battery corrosion

[evilspacemonkey]

I have a friend she drives a 94 escort, and about once a month if she doesn't clean the corrosion off the battery it won't start. What causes this and is there a way to fix it.

[DMAN220]

I would say try putting new ends on the cable and getting a new battery and if is still happens then not sure why it is doing it.

[92CamaroRS]

they make an anti-corroid gel that you can put on the posts and cable ends. that should stop it.

[LoneRangers15]

Originally posted by evilspacemonkey
I have a friend she drives a 94 escort, and about once a month if she doesn't clean the corrosion off the battery it won't start. What causes this and is there a way to fix it.
The problem is she drives an escort. :D Seriously, though, I would check the voltage drop between the connection if is high, like .5 volts, replace the end of the cable. Also, how old is the battery?

[evilspacemonkey]

dude don't bash the scort, I used to own that car. The battery is probably a couple of years old. How do you go about checking the voltage drop, or can the good people at autozone do it?

[tenspeed]

There's a grease with zinc in it that is used to protect electrical connections. Use a wire brush to clean up both sides of the connection and coat the surfaces with the grease. It keeps air from getting to the metal which causes the corrosion.

In the old days, we used petroleum jelly on the posts.

[AeR0]

when i got my new battery i put on some oil on the terminals no problems..

:-D

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by AerosGA
when i got my new battery, i put on some oil on the terminals no problems.. YET

Fixed your post for you. :D :D

True, oil will prevent corrosion on metal under most circumstances.

But, oil is an excellent insulator against electricity!!
That is what is put inside electrical transformers to help cool them without shorting-out as a wtaer-based liquid would do.

So by putting oil on the lead terminal, then clamping on the connector, you've actually installed a layer of insulative material between the too metals.
The electricity is only flowing thru the two metals where the oil has been squeezed out, allowing contact.

'Tis better to use the products actually made to prevent corrosion and transfer electricity, than to use oil, IMO.

But back to ESM's original question:

Many batteries, tho 'sealed, maintenance-free' actually emit hydrogen gas and sulfuric acid vapor as they charge.
The acid is highly corrosive, especially if it condenses on metal terminals carrying electricity.
I suspect that the present battery is emitting more corrosive vapor than other brands or models of batteries.

There are also impregnated felt pads to place between/around the terminals, and removable rubber boots to enclose the terminals to prevent vapor/water from getting to the metal.

Make sure the battery SURFACE is clean.
Accumulated dirt and grit can actually casue current to flow across the battery, and this will cause corrosion the 23 hours of a day when the vehicle is otherwise 'off'.

Finally, 'corrosion' is actually an oxidation of the two metals, enhanced by the flow of current thru them.
Air has oxygen in the form of O2 molecules.
Water has oxygen in it (that's how fish breathe :D ), but in the form of individual oxygen atoms (they don't combine into pairs like O2 molecules in air).
So oxygen in water causes MUCH more rust (on iron) and corrosion (other metals) than air.
The Escort may be missing some underhood splash shield that would otherwise prevent large amounts of rainwater or road splash from getting on the battery.

Sorry for the windiness. I like to 'splain stuff :D

Good luck.
-Rick