By
Bull6791, June 2, 2014
Has anyone ever used battery terminal protectant spray. If so did it work and did you like it.
My battery is 8 months old and it is just starting to get some white/blue fluffy stuff on the posts. I wanted to know how to get rid of it and keep it from coming back.
Some one told me you get that stuff because the battery is leaking and the battery needs to be replaced or it will keep coming back. Is this true.
Frank
I just use a small amount of grease on mine and it does the trick. Just a very small amount. My battery is also about eight months old.
Not much you can do about the fluffy stuff that will form around the terminals. That is a sign of electrolyte leaching out of the battery (cracks or bad seal between the terminal lug and the top of the battery) or discharged from the vents at the top of the battery. Even maintenance-free batteries will do this, regardless of chemistry used. Small amount of deposits are pretty normal - just wash them off, treat the terminal and lugs, and keep and eye on it. Excessive deposits could indicate a problem with the charging system - from poor or loose connections (pretty common) to the alternator overcharging the battery (also pretty common, causes the battery to out gas) to a bad cell in the battery.
Grease, dielectric, vaseline or spray - all works in these cases. Dealerships generally favors the sprays, as they can quickly hit the terminals without removing them. Works well, as long as there are not a lot of heavy deposits on the battery already, as it can't penetrate down to the terminals to effectively clean them.
If the deposits are heavy, might have to remove battery and clean it with a baking soda / water mix - careful not to short across the battery terminals as you do so. Once clean, dry the battery completely and address the terminals. If they have deposits on it - hit them with the same baking soda / water mix - might need a small wire brush or old toothbrush - clean it well. If you leave any of the deposits on it, it will just come right back. Again, dry them completely and then give the battery posts and the terminals a good coating of grease, petroleum jelly, dielectric, spray, etc. - reassembly, make sure the connections are tight and you should be OK. Just keep checking on them, as eventually, the deposits will come back.
Since modern cars have much larger electrical demands on the system and tend to use more standby electricity - seeing deposits form at some point is almost unavoidable. Best thing you can do at this point is to address it and monitor the deposits. Eventually, it will come to the point where the battery will have to be replaced.
Fish
I will disconnect the terminal. Clean fluffy stuff. Then spray terminal spray and then reconnect terminals.
What about white lithium grease. Is that ok to use.
When applying dielectric grease should you put it on terminals and posts or leave terminals on and apply it.
Frank
Frank
Fish
Should I use the battery cleaner spray before I use the battery protectant spray on my battery posts and terminals.
Frank.
Lithium grease should be fine. You want to remove the terminal to make sure that both the battery post and the terminal get a good coating of grease.
Battery cleaner spray should be used first, as it cleans and neutralizes any acid. After that gets cleaned off - then hit it with the protectant spray.
Not sure where you are going on this - but don't try to spray and smear grease on it. Not that it will be wrong, just really messy. The spray may wash off the grease or worse, break it down - you might end up with a battery with corroded terminals and covered with goo. Just stick with the grease or spray. Spray cleaners/protectant are much faster and easier to apply - but cleaning it with baking soda/water and then hitting it with grease, IMO, lasts a lot longer. Depends on how much of a project you want to turn this into.
Fish
What about dielectric grease. Can I use that. I heard no because it does not dry
Frank.
Sure, dielectric grease will work as well. Dielectric greases are generally silicone based - so as long as they aren't exposed to certain solvents or high enough temperatures that it degrades the silicone base - they will last a long time. All greases will break down eventually, silicone based ones.
Use whatever you have - as long as they displace moisture and won't drip off the terminals/posts - you're good to go.
