auto battery terminals

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Fri May 02, 2008 5:09 pm

After a while auto battery terminals tend to get rusty looking with other junk on them. What is something in the house which I might have that can safely clean that crap off with?

Thanks all.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri May 02, 2008 5:26 pm

I got a copper or something brush form somewhere for them.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Fri May 02, 2008 5:52 pm

Baking powder mixed with water...

Far-N-Wide · Post by **Far-N-Wide** » Fri May 02, 2008 6:03 pm

In a pinch a can of classic coke or plain tap water, soap and a old tooth brush. That is until you can get the metal battery terminal post hole cleaner and a very small amout of grease, to clean em right.

JC · Post by JC » Fri May 02, 2008 7:06 pm

I think this should be moved to the automotive forum!

Interesting, how a forum mod posts in the thread as well!

*Noted*

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Fri May 02, 2008 7:08 pm

downhill wrote:Baking powder mixed with water...

isn't it baking soda ?

or do both work ?

JC · Post by JC » Fri May 02, 2008 7:09 pm

Dan wrote:isn't it baking soda ?

It is!

JC · Post by JC » Fri May 02, 2008 7:10 pm

downhill wrote:Baking powder mixed with water...

Baking Powder?

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Fri May 02, 2008 8:16 pm

Auto Zone has a battery terminal cleaner (wire brush) that you can pick up for a few bucks. Works like a charm

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri May 02, 2008 8:24 pm

I got a can of battery terminal spray..cleans and prevents it from building up.. its very cheap and is kinda a yellowish tint to it.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:09 pm

Who cleans battery terminals?

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:16 pm

CableDude wrote:Who cleans battery terminals?

people who's cars do not start

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:22 pm

Mark wrote:people who's cars do not start

Oh, ok.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:24 pm

CableDude wrote:Who cleans battery terminals?

Hot chicks clean terminals all the time

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:34 pm

Sava700 wrote:Hot chicks clean terminals all the time

Hmmmm.......

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:35 pm

Sava700 wrote:Hot chicks clean terminals all the time

ics:

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Fri May 02, 2008 10:15 pm

CableDude wrote:Who cleans battery terminals?

battery terminal cleaners ?

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Fri May 02, 2008 10:18 pm

Dan wrote:battery terminal cleaners ?

ya don't know, do ya?

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Fri May 02, 2008 10:26 pm

Like was mentioned a bit of Coke or Pepsi works great if there's a bunch of gunk.

Get a brass battery brush cheap just about anywhere. Watch your eyes.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:00 pm

Humboldt wrote:Like was mentioned a bit of Coke or Pepsi works great if there's a bunch of gunk.

Get a brass battery brush cheap just about anywhere. Watch your eyes.

those red and black felt chemical soaked rings for the terminal work perfect to prevent that corosion

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:01 pm

CableDude wrote:ya don't know, do ya?

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24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:06 pm

Cool, thanks guys. I'll try these out.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sat May 03, 2008 12:28 am

JC wrote:Baking Powder?

Brain fart....it happens. How about Arm and Hammer instead.

There isn't any need to continue this silly harassment, JC..

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 03, 2008 12:36 am

http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,791 ... ectZip.htm

JC · Post by JC » Sat May 03, 2008 6:41 am

downhill wrote:
There isn't any need to continue this silly harassment, JC..

Harassment, your kidding right?

*runs to check infraction status*

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:41 am

Indy wrote:

http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,791 ... ectZip.htm

that looks like something MadDoc would use on saturday nights

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:59 am

Sava700 wrote:that looks like something MadDoc would use on saturday nights

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sat May 03, 2008 4:37 pm

Clean with wired bristle brush...covering with thin layer of petroleum jelly used to be popular.

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:04 pm

Indy wrote:

http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,791 ... ectZip.htm

Exactly what I bought today. Will clean posts and connectors with it then I plan on greasing them up. Except mine was cheaper at $2.15.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:11 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:covering with thin layer of petroleum jelly used to be popular.

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:22 pm

24giovanni wrote:Exactly what I bought today. Will clean posts and connectors with it then I plan on greasing them up. Except mine was cheaper at $2.15.

RoundEye · Post by **RoundEye** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:37 pm

24giovanni wrote:Exactly what I bought today. Will clean posts and connectors with it then I plan on greasing them up. Except mine was cheaper at $2.15.

That’s what I use. If you store it with your other tools put it in a zip lock bag. The corrosion from the dirty battery terminals will migrate to the other tools over time.

I just leave mine on the shelf and don’t even store it in my tool box.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:44 pm

24giovanni wrote:Exactly what I bought today. Will clean posts and connectors with it then I plan on greasing them up. Except mine was cheaper at $2.15.

I work on cars for a living,and grease on the terminals is a real pain,

please do yourself a favor and anyone else who might ever work on your car and don't put grease

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Clean with wired bristle brush...covering with thin layer of petroleum jelly used to be popular.

or petroleum jelly on the terminals.!

these are very effective,cheap enough,and much easier to service the battery with

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/199325630.htm

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:43 pm

What about these since they are cheaper

http://www.acehardware.com/sm-victor-an ... 97561.html

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:48 pm

24giovanni wrote:What about these since they are cheaper

http://www.acehardware.com/sm-victor-an ... 97561.html

sure!

I was just using that link as an example of the product,

those would work fine too.

I'm sure PEP boys or Kragen or what ever local auto parts store you use will have them.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sun May 04, 2008 4:31 pm

Dan wrote:
or petroleum jelly on the terminals.!

these are very effective,cheap enough,and much easier to service the battery with

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/199325630.htm

Yeah they tidy things up.

Vaseline...good for more than just....

AKA3Toes · Post by **AKA3Toes** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:43 am

Indy wrote:Auto Zone has a battery terminal cleaner (wire brush) that you can pick up for a few bucks. Works like a charm

---AutoZone, as well as many others, have switched to the battery terminal/post cutter rather than the wire brush. There is usually one in the HELP section that is shaped like a bullet and can oftentimes be found in the "cheap tool" bin with "special price" of $3.99 or so. Open the capsule and you have a brush for internal and on the bottom of the capsule is the external brush. [edit]That's what you bought "yesterday" so either you were looking in HELP, AZ has decided to start carrying them again or AZ has added the messy "cheap tool" bin to their store... LOL[/edit] After cleaning the terminals, wipe a layer of Nolox or dielectric grease on it to prevent further electrolysis. Baking soda and water works to remove acid, and only removes electrolysis if you perform reverse-electrolysis my soaking the effected component in a bath of bicarbonate of soda and water, and using electrodes in the bath to energize the solution. Electric motor cleaner would work best after removing the acid with baking soda & water.

---if your battery is leaking acid, it is from one of two things. Either the seal was broken by neglect (E.G., no battery hold down, twisting cables to see if they're tight, loose connections causing heat, etc) or the battery has been over-charged, has swelled and has broken the seal around the post. Nothing will prevent the white powder from forming if the seal is broken. If it's green, then it's corrosion caused by electrolysis, usually two different metals contacting each other (E.G., brass or steal and lead). This is where the dielectric grease will play a major role... besides helping prevent arcing.

AKA3Toes · Post by **AKA3Toes** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:57 am

Dan wrote:I work on cars for a living,and grease on the terminals is a real pain,

please do yourself a favor and anyone else who might ever work on your car and don't put grease or petroleum jelly on the terminals.!

these are very effective,cheap enough,and much easier to service the battery with

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/199325630.htm

---Agreed, too many fools have misidentified the material on the battery terminals and thought it to be regular grease. Most oils and grease, as well as petroleum jelly conduct electricity. Dielectric grease is what is used in even the commercial electrical industry (Nolox is a popular brand) and as the name describes di=non + electric=electric, meaning... it does not* conduct. So, wiping the dielectric grease on the terminal(s) will prevent electrolysis and repel condensation. If you do, what you do get between the terminal and post, will be squeezed out so it's no big deal.

---The felt washers that you linked everyone to are a great help in preventing acid build up on terminals. Though they are thin and you wouldn't think felt would be a big deal, they prevent the battery from sensing the electromagnetic field in the terminals and isolate the battery, thus preventing the electrolytes from leaving the battery... sort of a screen to stop insects from traveling along with the breeze.

---See, the whitakers that AutoZone sells with their batteries and such, do have an use. Now, if they would only ask instead of trying to slip them under your nose, you might be inclined to purchase them.