Battery cables GGGRRRRR!

[NY 986]

In the last five years I have had more corrosion issues leading to cleaning of ends and altogether replacement. These have been sourced from a wide variety of distributors such as JD, CIH, NAPA, TSC, and others. Quite a bit of the equipment is stored inside and none is exposed to road salt. Is the quality getting poorer or is it just me?

 

[Janicholson]

Reality seems to be more corrosive than 8 years ago. Spray with battery corrosion film (a bit of rag masking will prevent a mess. Also use shrink tubing on the cable terminals to limit moisture from entering the terminal end. Jim

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I used to co-own an IH 3444 TLB with a neighbor. He would keep it in one of his dirt floored steel buildings. He was always having batt. connection troubles with it, I never did! Something about the moisture coming up from the dirt, or condensation from the steel, I don't know?
The past few years(UNTIL THIS ONE) have been damp also, nothing like I recall from my youth when we baled all summer, and pulled red kidney beans onto the ground in the fall.
I change everything over to top stud terminals if possible.

 

[FBH44]

Dunno if this helps or hurts, but I put on those red/green washers under the battery terminals, and I wrap all big cables in black plastic split-tubing wrap. Never a problem.

 

[John T]

I hate terminal and cable corrosion YUK. I found if I used the felt washers under the terminals, crimped then soldered the ends, used heat shrink, then once complete and clean sprayed the red protectant that pretty well stopped it.

John T

 

[rrlund]

I think it's global warming.

 

[Steve@Advance]

I've found that keeping the electrolyte level a little lower than the "rings" (on the serviceable batteries) makes a big difference, especially on off road equipment, and equipment that often needs charging or jump starting.

Also be very gentle with the posts, no hammering, twisting, or over tightening the bolt. Break the (very fragile) seal, and acid/gasses will be coming up around the post.

 

[LP GAS ONLY]

I use a product called FLUID FILM on my golf cart battery terminals.
Great stuff.

 

[Dick2]

Blame it on the politicians.

 

[Jon Hagen]

+1 on being gentle to not break the post seal. Remember, those red / green felt washers do nothing unless you soak them in some oily fluid that prevents the creep of acid and water. I use chain saw bar & chain oil, the stuff is sticky and will protect for a long time

 

[glog]

Glue a copper penny to top of each battery between the posts.

It will corrode instead of the cables. It works I promise.

 

[ztrmowers]

clean the ends up with bake soda and refasten snug, coat the ends now with grease never have a issue

 

[pete 23]

A lot of the corrosion is due to the style of caps on the batteries. For some time, the batteries IH and CaseIH had, it was a terrible problem. First one I encountered was a battery we sold to customer for his pickup truck. He came in and said his battery was damp on top with battery acid and wanted me to check the charging for over charging. The voltage was well within normal range. I had a old battery on the pile, took the caps off it and put on new battery, problem solved. It was the style cap common that capped three cells with one cap. Ran out of old caps though so lot of corroding batteries on the 86 series tractors in particular.

 

[Deutz Lover]

I replace the tin coated steel tie lugs with pure copper ones using solder and finally heat shrink like others have said. I finish by attaching them to the battery with brass marine terminals which have a wing nut. The sprays and pads help. I just try to get rid of the dissimilar metals where possible. The end product looks great. I did loose one when my Lucas starter shorted and smoked the entire positive cable just after I finished making it.

Yes, it takes more time than off the shelf junk, but you will have a lot less problems and the time spent making them is regained with less down time.

 

[Janicholson]

I do. Jim

 

[Deutz Lover]

I forgot to add this. Even if you use the cheap cables with tin coated lugs you can stop or reduce the corrosion by getting some dielectric grease which won't melt under high temps. The same type is used to lube spark plug boots. Use a natural bristle solder brush to coat the terminal ends and exposed metal. That way you end up with a thin coating and not a gobbed on mess. The stuff is water proof and synthetic.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I was given a 5 gallon bucket with about 2 inches of a grease with something in it. The man said it will stop oxidation of battery and electrical wires. He was right, works great. I coat the battery terminal and wire. It's a two lifetime supply. Been using it for 40 years and my boy will never live long enough to use it up.

I've seen similar grease in a small tube go for a lot of money.

 

[Mark - IN.]

That red coating stuff that comes in a can that you spray on to stop corrosion? I'm not sure what it is, but I'll never use it again. I've seen it over the years and even sold it at an auto parts store that I worked at in the '70's, but never tried it before until about a year ago. This spring I started having starting issues on the trucks and tractors. ??? I took one apart on a truck and noticed the red stuff had gotten down in between the terminals and posts. I cleaned it out and off, put back together, starting problems gone after good contact is back. As someone else said, scrub with baking soda and water, rinse off, put back together.

Good luck.

Mark

 

[Part Time Pete]

I'm not sure where you are in NY, but I get all my cables made up at D+W in Albany - they do a great job
Pete

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 01:26:20 08/16/16) I forgot to add this. Even if you use the cheap cables with tin coated lugs you can stop or reduce the corrosion by getting some dielectric grease which won't melt under high temps. The same type is used to lube spark plug boots. Use a natural bristle solder brush to coat the terminal ends and exposed metal. That way you end up with a thin coating and not a gobbed on mess. The stuff is water proof and synthetic.

Whut he said been doing it that way for years on hundreds of battery's its a rare event for any corrosion to reappear. Forgo those Red/Green felt washers when they neutralize they are a sponge to attract and absorb acid... Its all down hill from there.

 

[Ted in NE-OH]

It is the atomic bomb testing being done by N. Korea. Remember back in the 60s bomb testing was blamed for any odd weather.

 

[kevinstuff]

I use petroleum jelly on my battery cables , and also any threaded part
That is prone to rust including head bolts, studs, thermostat ect . The
Reason I use it is because it is inert it will not break down like grease
Will , you can also add graphite to it for threaded fasteners

 

[Rich'sToys]

My brother taught me to just take an oil can and put a little oil on top of the terminals. I don't always do it because it makes kind of a mess on top of the battery. But it does do a good job of preventing corrosion.