Clean your terminals.

[Luthj]

Not a word about baking soda and water, vinegar or Coca-Cola?

Yeah, we aren't talking flooded lead acid batteries...

 

[reg]

Yeah, we aren't talking flooded lead acid batteries...

Seriously, so what? We're talking about cleaning battery terminals, not a Rembrandt.

I have a LiFeMagPO4 battery. Why would I need a "special", not to mention pricey, commercial product to clean my battery's terminals?

Why isn't baking soda good enough? You do realise that baking soda is used as a cleaner for reasons that have nothing to do with batteries, right?

How much does this stuff that you're promoting cost?

 

[Boondock Saint]

I have the shiniest used stainless steel skillets on earth, seriously. Martha Stewart would jump my bones. Because I clean them with comet, baking soda and baby powder in a paste. These are very fine abrasives and I rinse and dry and put away.

Will aluminum oxidize faster vs SS, oh sure. I would think that if you were to seat the terminals and cinch it down in a short period of time with some basic cleaning, it would be good enough. Through the years in electronics repair and design work, I bought numerous cleaning sprays that are neutral, but I still just fall back to rubbing alcohol.

On some connections where I used a lubricant or gel to repel water and funk, it was the actual stuff I put on there that became the insulator so I then had to remove it with much labor and grief.

K.I.S.S.

 

[Just John]

Seriously, so what? We're talking about cleaning battery terminals, not a Rembrandt.

I have a LiFeMagPO4 battery. Why would I need a "special", not to mention pricey, commercial product to clean my battery's terminals?

Why isn't baking soda good enough? You do realise that baking soda is used as a cleaner for reasons that have nothing to do with batteries, right?

How much does this stuff that you're promoting cost?

Personally, I use IPA (isopropyl alcohol, 99.5%). That is just what I have on hand, my wife works in a lab (doing covid testing currently). That and a felt buffer pad on my dremel.

 

[reg]

When somebody starts claiming that LiFePro4 battery terminals need special, pricey cleaning fluids we're into The Twilight Zone.

To his credit, Rod Serling built his stories around ideas that were less ridiculous.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

What is there to guarantee that a ready made consumer LiFePO4 won't have this problem? SOK / ExpertPower / Renogy / Rebel

If it's a sealed battery, difference is you have no way to correct the issue.

 

[reg]

What is there to guarantee that a ready made consumer LiFePO4 won't have this problem? SOK / ExpertPower / Renogy / Rebel

If it's a sealed battery, difference is you have no way to correct the issue.

We're talking about the terminals. You know, those thingamabobs that are on the top of the battery?

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

To be complete - DONT put NoAlox or Penetrox on the screw threads!

You'll strip or over-torque past specifications since it's so nicely lubed. Keep the threads bare.

But between washers and other flat surfaces? Yes.

Tip: Lock-washers and the like? Do NOT put them in-between the bus-bar and the actual battery terminal! Those need to be flush against each other, lock-washers and so forth belong on TOP!

Are the screws or battery posts made of aluminum? No Aluminum / NoAlox.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

We're talking about the terminals. You know, those thingamabobs that are on the top of the battery?

Ok.
But just a related question....doesn't all this also apply to busbars?

I mean, aren't bus bars connected to terminals? Just sayin.

 

[reg]

Are the screws or battery posts made of aluminum? No Aluminum / NoAlox.

Yeah, well if you read the thread we're kinda past that question

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

Yeah, well if you read the thread we're kinda past that

Busbars are mentioned in the OP
Well....you're just a bundle of joy now aren't ya

 

[Sojourner1]

Personally, I use IPA (isopropyl alcohol, 99.5%). That is just what I have on hand, my wife works in a lab (doing covid testing currently). That and a felt buffer pad on my dremel.

Same boat isopropyl alcohol and 2000 grit.

 

[reg]

Well....you're just a bundle of joy now aren't ya

I put a smiley after my post. We're on page two of this thread. If you can't be arsed to skim the thread to find out what people are saying, and you decide instead to repeat stuff that was discussed on page one, of course it's your right.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Grit and Alcohol, the stuff real men are made of! And this concludes the G rated post cleaning discussion :D

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

I put a smiley after my post. We're on page two of this thread. If you can't be arsed to skim the thread, and you decide instead to repeat stuff that was discussed on page one, of course it's your right.

Your "NewYork" is showing.

Relax cowboy.

btw....you haven't answered a single question yet. Would it hurt you that bad to be helpful?

I still believe busbars are terminal related. Everyone's interpretation might vary. The trick is to be tolerant of others.

 

[reg]

Deleted

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

Pardon?

Along with some other people, I've specifically addressed basic questions raised in this thread.

Apparently, you think that your question about whether cleaning busbars is the same. Given what's being said here, the answer should be blindingly obvious.

By the way, I live in New York, but I'm not from here. I've also spent a lot of time in Latin America, where you apparently are. I've been struck by your regular characterisation of South America as third world. It isn't, and my experience and yours is very different. You have written post after post here that are best described as culturally ignorant expat kvetching.

Excuse me ???

You have most certainly confused me with someone else. Are you ok?

But you have the right to continue to say crazy things if you want to

PS...show me ONE of those posts....just one....we'll wait.
Not sure why on Earth you want to just keep being a jerk rather than discuss Solar power ??
You've done nothing but attack me since I asked a question.

Apparently it's because you have totally confused me with someone else.
When you find out how wrong you just were an apology would be in order.

 

[reg]

Excuse me ???

You have most certainly confused me with someone else. Are you ok?

But you have the right to continue to say crazy things if you want to

PS...show me ONE of those posts....just one....we'll wait.
Not sure why on Earth you want to just keep being a jerk rather than discuss Solar power ??

You're right, I deleted what I said. You and another participant in this forum are using the same avatar.

That said, the significance of this discussion for busbars, a question that you raised while harkening back to an issue that goes back to the first page of this thread, is obvious. As for your crack about being from New York, I'm not only not from New York, it's irrelevant.

If people want to use "special formulas" to clean their battery terminals and busbars, they should go for it. Hey, somebody's making a living from it.

Still waiting for the person who claimed that LiFePO4 battery terminals are "special", requiring special cleaning formulas, to explain why.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

You're right, I deleted what I said. You and another participant in this forum are using the same avatar.

That said, the significance of this discussions for busbars, which you raised, is obvious. As for your crack about being from New York, I'm not only not from New York, it's irrelevant.

If people want to use "special formulas" on their battery terminals and busbars, they should go for it. Hey, somebody's making a living from it.

Still waiting for the person who claimed that LiFePO4 battery terminals are "special", requiring special cleaning formulas, to explain why.

That was a weak apology after a brazen accusation and blunder like that.

You want to crucify me for mentioning busbars in a thread about battery terminals......but give yourself a pass after that patently false accusation?

No doubt you fail to see the blazing hypocrisy.

Moving on.

 

[Substrate]

What is there to guarantee that a ready made consumer LiFePO4 won't have this problem? SOK / ExpertPower / Renogy / Rebel

If it's a sealed battery, difference is you have no way to correct the issue..

That's right. But as a DIY build, we have the time to do it right.

Costs are minimal. Even just a denatured alcohol "handy wipe" that you get with burgers and fries will do. New plastic dishwashing sponge (no soap!) and a little scrub. Wire brushes and sandpaper are not recommended since they leave bits of themselves embedded in the connectors, especially aluminum - even if you can't see it.

AntiOxidant - NoAlox, Penetrox - what, a couple of bucks at your local home improvement store?

So nothing fancy, but the benefits are well worth it in the long run.

As for pre-built systems with no access, when all the connections start to change their resistance values due to corrosion or oxidation, the bms balancers will conveniently hide that from the user. After 4 to 6 years, they will have either gotten their money from it, or moved on to some other hobby.

And looking at the build quality of some batteries, maybe it IS best left to the end user to do it right.