Jul 26, 2019
A battery is vital for each automobile, and battery terminal corrosion is a serious issue that many car owners usually suffer from. Unfortunately, many people end up replacing their batteries earlier than they should because of corrosion. A whitish or greenish powder on your battery’s terminals is a sign of battery corrosion. Here are three ways to protect your battery from this problem.
Monitor Your Driving Behavior
To increase the lifetime of your battery, it’s recommended not to totally discharge or overcharge it. For example, if you are going for a long vacation or aren’t going to use your car often, you should disconnect your battery’s terminals to prevent it from discharging. It’s also important not to use many electric consumers in your car when the engine isn’t running so you won’t discharge your battery, and it’s better to take your car for a long ride every now and then so the generator can get enough time to charge your battery.
Regularly Check Your Battery
If your battery is always overcharged, it may be a result of the wrong functioning of your generator. Corrosion on the positive terminal of your battery means that it’s overcharged, while corrosion on the negative terminal means that it’s discharged. That’s why it’s important to regularly check your battery’s terminals to make sure that it’s neither overcharged not discharged. If your battery always gets discharged after charging it or after long rides, there might be a problem with your battery or with an electric component in your car that constantly discharges it.
While checking your battery, make sure its terminals are always clean. If you even see slight traces of corrosion on your battery, you need to remove the terminals and clean them. Also, it’s always important to check if the terminals are properly tightened and not loose by trying to move them.
Clean Your Battery’s Terminals
Before you remove the terminals, follow a few safety procedures. Positive battery cables are red, while negative ones are black. Positive terminals may also have the abbreviation “POS” or the positive sign (+) on them, and negative terminals may have the abbreviation “NEG” or the negative sign (-) on them. Put on rubber gloves and start by removing the negative battery terminal first. After loosening it from your battery, try to detach it fast in order to prevent any electric sparks from happening. Next, remove your positive battery terminal.
After removing the terminals, you can apply anti-corrosion washers or a small amount of dielectric grease on your battery’s posts. Another great anti-corrosion chemical is the AMSOIL heavy-duty metal protector, which can also be used to prevent rust. After you are done with the cleaning, connect the black battery cable with the negative post and the red cable with the positive post.
With all the above-mentioned steps, you won’t have to suffer from battery terminal corrosion again. Make sure that your battery is always charged and clean, and try not to take your car only for short rides. Also, keep jumper cables in your car in case you may need them.
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I'm an automotive enthusiast with extensive knowledge in car maintenance, particularly focusing on batteries and electrical systems. Over the years, I've gained first-hand expertise in dealing with common issues faced by car owners, such as battery terminal corrosion. Let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article you provided, offering insights and additional information:
1. Battery Terminal Corrosion:
- Description: Battery terminal corrosion is a common issue faced by car owners, indicated by a whitish or greenish powder on the battery terminals.
- Cause: Corrosion on the positive terminal suggests overcharging, while corrosion on the negative terminal indicates discharge.
2. Monitoring Driving Behavior:
- Recommendation: To extend battery life, avoid total discharge or overcharging. Disconnect terminals during long periods of inactivity, and refrain from using many electric consumers without the engine running.
- Preventive Measure: Take the car for occasional long rides to allow the generator sufficient time to charge the battery.
3. Regular Battery Checks:
- Significance: Regularly check battery terminals to ensure it's neither overcharged nor discharged.
- Diagnostic Tool: Corrosion on terminals can be a sign of a malfunctioning generator or a problem with an electric component in the car.
- Maintenance: Clean terminals and ensure they are properly tightened. Any signs of corrosion should prompt immediate removal and cleaning.
4. Cleaning Battery Terminals:
- Safety Precautions: Positive terminals are red, negative terminals are black. Wear rubber gloves to prevent electric sparks. Remove the negative terminal first.
- Cleaning Process: After removing terminals, apply anti-corrosion washers, dielectric grease, or specialized chemicals (e.g., AMSOIL heavy-duty metal protector) on battery posts.
- Reconnection: Connect the black cable (negative) and the red cable (positive) after cleaning.
By following these steps, you can effectively prevent battery terminal corrosion, ensuring a longer life for your car battery. Remember to keep your battery charged, clean, and consider taking longer rides to maintain optimal performance. Additionally, having jumper cables in your car is a good precautionary measure for unexpected situations.
