I just purchase a new battery for my E420. I didn't notice into I got home that the battery did not have a vent tube. I pulled the battery out of the trunk to install the vent tube and the battery was sealed with no vent tube option.

Did they sell me the correct battery? The battery is marked 1000 cranking amps at 80F 49/93-60. Should I return the battery or is it ok to have a battery in the trunk with no vent?

Thanks in advance.

There should be vent openings on either side of the battery. All batteries should have venting, they have gas that must be vented. The tube "kit" is normally in a bag hanging off the battery, if you didnt get it just go back. They are normally around and just fall off in there plastic bag.

macdrone

I understand that, but this battery don't have an option to install the vent tube. The battery is completely sealed. The battery appears to have vent holes but they are sealed. My question is do you know if it is safe to have a sealed battery in the trunk or do I need a vented battery.

All my batteries in the pass have been vented.

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If it is a conventional Lead-Acid battery, it requires a vent if you're going to install it in the trunk (or under the rear seat a la 210 style).

The Optima mesh-gel battery does not require a vent tube (as it does not generate corrosive/explosive gas).

Sounds like they sold you the wrong one.

Greg, I went back to the company Battery Source. The guys there told me that it is a maintenance free battery that does not require a vent. They also pulled out a battery that had vents and told me if I want it I can have it but the sealed battery perform just as good and still will give me longlife.

I decided to stick with the maintenance free battery.

It really has nothing to do with how the battery lasts and performs. Maintenance free is just marketing (it doesn't lose as much acid); it doesn't mean "outgas-free" which is all that matters in this application.

Personally I would not run it in an enclosed space; I've seen MF free batteries explode just as I have conventionally-capped ones.

Last thought: MF batteries existed when your car was built -- but Mercedes instead put in one with a conventional vent. What does that suggest to you?

The battery in the picture has vents. Its the small hole on the side. rather than stick out its just a hole. Just means you dont have an add on tube unless they use a male version of the elbow. Again batteries need vents because of the gas generated from charging.

Agreed, you can see it in the first picture, on the side of the cap facing the camera. Dark black hole.

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Thank you Gilly, at least I know my eyes are not too bad yet.

Maintenance free sealed batteries have been around for years and years.

They are extensively used in UPS and inside building applications.

In Australia the vast majority of vehicle batteries have been sealed maintenance free for many years.

In 40 years dealing with DC power supplies and all sorts of batteries - sealed and unsealed, I have yet to see a battery explode except for exceptional circumstances.

The sealed battery production is a massive industry. Hybrid cars, Computer room back up power supplies, solar and wind power application. Small home UPS equipment. The list goes on and on. Most of the industrial applications are meant for batteries to be installed inside a building. There are strict building codes that apply to the installation of the older open venting lead acid batteries.

One observation from sheer experience which will be disputed by the non engineering based marketing people. Maintenance free batteries do not last as long as the older lead acid open types.

My '93 W140 had a sealed battery in the boot. W210 and W209 both had sealed batteries - all OEM

Never seen a acid battery without some vent, have seen it without a tube. Doesnt have to be a large hole but just like your coolant system the charging and discharging would swell the battery without them. Not saying its alot just saying they are normally vented. Maint free or not. We would never have had corrosion on battery terminals without them. They got alot better but are still vented to my knowledge.

Don't know if the Aussies have different batteries, but a 140 and 210 definitely had the caps over each cell that are removed to check the acid level. And with a vent port on one side to attach a vent hose to.

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And in my considerable time involved in auto mechanics, I have been in the immediate vicinity of 3 or 4 battery explosions, in the automotive field this happen more often than people realize. My brother had one go up in his face, luckily he was unhurt.

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