
  5. NavyLCDR

    NavyLCDR Active Member

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    I have a feeling the elbow to plug into the vent port got lost during battery storage at the store. Mine was not glued in, just pushed in. I have a hunch if the OP looks at his battery closely he will find a capped vent port on one side, and an empty vent hole on the other side :).

    Wanna bet on it? ;-)

    Like you said, though, normally everything required to vent the battery is already included with the battery and it takes less than 1 minute to connect the vent tube to the correct side and cap the other side so it makes no sense not to do it.
     
    #5 NavyLCDR, Mar 1, 2017
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  6. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    The elbow from the original battery may fit in the hole. I know my AGM "Motormaster" battery was very close to the original stock one. Oh, and with it I had to move the vent to the "correct" end of the battery, moving the plug also. I think the "Motormaster" is an Exide. At any rate, the OP should MAKE SURE the store finds an elbow and installs the vent correctly. The battery will probably not vent enough to ever cause a safety issue, but you -may- eventually smell it!
     
    #6 David Beale, Mar 2, 2017
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    #7 Mendel Leisk, Mar 2, 2017
  8. NavyLCDR

    NavyLCDR Active Member

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    I wonder if prius4-me ever got his battery properly installed?
     
    #8 NavyLCDR, Mar 10, 2017
  9. prius4-me

    prius4-me Member

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    I did connect the vent tube to the left side vent hole by swapping the vent plug from left side to the right side. The elbow was already inserted in the right side so I moved it to the left side and then connected the Prius vent tube to it. That is the Toyota fitment but not required by BOSCH for their AGM battery.

    Also excellent photos contributed above showing vent tube connection.

    Here are the scenarios with and without connecting the battery vent tube:

    1) Vent tube not connected: most likely scenario is nothing ever vents but slight chance oxygen or hydrogen is vented if battery is ever overcharged. Who cares about a small amount of oxygen being vented? Hydrogen would possibly collect in the passenger cabin highest point which is not desirable.

    2) Vent tube connected: If hydrogen ever is vented, it will probably remain in the vent tube unless there is significant vacuum suction that completely removes it from the tube. Not likely that hydrogen leaves the vent tube without a vacuum device attached to the vent tube. So when the battery is next changed in several years, the vent tube is removed and the collected hydrogen (if any was ever vented) then escapes into the passenger compartment to collect in the highest point. No difference compared to no vent tube attached.
     
    #9 prius4-me, Mar 10, 2017
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  10. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Well, from the Muppet show - "This machine is the most reliable machine ever made. Nothing can go wrong....go wrong....go wrong.(etc)" Anyway, you get the idea.

    So, -if- something does go wrong the battery will vent water vapour, H2S, acid vapour, H2, and O2 into the car. You don't want that. A simple vent tube will fix that, which you now have. Possible problem solved, car meets many standards now.
     
    #10 David Beale, Mar 10, 2017
  11. prius4-me

    prius4-me Member

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    An AGM battery is a recombinant battery, which means that all gases given off during the charging process remain in the battery housing and are re-absorbed into the system. Additionally, maintenance is eliminated as no water needs to be added and there are no corrosive fumes to contend with.

    AGM batteries are the only type of batteries approved to be installed inside the passenger cabin. Also approved for UPS/Fed-Ex shipping via ground, air and water.

    S6 AGM Car Battery | Bosch Auto Parts Or call BOSCH at 888 715 3616.
     
    #11 prius4-me, Mar 10, 2017
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  12. jimolson

    jimolson Member

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    Where are you Group size 51 folks finding adapters that allow you to use fat posted US batteries with Priuses that expect JIS-style pencil posts?

    I just paid $230 for an exact fit JIS pencil post Prius battery and swore I'm not going to do this again when the other Prius needs a battery. They cost too much and few dealers stock JIS posted batteries.
     
    #12 jimolson, Mar 4, 2019
  13. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #13 JimboPalmer, Mar 4, 2019
  14. Tnx

    Tnx Junior Member

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    Apologies for ressing this thread... But is this battery discontinued? The landing page/link for it on Pepboys is still active, but does not let you order it.
     
    #14 Tnx, May 11, 2020
  15. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #15 JimboPalmer, May 11, 2020
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