I went to start her up an was getting next to no juice. Turns out my battery terminals had so much corrosion on them it ate through the copper fittings and bolts holding the 0000 wires to the batteries. I am usually good at keeping them clean, I usually do it when I fill up the batteries but I did not do it the last time and I got this thick blue paste. Must have been the original wires because I cut them open and there was corrosion all throughout. Time to start keeping them cleaner. I'm sure there is something I can spray on there to keep this from happening.
Yeah, I've used "battery terminal spray" from NAPA but it didn't seem to do a great job -- maybe the corrosion would have been a lot worse without it. Also, I'm not sure how good a job it would do toward penetrating the cable inside the insulation and protecting strands. If there's something that really works well, I'd love to hear about it.
Find some Corrosion-X at your friendly airport office, probably a smaller airport is better - anywhere aircraft maintenance is done. I've used it on aircraft for years.
It is an oil that is also a good lubricant but its main purpose is to prevent corrosion inside metal aircraft structures. I use it on all battery terminals and many other places. When I assemble anything I put a very small amount on screw/bolt threads.
There is another brand, Boshield, made by Boeing that is supposed to be just as good but I've never used it.
Also, there is LPS-2 and ACF-50. All relatively expensive per can but I know LPS-2 and CX are excellent from experience. I prefer CX.
CokeCola and water is hard to beat no diet cola lol
good luck
I make up the big battery cables using "Marine Shipboard Cable".
All of the strands are tinned inside the cable jacket, to resist corrosion.
As you found, the corrosion migrated way up the cable, with every strand blackened. That hurts the conductivity.
The big electrical supply near you should be able to order it, if they do not have any on hand.
And heat shrink can be problematic. I've seen factory cables rotted right through in 6 years, under the heat shrink. No outward indication. Tons of trouble with no-starts and trouble codes in the coach, finally an old veteran got out his knife and cut into the cable ends, and there it was.
Regardless of your choice of cable and terminals, use the battery terminal/anti-corrosion spray/paste of your choice on assembly and at every preventive maintenance cycle thereafter.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
I concour ith Clifford. Although I us Pepsi and drink the left over with a little Jack.
Big john
Better to ignore the Coke or Pepsi and just pour the Jack on straight!