Best battery terminal protector?

[wopachop]

Just cleaned my terminals again. They grow the blew corrosion. Do those fiber washers work on 6v flooded deep cycle batteries? Mine on are the trailer tounge and dont have any covers. Sometimes i have a piece of foam over them. Ive read the trapped gases are a problem. But my batteries are exposed in a non humid climate.

Should i make the connections and coat with dielectric grease? Ive read vaseline can be used. I could borrow a can of that red spray. When you need to work on the cables, do you just deal with using IPA to wipe it clean? Its not so bad using baking soda paste and a hose. Then a wire wheel on a drill. I like the idea of a fiber washer if they work. No grease to clean up.

I cant remember the cause. Ive read it before. I happens on my main positive lead, then both sides of the series connecting cable, but the ground cable is clean. I meant to rotate the batteries in their positions. I scribed a 1 and 2 on the tops and been monitoring SG. It was fun at first but now a pain. Does the 1st battery with the positive cable take more of a hit? Both its connectors have corrosion. While the other battery only the positive side of the battery had corrosion.

 

[yodamota]

I really don't know what the best solution is. In theory when you apply the grease to the connection after everything is tight and snug. The grease makes it so no oxygen/corrosive gases can get to the connection. However if you ever go to take the connection apart. Now the grease is everywhere ... including your tools/gloves/hands. And now the grease needs to be cleaned up in order to make a new connection.... Which to me requires a bunch of rags and garbage.

So far I have settled on taking the connection apart yearly. Cleaning with baking soda/water and a toothbrush. and wire wheeling the connection surfaces until shiny. Seems like the straight forward approach for me...

I usually defer to https://rollsbattery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Rolls-Battery-User-Manual.pdf

 

[Checkthisout]

Just cleaned my terminals again. They grow the blew corrosion. Do those fiber washers work on 6v flooded deep cycle batteries? Mine on are the trailer tounge and dont have any covers. Sometimes i have a piece of foam over them. Ive read the trapped gases are a problem. But my batteries are exposed in a non humid climate.

Should i make the connections and coat with dielectric grease? Ive read vaseline can be used. I could borrow a can of that red spray. When you need to work on the cables, do you just deal with using IPA to wipe it clean? Its not so bad using baking soda paste and a hose. Then a wire wheel on a drill. I like the idea of a fiber washer if they work. No grease to clean up.

I cant remember the cause. Ive read it before. I happens on my main positive lead, then both sides of the series connecting cable, but the ground cable is clean. I meant to rotate the batteries in their positions. I scribed a 1 and 2 on the tops and been monitoring SG. It was fun at first but now a pain. Does the 1st battery with the positive cable take more of a hit? Both its connectors have corrosion. While the other battery only the positive side of the battery had corrosion.

Change over lithium batteries and don't look back.

Otherwise, use thick waterproof grease after cleaning and installing the cable.

Constant growth like that means the seal at the terminal is broken.

 

[Skypower]

Do not use those felt red & green washers. I think they actually make things worse, at least the worst terminal in any car or boat in the shortest period of time I’ve ever seen. No-ox-id A special is what I used, but any non metallic filled grease(not noalox) would probably work fine. Marine grease, preferably non petroleum based ( synthetic ). Clean well with baking soda and rinse thoroughly. Be sure to use safety glasses and gloves because that paste that forms is nasty on the skin and stinks for days. Coat contact surfaces with your favorite grease and the post & clamp exposed surfaces with a film to keep a barrier to vapors.

 

[Skypower]

I really don't know what the best solution is. In theory when you apply the grease to the connection after everything is tight and snug. The grease makes it so no oxygen/corrosive gases can get to the connection. However if you ever go to take the connection apart. Now the grease is everywhere ... including your tools/gloves/hands. And now the grease needs to be cleaned up in order to make a new connection.... Which to me requires a bunch of rags and garbage.

So far I have settled on taking the connection apart yearly. Cleaning with baking soda/water and a toothbrush. and wire wheeling the connection surfaces until shiny. Seems like the straight forward approach for me...

I usually defer to https://rollsbattery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Rolls-Battery-User-Manual.pdf
View attachment 176039

Grease is a whole lot easier to deal with than corrosion.

 

[yodamota]

sounds like you like grease. great.

Coat contact surfaces with your favorite grease

Do you do this? Wouldn't this create a barrier between the copper lug and the lead battery post? I believe I did this once and it seemed to create issues. I always thought the grease was a seal/barrier. not something for inbetween the lug/lead battery post.

 

[Crowz]

On my tractor I use grease as mentioned. Its about the only thing I found that stops the terminals from corroding up.

Now the deep cycle batteries I used on older houses solar setup never corroded now that I think about it and I never used anything on them.

I think the vibration on the diesel tractors aggravated the situation for it.

 

[Skypower]

sounds like you like grease. great.


Do you do this? Wouldn't this create a barrier between the copper lug and the lead battery post? I believe I did this once and it seemed to create issues. I always thought the grease was a seal/barrier. not something for inbetween the lug/lead battery post.

Trust me, it will squeeze out of the way. The phrase, dielectric grease is a misnomer, antioxidants like no-ox-A special, silicone grease or marine green grease will make a wonderful connection. The only problems I’ve ran into is if it contains any solids like carbon, silver, copper, lithium or zinc. Solids can also cause cross communication in multiple pin connections as well.

 

[Skypower]

Change over lithium batteries and don't look back.

Otherwise, use thick waterproof grease after cleaning and installing the cable.

Constant growth like that means the seal at the terminal is broken.

Very possible that there’s a bad seal around the terminal venting corrosive gas right at the connection.

 

[Skypower]

One thing I might add: The No-ox-id A special is viscous and doesn’t spread well below 75*F so if your components are too cool it may not squeeze out of the way and make a good contact unless there’s a lot of clamping force. On the upside it doesn’t flow all over the place when hot. So take that into consideration when selecting the anti oxidant, be it for starting batteries or Lifepo4 cells.

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

Corrosion on deep cycle terminals is usually from venting from the battery and may mean you don't have good ventilation.

 

[Skypower]

Corrosion on deep cycle terminals is usually from venting from the battery and may mean you don't have good ventilation.

That could be. Mine is the low maintenance starting battery in a Chevy Equinox. It’s buried under the ECM in a dead air space from factory. Not easy to regularly inspect because I don’t like flipping the ECM and it’s harnessing around any more than necessary.

 

[Checkthisout]

Corrosion on deep cycle terminals is usually from venting from the battery and may mean you don't have good ventilation.

It's usually acid wicking up the post due to a breech between the case and terminal.

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

It's usually acid wicking up the post due to a breech between the case and terminal.

"The batteries can release gases filled with hydrogen, sulfur, and acids that damage nearby battery terminals if not vented properly. Note the danger labels on lead-acid batteries. The corrosive gasses are bad for metals and your lungs. Make sure they are well ventilated."

What Causes Battery Terminal Corrosion (and How to Avoid It)?

Have you seen that nasty corrosion on your battery terminals? Learn why it happens and how to stop it.

battlebornbatteries.com

 

[wopachop]

What confuses me is using dielectric grease on connectors. The mating surface gets coated in grease. I just dont see how it can push the grease away to make a good contact. That said i use it a lot on automotive and offroad connectors. Would think a tiny tiny thin layer would remain and almost act like a conformal coating. Super duper thin but doesnt conduct electricity.

For my situation is sounds like a bad seal at the terminal. I cleaned them perfect maybe 2 or 3 months ago and it was blue after a month. Might try the sacrificial penny. Or coat in grease.

Seems like most people are recommending a waterproof bearing grease over a tube of dielectric grease? Ive got both sitting here. Same with the can of Red spray. If im going to coat them, the spray can would be easiest to apply into cracks and hard to get spots. Versus a big glob of grease.

 

[Checkthisout]

What confuses me is using dielectric grease on connectors. The mating surface gets coated in grease. I just dont see how it can push the grease away to make a good contact. That said i use it a lot on automotive and offroad connectors. Would think a tiny tiny thin layer would remain and almost act like a conformal coating. Super duper thin but doesnt conduct electricity.

For my situation is sounds like a bad seal at the terminal. I cleaned them perfect maybe 2 or 3 months ago and it was blue after a month. Might try the sacrificial penny. Or coat in grease.

Seems like most people are recommending a waterproof bearing grease over a tube of dielectric grease? Ive got both sitting here. Same with the can of Red spray. If im going to coat them, the spray can would be easiest to apply into cracks and hard to get spots. Versus a big glob of grease.

Do not put grease between the connections. Just clean them, reinstall, torque and then smear with dielectric or waterproof grease of your choice.

We put dielectric grease on electric connectors that might see water intrusion where the pins can "cut" through the grease and still make good contact but it just provides no benefit and can hinder connections on battery terminals.

IMO of course.

 

[wopachop]

Awesome thanks "pins can cut through the grease" makes sense.
Im equalizing them now. How long is too long? I know im supposed to keep measuing SG until it stops rising. They are around 1.280 to 1.290 using a temp compensating meter. In total theyve gone about 2 hours.
Does it really matter if the batteries are at 7.9v or 8.1v? Im tweaking my charge voltage to account for voltage drop. But its charging at 26amps using 12awg charge lead. Im worried when i walk away as the charge amps decrease the voltage drop will also decrease. Dont want to end up above 8.1v for a 210ah 6v Interstate from costco. The charge lead and cables are not hot. I think its about 1 foot of 12awg and then 2 feet of 10awg attached to some cheap clamps. I do try and seat them into the terminal.

 

[Minimoose]

Just cleaned my terminals again. They grow the blew corrosion. Do those fiber washers work on 6v flooded deep cycle batteries? Mine on are the trailer tounge and dont have any covers. Sometimes i have a piece of foam over them. Ive read the trapped gases are a problem. But my batteries are exposed in a non humid climate.

Should i make the connections and coat with dielectric grease? Ive read vaseline can be used. I could borrow a can of that red spray. When you need to work on the cables, do you just deal with using IPA to wipe it clean? Its not so bad using baking soda paste and a hose. Then a wire wheel on a drill. I like the idea of a fiber washer if they work. No grease to clean up.

I cant remember the cause. Ive read it before. I happens on my main positive lead, then both sides of the series connecting cable, but the ground cable is clean. I meant to rotate the batteries in their positions. I scribed a 1 and 2 on the tops and been monitoring SG. It was fun at first but now a pain. Does the 1st battery with the positive cable take more of a hit? Both its connectors have corrosion. While the other battery only the positive side of the battery had corrosion.

this works well for my car batteries. If the red color wears off just give it another coat. Should work good for any lead acid battery.

 

[glandpuck]

Kopr Kote.