Battery Terminal gunk

[beeza]

I installed the 'Genuine Pivot Raizin Volt Stabilizer' grounding kit to my car about a month ago.I just found today on my negative battery terminal a s**t load of that white/little bit of green furry gunk stuff that you get on there from time to time but it was A LOT,like a bad growth forming on there.
I immediately disconnected it and cleaned the terminal.I left it disconnected.
I didn't have the camera on me so I didn't get a pic.
Does anyone know what's going on????

[EG30]

it's the gas vapor leaking past your battery terminal which then reacts with the battery terminal and forming the white-green deposits.

you can keep cleaning with hot water, buy one of those felt pads to fit on the base of batt terminals, coat the terminal with white lithium grease. But best to replace the battery.

[Merlin086]

^ Listen to the man, works like a charm...magic b4 your eyes!

I think the grease stops the reaction by preventing access to the air.

[beeza]

it's the gas vapor leaking past your battery terminal which then reacts with the battery terminal and forming the white-green deposits.

What gas vapour do you mean? I've got a cover over the terminal...

Thanks heaps guys!
I will do all of the above and make sure it's a going to a good earth on the car.
It kinda freaked me out.I've never seen that much gunk b4.It was about 5mm all over it! It only done it since I connected up the grounding kit.
I'll report back and tell you how it all went.

[Paul1985]

What gas vapour do you mean? I've got a cover over the terminal...

Thanks heaps guys!
I will do all of the above and make sure it's a going to a good earth on the car.
It kinda freaked me out.I've never seen that much gunk b4.It was about 5mm all over it! It only done it since I connected up the grounding kit.
I'll report back and tell you how it all went.

Vapour needs to escape from the battery lol.. dont want it all compressed in there!

There will most likely be little holes on each of your 6 battery caps. These allow vapour to escape, as it escapes its having a reaction with your terminals.

[beeza]

Cheers.About the same time I put the grounding kit in I topped up the fluid levels with distilled water...I didn't over fill it.

[JohnL]

The gas is hydrogen generated in the cells as the battery discharges, highly explosive! I've had the pleasure of a battery exploding in my face as a result of the hydrogen being ignited by a spark, not fun! The hydrogen will be generated in dangerous quantities if the battery terminals are shorted and the battery is in a state of high discharge.

This happened to me when a battery clamp broke allowing the battery to move (under heavy braking), jamming the + terminal against bodywork causing a massive discharge and complete loss of all electrical activity (at least in all wires, not in the battery!). When I freed the battery from its predicament there was a spark and a very loud bang, bits of plastic and acid spraying in my face. Luckily no damage to me, but only because spectacles can act as decent eye protection sometimes and I found a hose in someones front yard to wash myself down!

The 'crud' is acid crystals from acid that leaks from the base of the terminal and dries out (leaving the crystals). It can be washed off with water, but you want a LOT of water to wash it completely away because as the crystals dissolve the water becomes acid and eats metal on your car! The bi-carb soda wash is good because bi-carb is alkaline and helps neutralises the acid. Use a strong bi-carb solution. To help prevent it smear the battery terminal with vasoline, I think this helps seal the leak source at the base of the terminal so trying to work it into any invisible gap around the base might work better than just lightly smearing it around.

[Paul1985]

The gas is hydrogen generated in the cells as the battery discharges, highly explosive! I've had the pleasure of a battery exploding in my face as a result of the hydrogen being ignited by a spark, not fun! The hydrogen will be generated in dangerous quantities if the battery terminals are shorted and the battery is in a state of high discharge.

This happened to me when a battery clamp broke allowing the battery to move (under heavy braking), jamming the + terminal against bodywork causing a massive discharge and complete loss of all electrical activity (at least in all wires, not in the battery!). When I freed the battery from its predicament there was a spark and a very loud bang, bits of plastic and acid spraying in my face. Luckily no damage to me, but only because spectacles can act as decent eye protection sometimes and I found a hose in someones front yard to wash myself down!

The 'crud' is acid crystals from acid that leaks from the base of the terminal and dries out (leaving the crystals). It can be washed off with water, but you want a LOT of water to wash it completely away because as the crystals dissolve the water becomes acid and eats metal on your car! The bi-carb soda wash is good because bi-carb is alkaline and helps neutralises the acid. Use a strong bi-carb solution. To help prevent it smear the battery terminal with vasoline, I think this helps seal the leak source at the base of the terminal so trying to work it into any invisible gap around the base might work better than just lightly smearing it around.

Hope you werent wearing your best clothes.
One of my trade school teachers did the same, in the boot of an old mini.

[JHMDA9]

So beeza did you clean it off?? Any problems again?

[aaronng]

Clean it up and coat the terminal with some Inox spray.

Or get a sealed battery. :)

[beeza]

Thanks John L!! :thumbsup:


So beeza did you clean it off?? Any problems again?

I will tomorrow.Had a big weekend....
Gotta buy some baking soda and vaseline.

[beeza]

Thanks mate! Will do :)

[aaronng]

Yeah, just spray a light coating of Inox. Easy and doesn't run.

[JohnL]

Vaseline has been used for this purpose (among others!) forever, though this doesn't necessarily mean its still the best thing for the job. You could try KY jelly...?

[Merlin086]

Vaseline has been used for this purpose (among others!) forever, though this doesn't necessarily mean its still the best thing for the job. You could try KY jelly...?

LOL...why not slide a condom over the terminal, that'll keep it

clean....:thumbsup:

[aaronng]

Vaseline has been used for this purpose (among others!) forever, though this doesn't necessarily mean its still the best thing for the job. You could try KY jelly...?

Do you even know what you are talking about? KY jelly is WATER-BASED and will ACCELERATE corrosion!

[JohnL]

Do you even know what you are talking about? KY jelly is WATER-BASED and will ACCELERATE corrosion!

It was a joke Joyce!

It could be used, but would do nothing good or bad. It is water based, but would dry out in just a few minutes or so.

[aaronng]

Oops, I must have missed the smiley... :)

[beeza]

Done.Cleaned it all off with bi-carb soda then washed it off with water.Fitted new clamp,greased it all up and bolted it to a better ground so we will see how it goes...

[EG30]

Was at Repco today, noticed CRC makes a battery terminal protector spray. Wurth makes a good product but not avail retail so I didn't bother to mention before.

[aaronng]

Was at Repco today, noticed CRC makes a battery terminal protector spray. Wurth makes a good product but not avail retail so I didn't bother to mention before.

How much was it? I'm happy with Inox.

[EG30]

shouldn't be too much as the CRC products always well priced, didn't bother to check as I already have the wurth spray.