Bl??dy batteries - what do you put on the terminals?

Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:14
ThreadID: 55888 Views:4531 Replies:15 FollowUps:11
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So what controls corrosion on the battery terminals?
What do you use?

Went to start the car outside work last night, no go, flat battery.
Reading about 11.5 volts. Battery is less than 12 months old.

Didn't have my jumper leads in, so borrowed some and jumped off the 2nd battery. (Made sure mine are in now).

Looking at it this morning, in the light of day, dirty terminals. Some blue stuff the mechanic puts on to control corrosion. And it got worked into the terminals. All OK after a clean.

So what do you use to control corrosion around the terminals?
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Reply By: John R (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:20

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:20
Korode Kure, I think it's called. Comes in an orange tub. It's an orange paste.

A bit of a bugger when it comes time to remove the terminals - it's a sticky arrangement. But it works.
AnswerID: 294550

Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:25

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:25
Thanks John,

Was going to go back to my old standby - vaseline, but there must be something better. Wife hates me pinching the tub she uses for her lips, and then finds grease in it. :o0 Get a right rolicking.
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Follow Up By: John R (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:27

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:27
Just don't get the tubs mixed up Oldplodder!!
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Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 13:02

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 13:02
Lanolin Grease has excellent water resistance.

You must remove the clamps and apply it at the base of the terminal so that the acid which is leaking past the defective post-seals on your battery will not creep up to the clamps.

Spraying the blue sealant on the top of the terminal is like putting a bandaid over a skin cancer.

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Follow Up By: Ozikev - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 14:42

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 14:42
Must agree with John R. I can't speak highly enough of Korode Kure. It's brilliant stuff. Clean everything up first with wire brush etc then carb soda in hot water. Coat liberally with Korode Kure and bolt terminals back on, then one more dab on top and Bingo, job's done. The best part is, you'll never have to go back to it again, or until you replace the battery. Don't know if it's still available in pots but certainly available in tubes. Get some, it will be the best money you've spent in a long while.
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Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 15:54

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 15:54
Thanks , some good ideas.
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Reply By: Notso - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:41

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:41
I use the old fashioned felt rings impregnated with axle grease, shoved down over the post before you put the terminals on.

Never had corrosion problems.
AnswerID: 294555

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:41

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:41
I clean the terminals and coat with Vaseline once a year.

That blue stuff can hide a multitude of sins! Some workshops just spray it on, without cleaning the terminals so it looks like its been done.

My wife had a friend over last week with a flat battery - a few weeks after a major 40k service - fresh blue paint on top of the terminals and really bad corrosion underneath. Next service she's going to ask that they skip the glossy tyre black, and actually clean the battery terminals.
AnswerID: 294556

Reply By: mythicl - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:54

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:54
I use a paste made with a bi-carb and water. Clean off the terminals then paint it with the paste. Apparently its supposed to counteract any acid that leaks out and stop corrosion. Its worked for me so far.

Cheers
AnswerID: 294560

Reply By: Mainey (wa) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:25

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:25
John,
question is: what caused the battery to 'discharge' to only 11.5 Volts ?

Dirty terminals is not the sole answer to low battery voltage as it just restricts/eliminates voltage going to the starter motor and current going to it from the Alternator.

You say:
""Went to start the car outside work last night, no go, FLAT BATTERY. Reading about 11.5 Volts. Battery is less than 12 months old""

So you had started the vehicle with-out any hassles, and you drove to work, the battery should therefore be (fully) charged on arrival at work, and then in just ~8 hours it discharged to 11.5 Volts ??

Take it and have it correctly tested where you bought it, and be seriously LOOKING for a NEW change over battery just in case you now have a damaged battery.

Mainey . . .
AnswerID: 294564

Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 15:59

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 15:59
Mainey,

Yes, got me thinking too.

11.5v was using the voltmeter on the dash last night, with ignition on, electric fuel pump running, and dash lights on.
I didn't have a multi meter to get a true reading across the posts.
After cleaning the terminals , the dash voltmeter showed 12.4v.

Noticed over the last month that when running, it has only been coming up to about 13.5 or 13.6v, instead of the usual 13.8v.
Checking it out became one of those 'roundtoit' jobs.

2nd battery was showing the usual 13.8 to 14.0v, so the charge is there from the alternator. New alternator last year.

I put it down to voltage drop across the connection.
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Reply By: DIO - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:56

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:56
Anything 'non-acidic' and greasy. You can also use WD-40, Lanotec, engine oil, etc.
AnswerID: 294572

Follow Up By: madfisher - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:36

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:36
Found bitron pentrating lube the best, one spray and it stays clean for at lest 12 months.
Cheers Pete
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:57

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:57
Before you apply some product from a store get a jug, add half a cup of Bi-Carb Soda , add boiling water , give it a stir and pour it over the corrosion, wash it off with the hose , after it's dry apply the product.


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AnswerID: 294573

Reply By: Member - 'Lucy' - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:14

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:14
Piff the wet cell battery and replace with a dry/gel cell.

I just got sick and tired of the acid corrosion and went to Delcor Batteries under the bonnet and Haze gel cells for storage in the CT etc.

The felt washers seem to work.

The Bi-carb soda in boiling water works really well to clean the acid off, especially if you use a plastic or glas container that allows for the whole terminal to be covered with the subject solution.

The only problem then is what to do to, to stop the acid corrosion from returning.

The 'blue stuff' (Wurth product) works pretty good, however is not 100% effective.

Sooooo! Replacing the wet cells is about the only permananet option.

AnswerID: 294580

Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 13:11

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 13:11
The original batteries in Pajeros are Yuasas - in 18 years I have NEVER had a trace of corrosion on the posts.

If you have corrosion it caused by -

- Defective seals where the posts exit the battery allowing acid to creep up the post and onto the clamp.

- Overfilling of the cells. There is usually a tube dipping down from the filler with two slots in it. Stop filling once the liquid touches the bottom of this tube. I've seen people keep filling to the bottom of the thread - and then wonder the top of the battery is covered in acid when the battery is cahrged or the vehicle is driven !
AnswerID: 294590

Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:08

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:08
Thanks for the reminder Mike.

I usally check battery level every 2 weeks, and try and go to just under the fill tell tale.

I used to do work for Yuasa here in Brisbane when they bought out Century Batteries. Worked on setting up the plant and some assistance to battery design engineers.The Japanese made batteries were good. Was doing a bit of work for them when they developed the Overlander battery. Bit of thought went into that one.

One thing Yuasa did was to take some of the Brisbane and Japanese technology and built a plant in Indonesia. It is the old story, you get what you pay for.


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Reply By: Member - Mark E (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:55

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:55
Try this for a different approach.

CRC Lectra Shield. It's a spray on product that I now use on all flooded batteries and it's seems to do the job really well. I got the idea from the mechanic that services all our ambulances.

There may well be other branded products that will do the job just as well.

Cheers,

Mark
AnswerID: 294694

Follow Up By: pop2jocem - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 22:57

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 22:57
Agree 100% with Mark E CRC Lectra Shield
Cheers Pop
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Reply By: Member - Derek L (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 20:34

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 20:34
Oldplodder

Next you underneath greasing ya unies wack some on ya terminals simple problem solved. Cheap and easy too.

Derek L
AnswerID: 294719

Reply By: Member - David P (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 21:47

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 21:47
I don't know about now, but you used to be able to attach strap with terminal rings on each end that put on to lift your battery, which had the effect breaking the seal between the post/s enabling gasses to escape at the terminal/s causing the corrosion problem at the terminal. Now days they have strong lifting cords that avoid the old problem, but if you have the old strap throw it away......silverback
AnswerID: 294732

Reply By: oldtrack123 - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 23:31

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 23:31
Hi
The correct place to check your bat is at the bat posts .
[1] check volts with nominally no load- record reading should be 12.5-12.7 for fully charged
[2]check with load [headlights on ]-record reading
If bat is fully charged & in good condition 1-2=no more than about .3v
If much greater bat is probably on way out.
To check[ headlights or cranking] under load for terminal connection loss check from post to connecting CABLE at lug ,with clean good connection voltage should be very close to 0v
AnswerID: 294762

Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Thursday, Mar 27, 2008 at 21:45

Thursday, Mar 27, 2008 at 21:45
Thanks Oldtrack.

Didn't have a multimeter on hand at the time.

Will check again this weekend.
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Reply By: Lithium Batteries Oz - Sunday, Mar 30, 2008 at 14:54

Sunday, Mar 30, 2008 at 14:54
The stuff that is used by professionals in the aircraft/aerospace and military industries looks almost identical to vaseline. It is a silicone grease made by Dow Corning. The battery terminal grade is known as "Dow Corning 4". It is manufactured to military specifications. If you would like more information about it or would like some please let me know.
Cheers,
Armin
AnswerID: 295592

Reply By: Peter H - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 00:29

Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 00:29
It was noted earlier to clean and apply Korode Kure to everything and reassemble........DO NOT DO IT>
Clean everything and reassemble and tighten, then apply Korrode Kure or any other product afterwards. Do not put anything between the 2 clean contact areas of you battery post and your terminal or you will have trouble down the track. You may as well put insulation tape on the battery post before putting the batery terminal on. You want the best possible contact between the cleaned and polished mating surfaces of the terminals and battery posts.

My thoughts (I get tired of removing other peoples terminals and cleaning them because they have done the first part)
AnswerID: 296284

Follow Up By: Peter H - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 00:31

Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 00:31
One of the best things to clean the terminal and the battery post is a Scotch 3m Brand household green scourer.
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