Trunk Battery - Vented or Not Vented?

[1970 RT Challenger 1970]

What's the Verdict? (Just for Street, not NHRA Racing)

For every person on the Internet that vents their trunk battery, there is one person that doesn't vent it.

Does an Optima Battery need venting?

[Chryco Psycho]

I would vent it , Hydro-chloric acid kinda explodes
 Optimas do not need venting thou8gh

[dutch]

so , what does a vented trunk/ battery look like?  what`s with the optima batteries, why don`t they need it?

[Strawdawg]

Optimas do have vents and they will vent if the charging voltage gets too high...this voltage is a bit higher than for non AGM batteries.  Optima does not suggest using them in non vented situations

[Aussie Challenger]

In a lead/acid battery hydro chloric acid is present and fumes will eat out any metal so venting to the outside is desirable. Some remote battery boxes seal well but the fumes can build up, me I would prefer no build up and all gasses vented to the atmosphere.   

[Strawdawg]

And beyond the corrosive HCL, an overcharged (too high a voltage) will produce straight hydrogen fumes which make a big boom when a spark is encountered. This can be entertaining, but, I don't think it makes you talk funny like Helium does...   Smokers should not try to find out

[Aussie Challenger]

And beyond the corrosive HCL, an overcharged (too high a voltage) will produce straight hydrogen fumes which make a big boom when a spark is encountered. This can be entertaining, but, I don't think it makes you talk funny like Helium does...   Smokers should not try to find out

Depends where the boom happens, it could give you a high pitched voice if you are near the battery when it goes boom.   

[Chryco Psycho]

the Optimas are gell filled & generaly do not give off fumes when charging under normal use

[femtnmax]

I am venting the new trunk battery in the challenger, but years ago had a 340 duster with trunk battery and cheap boat type plastic battery box, no vent except into the trunk.  Ran many years that way.
One evening the drunk neighbor was "parking" his car, and hit my parked Duster.  Hit the Duster in the rear... hit it so hard he shoved the car over the curb and thru a fence...no battery problem at all.   Eventually sold the car, the new owner worked oil rigs in Alaska, drove the car back and forth many times on the alcan highway, he put thousands of miles on the car and never had any problem.
I imagine there could be a chance of problem in the right accident/circumstances.  The gas tank in these E-bodies is not exactly the safest design.  For taxi/highway patrol use their cars need changes to the rear of the car to prevent fuel tank related explosions when the cars are hit in the rear at high speed.

[73EStroker]

Run my Optima in the right side of the trunk. No problems! Would not run a lead acid there though. Gel cells do not recombine so no fumes. You can buy sealed lead acid as well but they are expensive.