Battery Corrosion

[jatnip]

I cleaned off all battery post and cables and sprayed with battery post anti corrosion spray.  Now after 6 months post have build up of green looking corrosion worst than before.  Question.  What is best way to clean off and best way to keep clean?

Jim

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Jim,

Cleaning is the easy part...  Either baking soda and water with a stiff brush, or your favorite solvant like wd-40 works well.

Keeping them clean, not so easy.... coat them with either no-ox which is a paste that electricians use for aluminum wire,

or some of the old timers would put a penny next to the terminals so the corrosion would attack to the penny first. Kinda

like the electrolisis metals that are used on boats in salt water. I'm sure there are many other ways also....

Good Luck
Nick-

[Buffalo SpaceShip]

My old GMC maint. manual recommends petroleum jelly, and that's what I've always used. The biggest issue with it is that it attracts oil and dirt. But it sure keeps corrosion at bay. And it's cheap! A few dabs every year is all they need.

HTH,
Brian

[bus05eagle]

My batteries are on a slide so once a year i just use coke on the slides and batteries and rinse it off good and they always shine like new,they are new now

[Sojourner]

Coke contain baking soda which completely neutralize acid and wash off with water.
A box of baking soda cost must less that coke and still have enough for many future re-cleaning cycle. You only need a half cup of baking soda to a pint of water & 1" nature brush.

CRC Battery Terminal Protector is my favorite for use on golf carts batteries, nuts & bolts and terminals. Next day it dry to soft skin and never melt off from high under-hood heat. Available most major auto parts store.

You may have over charging problem that cause excessive gassing to leave corrosive coating on battery's top as well terminals. Also acid coating on battery's case to metal base will cause some current drainage. To check for coating (Sulfuric acid) on case & top...put volt meter test - probe on non acid metal frame that is grounded & + probe  anywhere on case & top. If you see voltage of point 1 or more...you have acid coated surface. Now if its acid coating touch grounded metal frame or tall bolts...you have a unwanted draining connection.

After battery reach fully state of charge....it should be 13.8 + volts after 30 minutes warm-up or no more than 14.4 volt for not more than 8 hour of charging.

On other hand you may have drainage over night such as baggage light on unseen. Even it start your engine but to cause charging heavily more often than normal to put back lost charge.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[TomC]

If you want batteries that don't corrode since they are sealed and don't gas-get AGM's (absorbed glass mat).  Granted they are twice as expensive, but you can literally install them (in any position) and forget about them for the 5 year warranty they have.  I have two 8D Lifeline AGM batteries that are 255 amp/hrs apiece.  They have been in for about a year and still look like new.  Good Luck, TomC

[Jerry32]

Personally for neatness I use those little green and red washers that you buy in the store. Jerry

[busnut104]

I took the larger jar of Vaseline and heated it on the stove till it became some what liquid and then mixed in baking soda.  I keep this in the shop and coat all my battery terminals. 

[jjrbus]

When I put my house batterys in Sojourner gave me a can of the CRC. I applied it to the terminals. That was 4 years ago and they are still corrsion free!!! Is the stuff that good, am I just lucky or do you have some kind of problem??

[Hi yo silver]

Don't forget to keep some baking soda handy to neutralize battery acid, which just seems to get on everything around the batteries, particularly when you're working on or cleaning them.  Wear clothes that you don't mind having some extra ventilation holes in, from the acid.  Wear eye protection!  A wire brush is handy for cleaning posts and terminals.  Then grease, or as others have mentioned in this thread, any lubricant designed for applying on terminals to disallow air from the terminals so corrosion cannot occur.   HTH
Dennis
 

[DrivingMissLazy]

Don't forget to keep some baking soda handy to neutralize battery acid, which just seems to get on everything around the batteries, particularly when you're working on or cleaning them.  Wear clothes that you don't mind having some extra ventilation holes in, from the acid.  Wear eye protection!  A wire brush is handy for cleaning posts and terminals.  Then grease, or as others have mentioned in this thread, any lubricant designed for applying on terminals to disallow air from the terminals so corrosion cannot occur.   HTH
Dennis
 

There is a product in a spray can that does a great job of keeping terminals from corroding. I always kept a can in the battery compartment. Can not remember the name off the top of my head, but I am sure I got at someplace like NAPA.
Richard

[Sojourner]

Richard...is it spray colored transparent red?

If so that CRC Battery Terminal Protector.....there other brand that is transparent blue...same stuff as CRC.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[DrivingMissLazy]

Richard...is it spray colored transparent red?

If so that CRC Battery Terminal Protector.....there other brand that is transparent blue...same stuff as CRC.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

Yep, thats it. And it works great for me. Better than Vaseline or the little green and red felt circles.
Richard

[Sojourner]

Better than Vaseline or the little green and red felt circles.
Richard

Good!
Have done many automotive & trucks tune-up & chassis dyno tuning works at 3 major dealers before GM Tech. Center and finally golf cart dealer.
Those felt washer are only good under posts for short time. Vaseline get smear off too easily & get on hand...clothes plus it not coat protect to avoid wrench accidentally shorting via + post to near by -ground.

CRC Battery Terminal Protector is sticky & wet until day old dried. It leave a tough thick (.032" or so) coating over everywhere you spray. I usually second spray 2 minutes after first coating.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry