Sometimes I not the brightest bulb on the tree... (Gumpy, no elaboration needed)

RickB · March 22, 2012, 02:50:36 PM

Hey all,

Been getting alot of corrosion on my start batteries and wanted to get to the bottom of the issue so I removed the batteries and found two of the battery post connections had corroded away to about half their original width, so I took everything out, neglected to put on a mask and started cleaning everything using my bench grinder's wire wheel and a drill with a wire wheel and you guessed it.... My nose is running, my lungs are feeling funky and I'm feeling pretty darn stupid for not using baking soda and a mask. I'm hoping to find new ends for the main leads and I'm bound and determined to find the bad ground that I'm sure is behind all this. I thought I had done all the engine compartment ends back a couple years when I had starter problems but I must've missed something. I would like to take out the master switch and clean it as well but it appears the PO tightened the bolts so tight that the heads sank into the plastic housing. Is there much of a possibility it could be the switch itself? They went to a lot of trouble to silicone that thing around the case to prevent grounding issues.

Battery acid and mucus membranes don't mix...

Rick

Jriddle · March 22, 2012, 03:51:50 PM

Well don't feel bad because I might not be the sharpest tack in the box.

LOL
John

RickB · March 22, 2012, 03:51:57 PM

I'm just clarifying that the Gumpy comment was a joke. We bust each other's chops all the time and I'm pretty sure he'll get around to proving that beyond the shadow of a doubt as soon as he reads this.

RB

gumpy · March 22, 2012, 04:57:38 PM

Didja learn anything?

Busted Knuckle · March 22, 2012, 05:02:22 PM

Quote from: gumpy on March 22, 2012, 04:57:38 PM
Didja learn anything?

Yeah he learned that the master switch has molded recesses that the bolts sink into.
(seriously Rick, try the other side btdt w/mci factory cut-offs)

BK

belfert · March 22, 2012, 05:02:46 PM

I highly recommend a full face respirator when doing any grinding or work with a wire wheel. It keeps stuff out of your eyes and out of your lungs at the same time.

A bit over 18 months ago I was grinding and got a piece of steel in my eye. I was wearing regular safety glasses and a half mask respirator, but the metal got under the safety glasses. I ended up with a trip to the ER and another trip to an eye clinic to get the metal removed. My part of the bill would have paid for the full face respirator. I went out the next day and bought a full face respirator from a local safety distributor.

belfert · March 22, 2012, 05:04:53 PM

Rick, I have a nice crimper for putting new ends on battery cables. It does hex crimps and is not a hammer type crimper. I could bring it over to help you with your cables if need be. I think you have my number or you can PM me.

Ace · March 22, 2012, 05:08:19 PM

Next time you or anyone else gets a piece of metal in their eye, you could possibly safe yourself a trip to the clinic and cost if you simply swipe a magnet over your open eye! You would be surprised how well it works! A good kobalt magnet works best and has saved me doctor bills. A few times! Kobalt is VERY strong!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Utahclaimjumper · March 22, 2012, 05:29:58 PM

Corrosion that's that drastic is usually caused by an overcharging condition,, do you use a multi stage charging system??>>>Dan

RickB · March 22, 2012, 09:10:55 PM

BK,
There are no nuts on the battery side of the divider. What am I missing here? Gumpy once again, hold your thoughts...lol.

Jeremy · March 23, 2012, 04:34:45 AM

Quote from: belfert on March 22, 2012, 05:02:46 PM
I highly recommend a full face respirator when doing any grinding or work with a wire wheel. It keeps stuff out of your eyes and out of your lungs at the same time.

A bit over 18 months ago I was grinding and got a piece of steel in my eye. I was wearing regular safety glasses and a half mask respirator, but the metal got under the safety glasses. I ended up with a trip to the ER and another trip to an eye clinic to get the metal removed. My part of the bill would have paid for the full face respirator. I went out the next day and bought a full face respirator from a local safety distributor.

My bus put me in hospital in the same way; the speck of metal in my eye was so small that I didn't even realise it was there - they told me about it when I went to get treatment for a swollen eye and bad headaches a week later. By which time the cornea had grown over the bit of metal, so that it had to be cut out. At least there's no bill to pay after such treatment here.

On a related note - I'm always surprised when watching cable-TV car shows how the 'professionals' on those shows barely wear any protective equipment - welding without gloves, grinding with little more than a pair of sunglasses etc. Even if those individuals are personally satisfied that they're safe enough, I do think the producers of such shows owe a duty of care to the viewers who are likely to be influenced by the 'experts' they are watching.

Jeremy

gus · March 23, 2012, 01:35:08 PM

One thing I've learned in my old age is to use gloves and safety goggles - been there with the metal sliver in the eye that had to be removed by a doctor.

gumpy · March 23, 2012, 05:53:07 PM

Quote from: RickB on March 22, 2012, 09:10:55 PM
... What am I missing here? Gumpy once again, hold your thoughts...lol.

Dang it. And I knew the answer to this one!

RickB · March 24, 2012, 07:47:20 AM

"What am I missing here? Gumpy once again, hold your thoughts...lol.

Dang it. And I knew the answer to this one!"

Well, folks that what happens when your closest bus friend is a technical genius... Gumpy's always one step ahead of me!

Okay BK you started this... So I go out to the bus determined to fond those backing nuts on my master switch and I found them alright!!! Under about a 1/4" of silicone. That kinda explains BK's post I guess. So, I'm guessing that this corrosion problem has been a problem for awhile now and that's probably why the PO used so much silicone on the switch. I'll try and get it out and look at it, get a couple new battery post ends for the two that corroded so badly and use my wire wheel on all the posts and sealer after I'm done. I think I remember seeing one ground back ion the engine compartment that I didn't get last time and I'll grind that puppy clean as well and hopefully things will get less corroded in the battery compartment. I'm thinking about putting some 1/4' plywood on the side of my battery compartment and some 1/2" plywood on the bottom and I will make sure to cut holes for the vent openings on the floor of the compartment. Anyone else use plywood to try and separate the batteries from the metal of the battery compartment?

RB

buswarrior · March 24, 2012, 08:10:21 AM

I'm not following on what it is you are defending against?

Put your favorite dielectric grease all over the connections, and clean annually?

Use one of the good quality penetrating sprays that will creep up the conductors beforehand, as part of cleaning them?

Not a spray with solvents in it.

happy coaching!
buswarrior