Sounds like a complex space station..
absorbed matt batteries..
propane combustion for heat a few inches away ..

I am sure you're pretty safe...
but you know Murphy's law..
which came from the US space program I believe...
like the early days ...60's .,.
'If there is a way for it to screw up, eventually it will.'

sure hope there's no big Ka-Booom !  ..
especialy camped out some chilly night.

lol.

I saw a 30some foot fiberglass sail boat once..
had a galley  propane explosion ...the blast ripped the deck off the hull,
pushing it 6 feet in the air or so, ..
then the deck fell somewhat back where it was ..
sort a foot gap all around.....evertyhing ripped apart ..
right mess it was.
kinda funny too in a way.

perhaps an intentionally weak floor in the battery/heater area .... ..for a
'blast escape zone,"' for your van.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Loren Busch" <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: Battery placement alternatives

> On Fri, Oct 1, 2010 at 6:18 PM, Michael Rasmussen
> <michael@jamhome.us>wrote:
>
>>
>> My concern is putting a battery under the rear passenger seat where
>> a Propex heater is installed.
>>
>
> Then you'd be concerned about my rig, both Propex and Group 31 AGM aux
> battery under the rear seat.  But I'm not.  First, there is no connection
> between the combustion area of the Propex and the interior of the Vanagon.
> Combustion air is drawn from the outside and  exhaust is to the outside.
> No
> way to ignite any battery fumes.  Second, with a sealed AGM battery there
> are no gases being let out of the battery into the interior of the van.
> Note here:  Sealed batteries like the AGM configuration DO have a vent
> that
> will work under high pressure to hopefully stop a true explosion under
> those
> conditions (that should never occur) that can occur with either a
> sustained
> dead short or severe overcharging.
>
>>
>> --
>>