Noticed quite a bit of corrosion on the drivers side battery that needs cleaned off. Am I correct in assuming that it is OK to remove the cables from only one battery at a time to clean the terminals with water/baking soda? Also, I know the batteries are wired in parallel, but forgot to look and see how the wiring is physically run. If I remove the positive cable from the drivers side battery, does that take them both out of the circuit?

Thanks,
~Rob

 

Yes, you can pull the terminals off one battery at a time and still power those things which require Constant +12V.

 

Clean the terminals with a wire brush after the baking soda trick....then coat the terminals with a die-electric grease after they are reinstalled.....on top post terminals put some die-electric grease on the under side of the terminal before puttin it on

The die-electric grease helps to prevent corrosion by sealing the terminal area without breaking an electrical contact between the terminal and the post.....donot use normal grease this will kill an electric connection if it gets between the terminal and the post

 

Thanks for the tips gentlemen. Hadn't thought about the dielectric grease, will definitely apply some after cleaning. Should have done this a while ago, now that it has gotten cold (for Texas) it is not the time to be doing it.

~Rob

 

I also heard that caro syrup works great for keeping the corrosion down.

 

Don't use Karo syrup....if it gets between the connection it will kill the electric flow

This was found out about normal grease too (shade tree mechanic trick).....if the grease got hot it would flow between the connection and kill it

 

ive got this problem too. next time i clean them ill apply some dielectric grease.

what can cause this though?

ive been told by a few people its from a bad ground??

if so how would i trace it?


thanks
jeff

 

Best cure I've found is Optima batteries. Zero corrosion.

 

if could afford to get optimas now i definately would. ive got one in my jeep and has held up better than i could've ever expected with the winch.

 

Its a good idea to also pull the battery out and wash down the battery tray with baking soda to get rid of corrosion that forms on the tray or any acid that mite have started to eat away on the tray

 

Mine does the same thing. Just on the drivers side.

 

Electrical grounding problems can stem from poor installation of aftermarket accessories or uncorrected vehicle collision damages.
How to detect it? First, test your antifreeze with ph test paper. It should be neutral or somewhat alkaline. If the coolant has been effected by a stray current it will be acidic.
Another way to test is with a voltmeter to see if there is voltage between the coolant and your vehicle ground. You will need a meter that reads less than one volt. There should be no voltage.
Hard part is then running down the bad connection if you find you have a problem.

Before I started using Optimas the chemical impregnated felt washers that slip over the battery post and most auto parts sell for a buck worked pretty good for keeping corrosion down