Battery terminals

[SandburRanch]

Just drive a small finish nail between the battery post and clamp. That will get you home.

They seldom break down at the shop .

 

[Cougsfan]

Actually, I appreciate Dejen starting this thread. It caused me to look at my battery terminals and they were indeed in need of some work. I would of swore that they would look good before I took the time to look at them. So I cleaned them up and coated them with dielectric grease. I sure wouldn't want any perfect member of this forum calling me a non-candy coated spade!!

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Time keeps on going and we all need those little reminders now and again so these topics are useful for a lot of people, except of course, “those” people… “They” have it all together.

This winter I was feeling a little annoyed with Costco that I had to jump my 5.9 Ram 3500 after a few days sitting in close to -20C.

The terminals are clean and maintained but the fairly new (in my mind) Costco batteries were actually installed (by me) in Sept 2014.

 

[KennyG]

denjen, please excuse our resident troll... It's like he has too much free time or something...

I'm not that much fan of this style of battery terminal, although I've never had any issues with those, but definitely something to keep in mind. Thanks for the remainder on checking the terminals.

My sister's car had a OEM battery that for some reason would eat through the Negative battery terminals. No matter how clean and protected with dielectric grease it was, it would keep on corroding the terminal. Replaced that battery a year or so ago and never had any issues. This old battery is now on my generator and still does the same exact thing. I just have to keep an eye on it.

I bet there is a tiny crack next to the terminal. Not uncommon.

 

[3Ts]

Here you go, I think you can afford one....

• 
  PITTSBURGH AUTOMOTIVE
  Battery Terminal Cleaner
  
  (947)
  $2.99
  

  ​

  In-Store Only

Yes, that works and I have one, but mostly I use a strip of sandpaper.

 

[Branson Bob]

Actually, I appreciate Dejen starting this thread. It caused me to look at my battery terminals and they were indeed in need of some work. I would of swore that they would look good before I took the time to look at them. So I cleaned them up and coated them with dielectric grease. I sure wouldn't want any perfect member of this forum calling me a non-candy coated spade!!

Me too. I checked mine on Sunday before leaving and they were pretty clean... but glad I checked. Glad also that my hood latch is working well.

 

[Gregster613]

Yes, for AGM - which is still the exact same lead/acid chemistry - there are special chargers which will charge the battery to its max effiency, but in actuality you don't need them. A standard battery charger comes within a few percent of the same charge. So in any vehicle or tractor I doubt that you will be able to tell the difference when either the flooded or AGM batteries are new. You won't even know. Now as they age, the AGM loses efficency more slowly and a year or so down the line it tends to pull ahead in retained charge even though it isn't being charged to its max.

Here's the kicker: None of this about AGMs being better has to be true! Technically it isn't true. There are companies that manufacture a flooded cell battery that is just as good or better than the AGM. And it is serviceable. You see them in off grid energy storage sources and some specialized industrial use like hard tire forklifts. Those use excellent flooded cell batteries. It's just that the automotive/truck/tractor market doesn't make those extremely good flooded cell batteries that we can use in our small lightweight high vibration applications.
With cars, trucks, and tractors flooded cells are not as high quality. we lose because we have to trade off for vibration, weight and profit.

Thanks for the clarification rScotty, although you "make" it sound like a separate/special charger is "not" actually required "but" would be beneficial in reality - to completely top off a charge session.
I'd want my charger to always do that anyway, so I think a person would actually need to buy a special AGM charger anyhow. So I still stand by my assessment that it costs more $ than just the more expensive battery. It's all I was originally intending to say to your advice to the OP to buy an AGM vice a regular lead acid battery. They may very well be less corrosive intensive batteries but are a lot more $$ to swap over to! Good advice if one chooses to spend a lot more cash.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Not sure why we're talking chargers when installing a brand new AGM?

I put one (new AGM battery) in my tractor in winter of '17. It's never needed a charger, ever. The on board alternator does it's job just fine. Sometimes it will go a month or more without being started up, and it always starts fine on the first try.

I don't think you'll be needing to charge a new AGM nearly as often as you think.

I did buy a new charger last year due to my truck battery taking a dump. My 30 year old Harbor Freight one wouldn't put out any charging current. The new one had both standard and AGM settings on the charger. I think most of the new "shop" style chargers will probably come that way.

 

[5030]

Actually, I appreciate Dejen starting this thread. It caused me to look at my battery terminals and they were indeed in need of some work. I would of swore that they would look good before I took the time to look at them. So I cleaned them up and coated them with dielectric grease. I sure wouldn't want any perfect member of this forum calling me a non-candy coated spade!!

I'm far from perfect, only the Lord can claim that. I do however pay attention to maintenance items and one of them is battery and ground connections. In 30 years, I've never had an in field issue with corroded battery terminals. Had other issues but never that.

Every morning or before I start my tractors, I do a walk around and a look over. Check the fluids, look under them for leaks, raise the hoods and check for loose belts and look at the staring batteries and check the connections. Takes about a minute per. Weekly, I check tire pressures and look for loose lug nuts. Something I'm in the habit of doing.

If you allow your battery connections to degrade like the picture the op posted up for all to see, you deserve what you get. No excuse for that to ever occur except for lack of preventive maintenance. That don't happen on this farm.

 

[Cougsfan]

I'm far from perfect, only the Lord can claim that. I do however pay attention to maintenance items and one of them is battery and ground connections. In 30 years, I've never had an in field issue with corroded battery terminals. Had other issues but never that.

Every morning or before I start my tractors, I do a walk around and a look over. Check the fluids, look under them for leaks, raise the hoods and check for loose belts and look at the staring batteries and check the connections. Takes about a minute per. Weekly, I check tire pressures and look for loose lug nuts. Something I'm in the habit of doing.

If you allow your battery connections to degrade like the picture the op posted up for all to see, you deserve what you get. No excuse for that to ever occur except for lack of preventive maintenance. That don't happen on this farm.

That is quite admirable of you. However showing a bit of compassion for those who by their nature aren't as attentive as you might also be considered admirable.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I'm far from perfect, only the Lord can claim that. I do however pay attention to maintenance items and one of them is battery and ground connections. In 30 years, I've never had an in field issue with corroded battery terminals. Had other issues but never that.

Every morning or before I start my tractors, I do a walk around and a look over. Check the fluids, look under them for leaks, raise the hoods and check for loose belts and look at the staring batteries and check the connections. Takes about a minute per. Weekly, I check tire pressures and look for loose lug nuts. Something I'm in the habit of doing.

If you allow your battery connections to degrade like the picture the op posted up for all to see, you deserve what you get. No excuse for that to ever occur except for lack of preventive maintenance. That don't happen on this farm.

Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

You shouldn't be picking up any rocks there Sidecar.

 

[5030]

When you post pictures like that on a public forum you have to expect to be criticized. Why I never post pictures like that. I prefer that no one critiques my F' ups but me. I do F up stuff as well. I just don't tell the world about it.

Posts like that remind me of Farcebook posts. People go on there and post stuff and then get miffed when they get criticized. Why I don't do social media like that either.

I ain't perfect either but I don't broadcast my ooopses.

 

[rontaki]

When I redo battery connections, I use what's handy to remove corrosion. Next, I make the most airtight connection possible, that depends on what the terminals and connectors are.
The final step for me is to coat the terminal with a proper preservative, but if that is not available, aerosol oil, WD-40 (in a pinch), or even oil from the dipstick. Anything to keep corrosives and air away from the terminal and connection.
I do the same for chassis ground connections. I also give push-on connectors a light spray coating.

Rarely do I have electrical issues with my equipment!

 

[denjen]

Interesting the replies here and honestly I posted this more as a public service announcement. Those who wish to criticize no problem go for it since they are not high on my priority. It is funny though how those who want be critical state they don't post similar situations so others might learn from.

 

[RjCorazza]

Interesting the replies here and honestly I posted this more as a public service announcement. Those who wish to criticize no problem go for it since they are not high on my priority. It is funny though how those who want be critical state they don't post similar situations so others might learn from.

I'm sure a bunch of people went out and checked their battery connections. Mission accomplished!
I prefer AGM's personally, but always have several flooded batteries in my fleet. The charging algorithms are similar enough that it doesn't really matter. You lose mostly the ability to charge the AGM faster, as it tolerates a faster charge rate than a flooded battery.

 

[Deere Dude]

I understand cleaning cables and posts and covering the whole connection with a coating of spray or dielectric liquid for that purpose. But, do I coat the post before I put the clamp on with a dielectric grease? Not sure. I have a GT that has to be redone every few months.

 

[LouNY]

I like the AGM batteries because as mentioned they don't off gas and corrode.
I haven't bought any special battery charger for mine.
When I clean the terminals which isn't very often, I don't apply any kind of coating untill the connection is made up.
A dielectric is supposedly not conducting so I don't want it interferring with the capacity of the terminals.

 

[rScotty]

I've wondered the same thing. At my shop we specialized in electricals and everyone there must have done hundreds of battery connections.

Technically, the answer is easy: you should put on the grease after the connection is made and tightened because the grease is an insulator. But realistically when working on a battery with grease on the terminals the grease gets everywhere - on the post and inside the clamping surface.

If the battery post clamping is clean and tight I have never known it to make any difference.
If the clamping not right, every little thing becomes a problem.

Of course if you switch to an AGM type battery then corrosion problems are a thing of the past. No grease required.

rScotty

 

[5030]

Get yourself one of those Harbor Freight (less than 5 buck) terminal cleaners and make the clamps and posts shiny (lead oxidizes with age). I use a terminal spray myself after I connect and tighten them. I'll stock with flooded cell batteries myself but that is a personal choice.