Battery terminal question

[Charles in SC]

For some reason, for the last year or so I keep getting a lot of corrosion on my battery connections. What is the best way to prevent this? I have tried several modern things but am thinking about trying Vasline. Has any one here tried that. When I was a teenager working at the local Esso ( I getting old) I remember seeing this.
Thanks in advance!
Bus nuts are great!

[niles500]

dielectric grease - HTH

[PP]

Charles,
There is a product out there specifically for electrical connections. I think it's called Diaelectric Gel or Grease. I use good old wheel bearing grease on all my terminals to block out moisture and air. It works great. None of my terminals corrode or rusty nuts either. Good luck, Will

[centrix29]

There is a new product available.  You insert a pellet in the terminal connector, heat with a small torch, insert cable and VOILA!

Check this link http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/459233

Good luck!  Worked very well for me.

Pat

[NewbeeMC9]

vaseline has worked for me on car batteries terminals, just collects dust in a dusty atmosphere

wal-mart has some yellow spray-on stuff too

[jjrbus]

 I seldom give glowing endorsements but next to vaseline this is the greatest stuff ever invented. Spray it on and forget it.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/specialized_maintenance_repair/electrical_system_maintenance/Permatex_Battery_Protector_Sealer.htm

  Now the next question to ask is why you are getting a lot of corrosion?  Since the corrosion is new in the last year. I would wonder what had changed? 

     HTH Jim

[Dreamscape]

I have used a spray on product distributed by Bowman #21908 for years, no problems at all.

Spray it on and forget it!

I tried to do a search, but came up with nothing.

HTH,

Paul

[edroelle]

I think the problem results when the seal, between the battery post and the battery case, is broken.  This may be due to heating and cooling cycles, with different expansion rates.  When the seal is broken, the acidic fumes escape from the battery, and corrode the battery connections.  If this scenario is accurate, then you could clean the battery post area, and reseal with polyurethane sealant.  I have done this, but used the spray also.

Ed Roelle
Flint, MI

[luvrbus]

I notice that corrosion is not a problem for me till my batteries are about 3 or 4 years old then the corrosion starts.On my AGM house batteries when corroision starts it needs to be replaced

good luck

[Charles in SC]

Wow, thanks for the input, I had tried some spray on stuff that did not seem to fix it. My batteries are about 5 years old so they are getting toward the old age stage. I am going to vasaline the area where the terminal comes through as well as the terminal itself and see if that helps.

[jjrbus]

 I was wondering if overchargeing might cause it? Jim

[HB of CJ]

I know this may/is be overkill, but the information has already been shared as to why the battery posts corrode.

Do you have any pH test paper?  Just being curious, test several sites around the batts and the compartment.

Might or might not be informational.  Wondering if important alloy surfaces may be experiencing a change.  HB OF CJ

[PP]

FWIW- I had bad luck using Vaseline because of the low melting temperature. When the bats warmed up from going through the charge cycle or engine heat or whatever, it ran off like WD-40 That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

[jjrbus]

I have often wondered if the spray I am useing is vaseline with red dye in it?  Now that you mention it the spray, unlike vaseline stays in place on the terminal.  Jim