[ENGINA]

I left my car battery recharging yesterday inside my garage, and when I got back about four hours later to reconnect it, I felt a slight burning sensation in my left eye and nostril for about 2-3 seconds. I'm not sure as to what condition the car battery is in, so there is a chance that it may have vented some hydrogen sulfide gas during the recharge.

If this burning sensation was indeed caused by hydrogen sulfide gas, would it cause any long term or permanent damage to my eyes? I hope that this is not the case as my eyes are extremely sensitive.

[nj_bartel]

Pretty sure H2S would kill you well before you'd be looking at eye damage (pun not intended).  It's comparable in toxicity to hydrogen cyanide.  Why do you think H2S vented?

[ENGINA]

Not sure. I didn't smell or feel anything apart from the slight burning sensation in my left eye and nostril.

Apparently car batteries can vent this gas if they are overcharged or neglected for too long. Though the car itself is only a year old, I haven't given the battery a second thought until it died on me. Also I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't cause death or unconsciousness at low concentrations.

[skyjumper]

50ppm causes eye damage, but you would smell it. 1000ppm causes you to black out after a single breath (whoa)

[nj_bartel]

Hm, apparently eye damage does occur before death!

[AWK]

I left my car battery recharging yesterday inside my garage, and when I got back about four hours later to reconnect it, I felt a slight burning sensation in my left eye and nostril for about 2-3 seconds. I'm not sure as to what condition the car battery is in, so there is a chance that it may have vented some hydrogen sulfide gas during the recharge.

If this burning sensation was indeed caused by hydrogen sulfide gas, would it cause any long term or permanent damage to my eyes? I hope that this is not the case as my eyes are extremely sensitive.

Hydrogen sulfide does not form during battery recharging

[Borek]

Hydrogen sulfide does not form during battery recharging

Yes and no. No obvious chemistry behind, but I know it forms first hand. Probably not just because of recharging.

Few years ago voltage regulator in my car broke. That resulted in up to 16 volts in installation. That was enough to overheat and boil battery. For a few days I was driving a stinking chemical bomb before realizing what is going on. Waiting on the lights, or waiting to turn, or whatever, I have seen people looking around to find out where this smell comes from.

Sad thing was that it have happened just about a month after I bought a new battery :-/

Not sure. I didn't smell or feel anything apart from the slight burning sensation in my left eye and nostril.

So it wasn't hydrogen sulfide. You would smell it long before.

[skyjumper]

Could it have been unrelated? Something else in the garage?

[billnotgatez]

Could a over heated battery produce hydrogen sulfide
i am talking a temperature effect not electric

[skyjumper]

When a lead-acid battery is discharged, the electrolyte (sulfuric acid) and the active material on the plates of the battery (lead) are consumed to produce water and lead sulfate and current flow. The chemical equation for a lead-acid battery during discharge is: PbO2 Pb 2H2SO4 -->PbSO4 2H2O +Electrical energy. The chemical equation for a lead-acid battery during charge is the reverse with lead, sulfuric acid, and heat being yielded as well as some Hydrogen gas. Ideally, all of the lead sulfate is recombined with the hydrogen from the water to replenish the sulfuric acid. When a lead-acid battery is charged, electrical energy is added to the battery, causing the water and lead sulfate to be recombined to produce electrolyte and the active plate material. During normal charging, hydrogen gas is given off, however if internal damage to the plates or low electrolyte levels exist, internal gassing may create hydrogen sulfide gas. In sealed batteries this would normally not vent to the outside.

Fromhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_charging_lead_acid_battery_give_off_hydrogen_sulfide_gas