cleaning battery terminals?

I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a bunch of
caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented giving the spark
until the clip was re-adjusted.

Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is there
anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that stuff get on
there in the 1st place?
--
"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
-- Charlotte Whitton

Best way I've found to get the corrosion off is a heavy mixture of baking
soda and water (about 8 ounces of baking soda to a quart of water). If it's
really thick you may need to use a stiff brushed also. Then rinse with clear
water. Usually the corrosion starts due to a leak of battery acid. It
doesn't take much to get it going.

Brian

"Ablang" <rablang@aol.comHD> wrote in message
news:20040606213210.13967.00000381@mb-m24.aol.com...
> I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a bunch
of
> caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented giving the
spark
> until the clip was re-adjusted.
>
> Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is there
> anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that stuff get
on
> there in the 1st place?
> --
> "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
> thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
> -- Charlotte Whitton

On Sun, 6 Jun 2004 21:51:58 -0400, "NoSpam" <nomail@spam.not> wrote:

>Best way I've found to get the corrosion off is a heavy mixture of baking
>soda and water (about 8 ounces of baking soda to a quart of water). If it's
>really thick you may need to use a stiff brushed also. Then rinse with clear
>water. Usually the corrosion starts due to a leak of battery acid. It
>doesn't take much to get it going.
>
>Brian

Good advice, I just wanted to add: once the terminals are clean, a
little vasoline coated on them will help prevent future corrosion. A
very thin layer will cover the metal without interfering with the
conduction of electricity. A tip I learned a long time ago.

Also, you can go to a car parts store and pickup cheap terminal
cleaners(a shaped wire brush), and they sell chemical impregnated
washers that help prevent future corrosion(never used them, the
vasoline trick seem to always work for me).

hth,

tom





>
>"Ablang" <rablang@aol.comHD> wrote in message
>news:20040606213210.13967.00000381@mb-m24.aol.com...
>> I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a bunch
>of
>> caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented giving the
>spark
>> until the clip was re-adjusted.
>>
>> Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is there
>> anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that stuff get
>on
>> there in the 1st place?
>> --
>> "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
>> thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
>> -- Charlotte Whitton
>

***************** Check Us Out *****************
http://www.CarFleaMarket.com
Bringing back low-cost online car ads to the web!

Use a Baking Soda solution.



mike hunt



Ablang wrote:
>
> I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a bunch of
> caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented giving the spark
> until the clip was re-adjusted.
>
> Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is there
> anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that stuff get on
> there in the 1st place?
> --
> "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
> thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
> -- Charlotte Whitton

Yes , just dont get any of it in the fill holes

<BrickMason@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:40C3CF6B.303CFAD0@mailcity.com...
> Use a Baking Soda solution.
>
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
>
> Ablang wrote:
> >
> > I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a
bunch of
> > caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented giving
the spark
> > until the clip was re-adjusted.
> >
> > Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is there
> > anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that stuff
get on
> > there in the 1st place?
> > --
> > "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
> > thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
> > -- Charlotte Whitton

Fill holes? You must have a really old battery.


mike hunt




Tim Kettring wrote:
>
> Yes , just dont get any of it in the fill holes
>
> <BrickMason@mailcity.com> wrote in message
> news:40C3CF6B.303CFAD0@mailcity.com...
> > Use a Baking Soda solution.
> >
> >
> >
> > mike hunt
> >
> >
> >
> > Ablang wrote:
> > >
> > > I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a
> bunch of
> > > caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented giving
> the spark
> > > until the clip was re-adjusted.
> > >
> > > Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is there
> > > anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that stuff
> get on
> > > there in the 1st place?
> > > --
> > > "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
> > > thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
> > > -- Charlotte Whitton

Actually , I have one that is only 4 years old that has them and it is still
good , but I replaced it with a no-maintainance battery thinking it was bad
..

<BigJohnson@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:40C51138.8145ED5A@mailcity.com...
> Fill holes? You must have a really old battery.
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
>
>
> Tim Kettring wrote:
> >
> > Yes , just dont get any of it in the fill holes
> >
> > <BrickMason@mailcity.com> wrote in message
> > news:40C3CF6B.303CFAD0@mailcity.com...
> > > Use a Baking Soda solution.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > mike hunt
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Ablang wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I had to give a co-worker a jump last week, and noticed there was a
> > bunch of
> > > > caked-on white powder on the positive terminal which prevented
giving
> > the spark
> > > > until the clip was re-adjusted.
> > > >
> > > > Short of trying to scrape off the stuff (it's on really good), is
there
> > > > anything I can pour on it to make it go away? And how does that
stuff
> > get on
> > > > there in the 1st place?
> > > > --
> > > > "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be
> > > > thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
> > > > -- Charlotte Whitton