Blue Stuff On The Battery Connectors?

[LowGear]

I went to dump my truck today and it failed one foot up.  I found that the auxiliary unit cable had broken off and the terminal was covered with the blue stuff.  I cut the cable an inch back and it was infused with the same stuff.  Que Paso?

I personally prefer simple or stupid questions because they're so easy for a knowledgeable person to know.

Casey

[Thob]

Sounds like the wire got hot and melted the inner layer of insulation, which oozed into the strands of the wire and out onto the terminal.  I've seen that happen when the wire is too small or a bad connection causes the wire to overheat.  Gooey Gummy sticky stuff that is hard to clean up.  You may need to replace the whole wire.

[mobile_bob]

does it look like gooey stuff, or does it look like corrosion?

i have seen acid migrate up a cable several inches and it looks powdery
green/bluish

if that is the case you will need to cut back the cable to where it is clean good copper
and crimp on a new end, then use one of those anti corrosion felt washers on the battery posts to keep the acid from working back up the cable.

using a good shrink tube will help, but somehow the acid will get into just about any connection given enough time.

look carefully at that battery post/case interface to see if there is signs of cracking or leakage?  my bet is you will find a bit of leakage there.  if so you can then decide whether to add more maintenance attention to ward off corrosion of replace the battery.

all this if, that blue stuff is corrosion.

bob g

[LowGear]

Yes it is corrosion.  The negative side of the battery bank has just a little of the corrosion on it while the positive (where this lead attaches, the negative is picked up through chassis ground) had a couple of table spoons.  My understanding is that this dump unit is powered by an older Ford starter motor.

I bought a new cable of the same size for $7 at Car Quest.  I thought the salesclerk said $70 and hurt my chin when it bumped against the counter.    

I'll pick up some of those felt washers this week.  What's the best or a good way to clean up these terminals and connectors before I stick it back together?

Should I shrink wrap this new cable or go with the old "it lasted for over 20 years so it must be good enough" theory? 

Any other considerations?

Casey

[Thob]

Remove the battery, wash it with water, get off the dust/grease/crud/acid.  Rinse it with a solution of baking soda and water (when it quits fizzing, you have neutralized the acid).  Rinse with water again.  Don't get any water or baking soda in the battery!  Dry it off.  You may wish to do the same to the battery compartment.  Reinstall everything, after the connections are tight coat all exposed terminals with Vaseline.  Vaseline is somewhat water proof and helps keep the acid off the terminals.

[BruceM]

I've also had good luck with Vasoline- if worked into the exposed strands of the battery cable, in addition to Thob's suggested application, it seems to stop the corrosion from creeping up the stranded cable. It's too late if it's already started.

[squarebob]

I mix Vasoline with some baking soda and smear it on the terminals to keep the corrosion at bay.

[mike90045]

copper corrodes to blue/green.  Battery acid got to it.   Pull the battery, and carefully rinse it down, baking soda is good to brush on it too, but DON'T be vigorous, and get water/soda into the cells, past the weep holes in the cap, or you kill your battery.
I'd get new cable, splices have to carry hundreds of starting amps, and if not pristine, will cause problems.

[Derb]

Hi Fellas. In the shop we used to use caustic soda crystals mixed in boiling water. Pour over the battery terminals and affected cable ends. Leave for 10 minutes or so then rinse off with more boiling water. After drying off, cover terminals, posts etc with white petroleum jelly and a few well placed drops of motor oil to creep up the cable ends under the insulation to stop corrosion damaging the cable further. This stuff works a treat. Cheers.

[LowGear]

Hi,

I did install the new cable and everything is working fine.  Hey, I even cleaned and painted the battery box with some rust conversion paint.  I felt like one of the masters that contribute to this site.

This weekend I'm going to.R&R everything and check out the paint job.  I'll even use the petrolium jelly concept.  I'd like to write that I've been waiting for confirmation before using the jelly but you people can smell balone with fridge door closed.  I had a battery guru tell me to never use sodas around the battery - If it gets inside the battery it really screws thing around.  So masking tape on the caps is mandated.

Thanks again for the good practices approach.

Casey

[quinnf]

For a permanent solution to the green gunk on the battery terminals, consider using Loctite C5A anti-seize compound.  What you've got growing is copper sulfate crystals, the reaction of sulfuric acid (battery acid) acid with copper in or around the terminal clamps.  You need to exclude any spilled or sprayed sulfuric acid from the terminals, and you can do that with this stuff.  

http://weldwarehouse.securesites.net/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?::1:WLDWH:1:442=51005

It's essentially a heavy grease impregnated with powdered copper.  Years ago I was looking to make my own for use on connections to radio antennas when a friend who was working on the construction of a nearby nuclear power plant (that indicates how long ago it was) told me that they are directed to use this copper grease to lubricate all threaded connectors.  He gave me a half-used can which I still have most of, and I've been using it for over 35 years on battery terminals.  I've NEVER had to clean battery terminals since, and I and my family have never turned the key of any of our cars only to hear the dreaded, "Click - click - click" noise your starter solenoid makes because of corroded battery terminals.  

Quinn

[Edit:  It's also great to use to prevent galling on threaded fittings.  Aluminum on aluminum and stainless steel on stainless steel threads frequently will gall unless you first lube them with some anti-seize compound.  Years ago I was helping a friend rig the 65' tall aluminum mast on his sailboat.  The boat was new; he had just taken delivery on it from Taiwan.  As I was threading the turnbuckles which tighten the shrounds which hold the mast up I noticed I was having to turn the barrel of the turnbuckle harder with each turn.  So I turned it the other way, thinking I'd disassemble it and chase out the threads, but it continued to get tighter, until it wouldn't turn at all.  Continued twisting with bigger wrenches and eventually heating with a torch were to no avail, so had to temprarily rig a substitute shroud to support the mast, and then climb to the top of the mast (!!!) to disconnect the shroud from the masthead fitting.  A few days later when I picked up the new shroud and turnbuckle from the rigging shop, the old fart who ran the establishment told me about using anti-seize compound on stainless and aluminum threaded fittings.] 

[SteveU.]

Hi Casey
Just like some of the earlier posters indicated do realize the corrosive acid vapors are rising up out of the battery do to a separation of the plastic molded top to the  post sodes. An unavoidable, gonna happen sooner or later. Sooner: on a battery that has the terminals remove and reattached often from wench torquing, not using a terminal puller tool and then tapping the terminal back on - No-No's!!
Later: on a mobile application from the up and down jouncing of the cables breaking down the moulded post seal.

Cleaning - lot of expensive can stuff does work. Plain old Arm and Hammer backing soda in warn water with a plastic and SS tooth brushes works even better. I'll even soak the terminal end dunked in this solution. Change solution as it losses it's reactive fizz. Don't fuss about soda water immediately killing the battery. Selling lots of lead acids batts from as far back as the 70's I've tried a few times just to see just how easy it would be to kill an individual cell with antacid tablets or spoon(s) of baking soda. Very hard to make a measurable change.
Be realistic on cable end and cable reusing after cleaning up. Too much terminal material loss or a feel change in the cable bending flex - change them out.

Resealing to prevent future corrosion the most important is to have a flexible self healing goo seal at the base of the post out 1/2"(13mm) over the case top.
Vaseline, clear grease, and gooey! dripping! impregnated woolfelt washers all will work well.
I've been using these evolved techniques with a regional made translucent brown gooey animal hoof/hide trucker brand daubed on with good success for years. Quinn I'll try your anti-seize idea on the wife's Hyundai with stupid bonnet cap terminals. It Is gooey, self-healing.

Casey you can top cover coat and seal with the same stuff you used at the base. DO NOT use anything to top seal out of a spray can! Thin enough to spray it will migrate between the post and the terminal. Seen a lot of techs who valued short time flat black spray can "pretty" over durability. Seen a lot of justification for patent rattle can battery stuff as "has to be better" or they would not sell it. Not.

Regards
Steve Unruh

[quinnf]

Quinn I'll try your anti-seize idea on the wife's Hyundai with stupid bonnet cap terminals. It Is gooey, self-healing.

[snip]

It's incredibly gooey and self-healing.  Great stuff and electrically conductive.  One can will last you a lifetime.

q.

[LowGear]

Just ordered the CS5 from Ebay for $16 delivered to Hawaii.  Priority Mail RULES!

Of course this means I'll have to delay the R&R program on the batteries for a few days.  My hands are tied. 

Incidentally, my dual batteries use those "T" shaped post adapters so two + cables can be attached.  The copper one was 1/3 gone so I replaced it.

Casey

[BruceM]

I just ordered a bottle too.  Thanks for the tip, Quinn, it's a real bargain for electrically conductive grease.  Very handy for some of my EMC- shielding projects.