Battery cable corrosion

[GMCJason]

Hey Guys... Talk to me about corrosion on the battery terminals. I went to move the wife's Chevelle this afternoon and it acts like the battery is dead and needs a jump. It happens as this car sits for weeks at a time without being started. Anyway, I pop the hood and there's a boatload of corrosion on the positive terminal and connector. I cleaned it all up and replaced the positive connector since it was broken and she fired right up. What causes the corrosion? Is the battery going bad? Is it because it sits without being run? Anything I can do to stop it? My trucks can sit for long periods of time without this happening. What gives? Thanks for your help.

 

[dontoe]

You can buy spray on protection just for preventing that. Or use spray red grease, Vaseline or I sure there are other preventive measures.

 

[barneybasher1010]

WD-40 Works too

 

[Cricket]

Here you go Jason.

http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html

 

[ryoken]

Haha, this is my life.. Come work on boats for a week or 2... You can't imagine the amount of this stuff I see...

 

[GMCJason]

Thanks everybody. Maybe I'll try putting something on the terminals to protect them.

 

[ryoken]

we use terminal spray designed for batteries at work, marine corrosion inhibitor works well too.. but grease or vaseline gets you by in a pinch... siliconed felt terminal washers seem to help quite a bit too...

quality cable, soldered and shrunkwrap battery lugs are a must too....

 

[ntsqd]

When you say you put a new terminal on there do you mean one of those clamp-on type "repair" terminals? I hope not.

Second the heat shrink, but use adhesive lined.

 

[dontoe]

When you say you put a new terminal on there do you mean one of those clamp-on type "repair" terminals? I hope not.

Second the heat shrink, but use adhesive lined.

Yeah, I paid around $8.00 a foot for red and black, big enough to go over 1/0 cable lugs. But, it's some good chit!!!

Main battery

Aux battery

 

[GMCJason]

Yep, you caught me. I used the clamp-on type with the old cable. It worked (for now) but the Chevelle doesn't see much road time so I'm not concerned about it being the most heavy-duty fix. Maybe when the battery goes I'll straighten it all out.

I suppose I should get it right so it doesn't corrode as it sits.

 

[ntsqd]

Those clamp-on terminals are the start of more trouble than you can imagine. I put them in the "getcha back" range of acceptable repairs, to be deleted at first opportunity.
I'd fix it b4 the battery goes away.

 

[Metrodps]

So you don't have to look:

To prevent corrosion of cables on top post batteries use a small bead of silicon sealer at the base of the post and place a felt battery washer over it. Coat the washer with high temperature grease or petroleum jelly (Vaseline), then place cable on the post and tighten. Coat the exposed cable end with the grease. Most folks don't know that just the gases from the battery condensing on metal parts cause most corrosion.

 

[diesel4me]

Gangrene...

We get lots of corrosion here,being close to salty air,and the fact the weather is often humid or wet here.."snow" will form on your battery posts and cables at an alarming rate,and I often see cars at my friends repair shop with so much of it accumulated,you cant even SEE the battery posts OR the cable ends!..and its a given the bolts are whittled away to nothing,and will snap off,when you try using vise grips to loosen them,as no wrench will ever fit them again..

I use a healthy dose of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda ,dump it right on the crap and posts,and let it fizz for several minutes--household ammonia also works great...wet it down to a paste helps it work faster(hot water is best)....then after its done neutralizing the acid,blast it off with a garden hose..I "douche" my battery posts and cables about once a month this way,and I haven't had any trouble with the truck not cranking due to corroded cables and posts...