Is charging a car battery in your garage safe?

[Charlie]

Neighbor back by my parents house had one go faulty and burned the garage and part of the house down, so I'm a little paranoid on it.

I just pull the battery and trickle charge it outside to be safe.

-Charlie

[Mtriple]

Well, I somehow filled my garage with carbon monoxide doing it.

It will trip a CO detector for sure if the battery vents. I've been on a number of fire calls for just this reason.

I wouldnt worry too much about it if you just use commom sense. I store my E30(factory lead acid battery) in my lower garage and keep a CTEK charger on it all winter. Thats 5 to 6 months here. No issues. My 4Runner(has 2 yellow top optimas in it) has been sitting in my garage for the last month with a CTEK charger on it, no issues. The Optimas are sealed so there is no issue whatsoever.

[Turf1600]

Well, I somehow filled my garage with carbon monoxide doing it.

[Unearth078]

Tending or charging....?

[Wiglaf]

if left unattended, leave at trickle charge, 2A at the most.
charging batteries produce hydrogen gas. in a huge area like a garage, 1 battery won't be trouble. charging it in your closed trunk is a little riskier but i still do it.. unless something is wrong with the battery it will be fine.

[ayemattyyy]

I wish I still had pictures to post. My neighbor was tending his battery with the entire garage closed up, and charging for the third day... house went up in flames. cool to watch, not cool to experience it. Just my two cents.
Matt

[Rigmaster]

not "really" safe, why I voted no

when you charge a battery it produces some amount of hydrogen so do it with some ventilation

So how's that custom-made full body bubble working out for ya?



My farts are 43% methane gas, but that doesn't prevent me from ordering the #2 lunch special at Mucho Mexico at least once a week.


But I like living on the edge.

[dashboardmonkey]

not "really" safe, why I voted no

when you charge a battery it produces some amount of hydrogen so do it with some ventilation

[Mtriple]

http://www.ctek.com/EN-US/Default.aspx

[equate975]

safe as long as you don't blow it up....

[Farbin Kaiber]

Don't leave it on the charger overnight, check it every few hours for bubbles, and pull the caps off if you can. Oh, and don't be an idiot and spill battery acid on yourself. Put the caps on before you move it.

[Turf1600]

be sure not to overcharge and gas it - yes

What does this mean?

[Adrian_Visser]

well any lead acid battery new or old will give off some hydrogen while charging just as long as your garage isn't too tiny and has some ventilation i wouldn't worry too much

[imprttuner88]

sure hope so, been doing it for 15 or so years............................

in short........YES

[Justin B]

be sure not to overcharge and gas it - yes