I have serious corrosion on my negative battery terminal

Today i had to remove the terminal and clean it so i could start my car:banghead:

What causes it and how can i get rid of it

 

 

Gannon

various cures:

 

 

a can of coke or pepsi.... phosphoric acid..

 

specially designed "battery terminal brush"

 

baking soda and water

 

one or all

Prevention: You can buy green and red little battery insulators prior to installing clamps and spray a battery sealant on clamps after installed.... I usually don't bother as I am CHEAP.

 

I have noticed is the older the battery it seems to leak around the post & case, and the acid inside creaps up post and attacks the wire clamp etc.., capilary action kind of thing. Seems newer batterys will stay cleaner... it starts getting older, constant vibration or what ever.. they seem to gunk up more.

 

summer temperature is harder on a battery then the cold months and more batterys die this time of year.

 

I like to wear latex gloves or equal and safety glasses, I use water and sprinkle Baking Soda lightly on surface and a 3/4" wire copper fitting brush (buy at plumbing shop or home depot) to clean the posts and clamps, remove post and use wire brush to clean inside clamp etc... I remove battery, wash all surfices with a bit of dish soap and sprinkle Baking Soda where acid crust is visible and water and assure to wash drive way (prefer to do this over gravel) as the acid will attack and STAIN concrete!

 

I fill battery with Deionized water (assure vent slot is visible just inside ledge) to allow battery to vent (about 1/2" from top). Wipe battery down and install.

 

my 2cnts.

my two cents (sorry to steal the line but it's a good pun here)

 

 

i was one told to take a few cents (pennies) and tape them between the base of the terminal and the clamp type thing.... and when they get all gross replace em (the pennies)... from what i remember (7 years ago) it seemed to work great on my pick up (sorry non-soob).

 

something i just remembered after reading this post.... might not even work.

Clean the posts with a wire brush. Use battery terminal grease to prevent it from reforming.

 

Caution! Don't breath in the dust or get that crap in yoru eyes! Wear some gloves when you clean it off also.