Battery terminals

[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.