Battery as balast - can it short?

Fish Fry

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Oct 1, 2013
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5
I plan to build a small, basically unsinkable, self-righting electric boat with a range of 50 miles or so (good weather). I plan to use its batteries as ballast. If the batteries get submerged in a rollover, will they be shorted by the water touching the terminals? Do I need to seal the terminals or battery compartment from getting wet?
 

alldodge

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Mar 8, 2009
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If the batteries get submerged in a rollover, will they be shorted by the water touching the terminals?

I'm thinking maybe not in fresh water
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Seal the terminals, if the caps are vented build a vent system over the caps and install an inversion valve on the vent tube. If you have a rather thick wallet, use Gel Cells as they can be used at any angle.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Should be fine with 12v in freshwater.
12v doesn't have the force needed to effectively break the resistance of fresh water molecules.

But, up the voltage, or introduce impurities to the water, and presto.

Do you have any info on a boat like this, perhaps a web site ?
 

Davetowz

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
227
How unstable is your hull design if you are concerned with rollover in good weather?
 
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