Charging near gas water heater

[Cobra,1]

Could always add an inexpensive bathroom exhaust to garage. Ent it out gable,suffet.
As long as garage is not totally air tight( can’t imagine it is) should keep air exchanges sufficient to charge batteries.

[simicrintz]

Originally Posted by kgsc

natural gas sinks

It is propane gas that sinks; natural gas is lighter than air and rises. This is why you can build an outdoor firepit with natural gas and not liquid propane.

[Sideways]

Not the same scenario but close. I worked in a small body shop quite a few years ago that had a gas water heater, never had an issue until one of the body men was taking a fuel tank out of car that had been hit in the rear. It's a good thing he was under the car when it flashed over.

[Cobra,1]

Could always add an inexpensive bathroom exhaust to garage. Vent it out gable,suffet.
As long as garage is not totally air tight( can’t imagine it is) should keep air exchanges sufficient to charge batteries.

[HeatWave]

Originally Posted by simicrintz

It is propane gas that sinks; natural gas is lighter than air and rises. This is why you can build an outdoor firepit with natural gas and not liquid propane.

Both natural gas & propane have odorants added.

[Mooncarter]

It seems to me the problem here is a pilot flame and hydrogen gas. I don't see where venting the water heater has anything to do with it.

If he insists on keeping the gas water heater the only solution I see is having the water heater in a separate, sealed off area.

[kgsc]

Moon we are talking about venting the air from the ceiling of the garage. Not the heater.

Sim, thanks, I learned something today. Wonder why they put the heater on a pedestal..

[Sergio]

It must a local code requirement as FVIR-equipped appliances are exempt from the elevation requirement and gas water heaters built in the last 15 years or so are FVIR (flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant).

Hydrogen being the lightest of all the elements has a tendency to accumulate in high pockets so the issue is really to keep the overall hydrogen concentration in the air under 1%.

It does not take much air exchange to mitigate a single cart charging in a large space, if You use an online resource like the one below to calculate ventilation requirements, it takes less than 10CFM to ventilate a typical two car garage.

https://na.bhs1.com/battery-room/ventilation/

I personally would feel safer with some kind of air exchange, even a small bathroom exhaust fan vented through an eave would be enough.

You could even automate it so it only comes on if the charger is on.

[kgsc]

Or put a lit candle on top of the battery pack

[simicrintz]

Originally Posted by kgsc

Sim, thanks, I learned something today. Wonder why they put the heater on a pedestal..

I hesitated before I posted this as I did not want to appear to be confrontational or be "that guy". I am a swimming pool contractor and have seen firsthand the effects of puddling propane on a pool heater when the heater finally lights (blew my sunglasses completely off my face when she went off). I wouldn't want that to happen to anyone and felt the need to share; very happy you did not take it like I was arguing with you!

Now maybe I can learn something when somebody tells us why they elevate the water heaters!