Battery Discovery

Jiles

Well-known Member
For years, I have cleaned battery post and applied Vaseline Jelly to them before attaching cables. Never had a problem until recently.
Seems like now the Vaseline jelly will cause a hard black coating/scale to form around the post and for some reason, especially the Positive post!
The battery in one of my tractors would not start even after an overnight charging and the post and cables had no corrosion at all.
Upon removing the cables, I discovered the hard black coating on the positive post and it was really hard to scrape. I had to use a sharp knife because a wire brush would do nothing.
I reattached the cable, after cleaning it, charged the battery for one hour and it started. This was several days ago and it is still good.
I only suspect that the Vaseline jelly caused this problem, might be that it has changed, but this is my THIRD battery and two of them were in automobiles, to have this same problem.
NO MORE JELLY!
 
(quoted from post at 21:11:38 07/25/14) Jiles, Permatex makes dielectric tune up grease just
for that. Ellis
Yes--in the past, I have used dielectric grease, with great results. I was out of the grease and decided vaseline would work. Been told by many mechanics that it was good and it worked for many years and now this!
Needless to say, I will not be using it again!!
 
I use this.
a163878.jpg
 
After I clean every thing up I use never seze on the bolts and after the cables are hooked up coat them and there is no more corrosion
 
What I've done for years is clean everything up
nice and bright and install. After assembly I
spray a good amount of fluid film on clamp and
post. Yeah, it looks like goobersnot, but it don't
cause trouble. Top the cells off once a year with
distilled water and your good to go for 9 or 10
years.
 
(quoted from post at 15:21:01 07/25/14) After I clean every thing up I use never seze on the bolts and after the cables are hooked up coat them and there is no more corrosion
do that too.
But i use copperkote and coat the posts as well.
 
I use the same grease used on electrical wires, No-
crode. There are also sprays, but I was given a
life time supply of no-crode, about a gallon. It may
last my son his life time too.
 
Had exactly the same thing happen on a battery but I wasn't using grease or anything else like it on the terminals. Did have a set of those red and green under-terminal no-corrode felt rings. Positive terminal would get the same hard-to-scrape black coating, lead to no-starts. Realized the positive post's seal was bad, was letting gas and acid escape all the time, even when not running. Changed batteries, no more problems - reused the felt rings, too. BTW, this was on a Gravely walk-behind tractor that has a starter but no gen or alt, so bad voltage reg couldn't have been a reason.
 
You can use the Vaseline, or grease, or no-corrode,
even spray paint...

Just don't put it on the post or inside the cable.

Clean everything up, (regular slip joint pliers
work great to break through the hard black
corrosion, a pocket knife inside the cable end),
put the cable on dry, then coat the outside.
 
I have had it happen on connections with no coating also. Never thought about gas leaking around the post. I will have to investigate that next time.
 
Vaseline, most normal greases and definitely copper gasket spray can conduct electricity. It may not be enough to make a difference but why use them when more purpose made products are available. The main purpose for any coating is to block the acid vapors and oxygen from the terminals, but its best to use something non conductive or dielectric.

Most greases/oils and petroleum products conduct electricity which could also lead to parasitic draws. Dielectric greases are usually made from silicone and do not conduct electricity.
 
(quoted from post at 00:59:37 07/26/14) Vaseline, most normal greases and definitely copper gasket spray can conduct electricity. It may not be enough to make a difference but why use them when more purpose made products are available. The main purpose for any coating is to block the acid vapors and oxygen from the terminals, but its best to use something non conductive or dielectric.

Most greases/oils and petroleum products conduct electricity which could also lead to parasitic draws. Dielectric greases are usually made from silicone and do not conduct electricity.
But, as has been said several times, you do [u:9d7f1c1c54]not[/u:9d7f1c1c54] want it between the two metal parts that you are trying to electrically connect, but rather encapsulating the already connected assembly.
 
I've never seen any reason to coat terminals with grease or the spray stuff. Sure, it LOOKS like it's keeping out corrosion, but corrosion on the outside of the terminal doesn't hurt a thing. Meanwhile, you can have terrible corrosion inside the clamp, where it matters. As for coating battery posts with non-conductive grease, that's just a bad idea.

I have had good results using just a dab of graphite-based anti-seize compound on the battery post. It improves conductivity and seems to eliminate corrosion in the contact area.
 
(quoted from post at 17:15:55 07/25/14) I use the same grease used on electrical wires, No-
crode. There are also sprays, but I was given a
life time supply of no-crode, about a gallon. It may
last my son his life time too.

George I think that you are referring to No-Corode.
 
(quoted from post at 05:48:55 07/26/14) I've never seen any reason to coat terminals with grease or the spray stuff. Sure, it LOOKS like it's keeping out corrosion, but corrosion on the outside of the terminal doesn't hurt a thing. Meanwhile, you can have terrible corrosion inside the clamp, where it matters. As for coating battery posts with non-conductive grease, that's just a bad idea.

I have had good results using just a dab of graphite-based anti-seize compound on the battery post. It improves conductivity and seems to eliminate corrosion in the contact area.
ark, you sure got that right.........this thing has been & is starting & running like this for years. Not that I recommend such, but just saying. Curious about the black (corrosion?) that has been mentioned & have seen, very hard insulating stuff that is not the color of any known to me lead oxides?
 
(quoted from post at 00:21:54 07/26/14) You can use the Vaseline, or grease, or no-corrode,
even spray paint...

Just don't put it on the post or inside the cable.

Clean everything up, (regular slip joint pliers
work great to break through the hard black
corrosion, a pocket knife inside the cable end),
put the cable on dry, then coat the outside.

Same thing I was going to say. Use the vaseline or whatever to seal the atmosphere out, not between the connecting surfaces.
 

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