Battery post terminal cleaner

[SleepyFarmall]

More and more I'm dealing with battery terminals covered in some kind of black looking tarnish that is hard to remove. I resort to using a pocket knife and that gets frustrating. What is a good terminal cleaner or prevention for this tarnish? Thanks, Michael

 

[caterpillar guy]

Best I found was to go to the group 31 stud top batteries. No cleaning during the batteries life usually and simple with no deformed clamp ends to contend with from over tightening. Easy to clean with just a wire brush over the top. I also grease the threads when I put them on something as I connect the cables. Never had a problem with connections either. These work unlike those junk side terminal batteries that generous motors came out with back when since the stud is stainless steel and sticks out of the lead in the battery. I have never had one pull out or strip ther threads in all the 25or so years using them. So simple even a cave man can do it.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

For corrosion warm water with Bicarbonate of Soda applied with a tooth or brass bristled brush . When dry cover with Vaseline or spray with Dilectric grease .

 

[Hobo,NC]

More and more I'm dealing with battery terminals covered in some kind of black looking tarnish that is hard to remove. I resort to using a pocket knife and that gets frustrating. What is a good terminal cleaner or prevention for this tarnish? Thanks, Michael

For corrosion warm water with Bicarbonate of Soda applied with a tooth or brass bristled brush . When dry cover with Vaseline or spray with Dilectric grease .

Correct I done thousands this is the fix are it will not haunt you again. Another pet peeve is not driving are openen the cable end and drive down all the way, it must be mandatory for free replacements hacks to haft arse this and leave the cable end high and tighen the bolt to where it squeezes the cable end together.

When a battery post turns black the lead was contaminated from the factory return it for warranty. There is no fix for this the battery is junk.

Those felt red and green washers did I ever tell Y'all what I think about them : )... You sell me a sealed battery then ask if I would like a gizmo to cover up your poor craftsmanship you got to be kidding me.

 

[farmersamm]

If you're ever stuck somewhere with a no start.................pour a Coke over the terminal. In many cases it will clean it enough to get going. I've never tried any other brand, so I can't speak to their effectiveness.

 

[JOCCO]

Look online and get a battery service tool set. They have all kind of cleaners, post removal and adjusting tools. Snap on, Napa, Cornwell etc.

 

[Jeff NWOH]

poke her

I've got one like this. Works pretty well. I coat everything with Fluid Film when it goes back together to help keep the crustys away.

 

[rrlund]

Am I the only one who has a battery terminal brush? One end has internal steel bristles and the other end has external. Shove it down over the post and turn it, put the other end in the terminal and turn that. All done.

 

[Ol 54']

No your not the only guy with a battery terminal brush, I have about a half a dozen of them around the yard and actually use them. I will admit one thing rrlund you have bailed me out on my Super 55 a few times. Thanks.

 

[rrlund]

No your not the only guy with a battery terminal brush, I have about a half a dozen of them around the yard and actually use them. I will admit one thing rrlund you have bailed me out on my Super 55 a few times. Thanks.

Seems like I'm usually the first guy to break something and have to figure out how to fix it. LOL

 

[teddy52food]

A pair of pliars does a good job of stripping off the bad stuff.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

More and more I'm dealing with battery terminals covered in some kind of black looking tarnish that is hard to remove. I resort to using a pocket knife and that gets frustrating. What is a good terminal cleaner or prevention for this tarnish? Thanks, Michael

I use emery tape. gm

 

[shaun wallace]

That black stuff has been around for a long time. Fords in the 60s were real bad about it.

 

[chvet73]

Am I the only one who has a battery terminal brush? One end has internal steel bristles and the other end has external. Shove it down over the post and turn it, put the other end in the terminal and turn that. All done.

I was wondering the same thing. I’m sure my brush is about 55 years old. And still works great.

 

[cleddy]

More and more I'm dealing with battery terminals covered in some kind of black looking tarnish that is hard to remove. I resort to using a pocket knife and that gets frustrating. What is a good terminal cleaner or prevention for this tarnish? Thanks, Michael

I have had that Black coating and it happens on older batteries. It must be some chemical reaction to the battery leaking acid and shorting out. Usually the battery has a short life after that. I would kike to also know what causes it? With that forming on the post it hard to recharge plus get a good connection.

 

[charlie n]

I bought one of these from the Mac toolman in the 1970's. www.mactools.com/products/btb541?_pos=1&_sid=ce67a2e13&_ss=r.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I have had that Black coating and it happens on older batteries. It must be some chemical reaction to the battery leaking acid and shorting out. Usually the battery has a short life after that. I would kike to also know what causes it? With that forming on the post it hard to recharge plus get a good connection.

Interstate had a podcast a few years back I asked that question they said contaminated lead during the manufacturing process and I hope you have not ran across this on our batteries. There is NO FIX for this the battery is JUNK.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I bought one of these from the Mac toolman in the 1970's. www.mactools.com/products/btb541?_pos=1&_sid=ce67a2e13&_ss=r.

I don't like them are anything that takes metal off the post are cable end. Use a brush type tool and turn it one way only if you reverse it that shortens the life of the brush.

 

[Loosehandle]

I was wondering the same thing. I’m sure my brush is about 55 years old. And still works great.

The new ones certainly don't last that long

 

[Mark-Mi]

More and more I'm dealing with battery terminals covered in some kind of black looking tarnish that is hard to remove. I resort to using a pocket knife and that gets frustrating. What is a good terminal cleaner or prevention for this tarnish? Thanks, Michael

You guys will laugh, but a portable sand blaster set at 20 psi is the cats meow.