Re: New battery Vent Tube Question

On Feb 16, 9:45 am, "Pat Dreiding" <patdreid...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> I purchased my '99 Miata used in 2001.  A month ago my battery died. 7
years
> is good!
> I use the car daily so took the old battery out and purchased a
replacement
> from Autozone.
> After reading the other battery related messages, this might not have
been
> the best purchase.  But I'll live with it.
> The original battery had the vent tubes venting inside the battery
> compartment.
> The Autozone tech said the this was OK and venting to the outside was
not
> necessary.
>
> Anyhow, my question to you is about the vent tubes.
> Is it OK to vent the '99 Miata battery inside the battery compartment or
> should it be vented to the outside?
>
> If it sould be vented outside, is there a picture on how the venting
looks.
>
> Thanks,
> - Pat

The entire point in to vent it, is to the outside. That AutoZone
person has no idea what they are taling about, since you do not want
these fumes seeping into the passenger area, probably easily reachable
from the trunk. I also bought an Auto Zone battery, which you'll find
really will noticeably slow down in the cold winter months, which is
why i now keep it on my charger/maintainer, which you can read about
in my Charger/Maintainer thread. Anyway, my 2000 has the outside vent
hook up integrated as part of the right side rear reflector, hooking
on to that vent outlet. When I bought my AutoZone Battery, I do recall
the vent holes being in a slightly different place necessitating my
having to go back inside and getting a slightly longer tube. I
uninstalled the old and installed the new right outside their store.
The Miata is so easy, it only took me minutes.

Next time, hopefully several yrs. away, I'll probably go with a
Westco, since teammiata.com is very near to me. But I was also told
that First Interstate makes a Miata battery, which I have never
checked out. So maybe a First Interstate battery dealer may be of some
help.

Of all places, you'd think that dang Sears would have offered them by
now. But no such luck, asa far as I know. The dealer's proces are
outrageous as usual.