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Oxidation of battery terminals: reasons how to clean and protect. How to quickly clean the battery terminals how to clean the battery from oxidation

12.06.2021

White raid on the terminals of the battery only looks interesting, in fact, it delivers a lot of problems and car enthusiasts and experienced. Why the battery terminals are oxidized, each driver must know, at least in order to react to repent: correctly clean or replace "tired" acb.

Battery terminal oxidation - reasons for all

If you think that professional drivers never oxidize the contacts of the battery, then you are deeply mistaken. Why the plus and minus battery terminal is oxidized, not only a chemist, but also a car service specialist. The main reasons for the appearance of a white plaque on the contacts of the battery are:

Why the battery terminals are oxidized - how to determine the problem?

Why the terminals are oxidized, we have already found out. To determine that the problem is precisely in the oxidation of contacts by the following features:

How to clean the battery terminals - a task for schoolchildren

From the school course of chemistry: an acid environment is an alkaline medium. It means that any oxidation can be eliminated using conventional soda table, or rather alkaline soda-based solution. How to clean the battery terminals when forming a thick oxide laid, "swinging" protective rubber contact casing? In this case, the gum, covering contact, save is unlikely to succeed, because it has already lost elasticity. It is better to remove it with a knife, that is, just cut.

Cleaning the terminals is better to produce after removing the battery, immersing them into a solution of water and soda. How to clean the battery terminals, if even soda does not help? Here is useful or a sharp knife or sandpaper. "Writing" a knife is needed carefully, so as not to hurt the insulating sheath of the wire. Do not forget to remove the oxidation traces from the windscarette.

Before cleaning the battery terminals, put on rubberized gloves that will remove your hands from contact with aggressive media.

The removed battery can be cleaned by placing a rubber rug under it or placing in a suitable tray, which will save the floor of your garage from pollution. After cleaning, make an inspection of the battery, check the level and high-quality component of the electrolyte, in place, clamp the terminals and treat them with special lubricant or autogyr. Now you know why the battery terminals are oxidized, and how to clean them correctly.

june 25, 2017

Every year new models of batteries (AKB) with improved technical characteristics appear on the market. They have a high reserve capacity, work perfectly at low temperatures, are not afraid of deep discharges, easily give big currents and perfectly take a charge. But one remains unchanged - protruding the terminals of batteries are quite vulnerable and require special attention. Our material will tell how to get rid of the oxidation of contacts and battery terminals and ensure its impeccable work.

Why the battery terminals are oxidized
With the problem of the oxidized battery terminals, every vehicle is faced. It becomes particularly relevant in the off-season when high humidity and frequent temperature change can significantly speed up this unwanted process.

In most cases, the oxidation of the battery terminals is due to the elevation of the electrolyte vapors, the electrolyte leaks on the contacts or malfunctions of the electrical equipment of the car.

ON A NOTE

It should be remembered that even a new battery can evaporate a little acid.

However, having noticed on the surface of the battery of the battery white bloom, first of all it is necessary to deal with the causes of its occurrence. After that, you need to take all necessary measures to eliminate it and prevent re-appearance.

Possible effects of the oxidation of contacts and battery terminals
Many car owners do not consider the appearance of a white fly on the terminals of the battery with a serious problem, but it can deliver a lot of trouble. Often drivers, facing the problem of engine launch, do not even suspect that it may be in the oxidized terminals. After all, the terminals covered with a milestone significantly reduce the efficiency of the battery. And in cases where oxidative processes are so intensively, that the white flare almost completely covers the terminals, the battery may not cope with its task - and you will not even make your car.

To avoid unexpected surprises, it is necessary to regularly examine the battery, follow its condition, to make prevention and, of course, take measures at the very first signs of failures in its work.

How to see and eliminate the problem of oxidation of contacts and terminals
It is possible to determine what the problem is precisely in the oxidation of contacts, it is possible according to the following features:

  • You include ignition, but the starter "grabs" is not the first time or too hard turns the crankshaft, as if the battery is greatly discharged. The reason may be in the oxidation of the terminals, especially if your acb is quite new or you have recently poured the electrolyte and charged the battery.
  • The light of headlights and overall lights has become much more dim. Look for the cause not only in a weak charge - perhaps this is a signal that contacts were oxidized on the battery.

In any case, in this situation it is necessary to take timely measures to prevent serious problems with the electrical equipment of the car. And there are only two ways to solve this problem:

Replacement of Account

This is the easiest and fastest solution to solve the problem, but it is not always necessary to go to extreme measures. Of course, there are situations where the replacement of the battery is the only correct solution (for example, when the electrode fastening). However, in some cases, radical measures can be avoided.

Removal of white plaque with terminals and their insulation

In this case, special compositions protect them from corrosion and oxidation on the battery terminals are applied, which increases efficiency and extends the service life of the AKB. This method will allow not only to eliminate the problem of oxidized contacts, but also for a long time to prevent its re-occurrence. For isolate the contacts of the battery with the help of modern products is not at all difficult, and we will tell how to do it right.

Clean the contacts and terminals of the battery
To clear the battery terminals as quickly as possible, efficiently and safely, it is necessary to comply with the correct sequence of actions:

  • As with any work with the electrical equipment of the car, it is mandatory to drag the engine.
  • With the help of a suitable key to loosen the negative terminal and remove it from the battery. Only after that we liberate and remove the "plus".
  • Carefully examine the battery to detect possible defects in a timely manner. If you have serious damage, the battery must be replaced.
  • We check the battery terminals and leading wires to them for physical wear.
  • Before starting the fight against a flaw, put on rubber gloves that protect your hands from the effects of aggressive substances.
  • If you have found a thick layer of white plaque on the terminals, its main part must be removed by mechanical way. This can be done with shallow emery paper or a special metal brush. In the extreme case, you can use a knife or other sharp object. The most carefully need to clean the place of contact of the electrode and the terminals, paying particular attention to the inner surface of the latter. It is necessary to act at the same time, so as not to damage the protective sheath of the wire.
  • Then (or immediately - if a slight is a bit), dissolve the tablespoon of soda in a glass of water. Apply the agent to the old toothbrush, then read the terminals well to remove the oxidation products.
  • Rinse the cleaned places with distilled or conventional cold water, then wipe the terminals of dry.

ATTENTION!

It is strictly not recommended to clean the contacts with gasoline. Such tips can often be found on the Internet or hear from familiar motorists. However, this is not at all safe, since gasoline can easily damage rubber or plastic parts. In addition, when working with this flammable material it is necessary to observe extreme caution. Yes, and from strong smell in this case, it turns out to get rid no soon.

  • Paragraphs 6-8 can be skipped if you use modern compositions specially intended for cleaning electrical contacts that are easily and quickly removed dirt and oxidation products. To do this, it is enough just to spray the product on the surface you want to clean. If necessary, you need to repeat the spraying until the desired result is reached. You can feed the voltage after applying such a cleaner after 15 minutes.
  • Purified terminals are put on the reverse order - first connect "a plus" To the appropriate output of the battery and well tighten the terminal with a nut, then we are then done the same operation with minusa terminal.

How to prevent the oxidation of the battery terminals
As in many other cases, it is better to immediately take the necessary measures and prevent oxidation, and not to deal with the already appeared by the raid. This will significantly increase the battery life and will help prevent the occurrence of a number of serious problems in your car.

Protect the battery terminals using various methods with more or less high efficiency. We will tell about some of them, and what to choose - to solve you.

Folk ways

After talking with motorists, first-year-old-year-old, you will hear a lot of tips on how to protect the battery terminals with the help of Dedov's methods of varying degrees of creativity. Consider the safest of them.

Motor oil and felt or felt
One of the oldest methods tested by several generations (though, then there has not yet been effective protective compositions). It is extremely simple: from the material it is necessary to cut the ring of suitable size and impregnate it with engine oil. The resulting gasket is put on the output of the battery, and the terminal is fixed on top. The principle of operation lies in the fact that the wool felt gasket prevents the evaporation of the electrolyte and enter it on the battery terminals.

Various types of lubricants
Technical vaseline, solidol, lithol and other suitable compounds available in the arsenal of the motorist are applied to peeled and firmly tightened terminals with a thin layer. However, each of these products has its drawbacks. Thus, the solidol can roll into lumps in the river, Vaseline has bad conductivity and when hit between the contact and the terminal, it can significantly reduce the efficiency of the battery, and the lithol can be cleaned with the usual auto-mup.

UnfortunatelyThe considered defense methods cannot be called highly efficient, so specialists Recommend to use modern meansSpecially designed to protect the battery terminals.

Modern effective means

Today, any auto shop can easily find products specifically designed precisely to protect the battery terminals. Typically, manufacturers color such compositions in bright colors so that it can be easily distinguished by the processed surface from raw. The use of these efficient products will prevent terminal oxidation, which will ensure reliable contact and thereby increase the conductivity of the electric current. All of the above will reduce the battery self discharge and will help significantly increase its service life.

One of the most effective means intended to protect the battery terminals is the lubricant for the battery terminals of the famous Dutch brand Presto. This is a blue wax that reliably protects electrocontacts and poles of batteries from oxidation and corrosion, will prevent the electric current leakage and voltage loss. Another indisputable advantage of the product is that it is well compatible with plastic - now you can be absolutely calm for all plastic elements under the hood of your car!

Presto battery lubrication:

  • Reliably protects the terminals of the AKB from corrosion and oxidation
  • Provides quick start and optimal car lighting
  • Prevents acid damage
  • Reduces resistance
  • Reduces the risk of current leakage
  • Configuously isolates contacts
  • Prolongs battery life
  • Has aiming jet

Presto battery lubrication is very easy to use - after all, the tool can be sprayed in any position. Shake the cylinder well and apply a thin layer of a protective spray to a dry and clean surface (if necessary, you can use the Presto universal cleaner and the Presto electrical contact cleaner). You can easily control the process of applying the product, because the composition has a bright blue color. This allows you to create a uniform coating and not to leave a single untreated area. Now you can be sure that the terminals of your battery are securely protected!

So, if you want your battery to serve for a long time, and its efficiency was maximum, the battery needs reliable protection. We told you about how to do it right, and now you can deal with the problem independently without resorting to expensive service of the car service. And the right tool will help make it easy and quickly!

There are cases when the battery terminals are covered with a white or greenish flare. These are oxidation of metals, it is also called electrochemical corrosion. At first, it does not appear in any way, except for aesthetic species, but in the end such corrosion can negatively affect the contact between the connection terminal and the battery pole.
I will show a very simple way how to remove such a plaque in two accounts and contain the entire surface of the battery clean.

Clean the automotive battery terminals from oxidation quickly

Weaken the key bolts and remove both terminals.

As you can see a nail quite a lot.

Pour the battery poles with plentifully ordinary food soda.

Sing the splashed places with a small number of ordinary water.

Let me stand a little to pass the reaction. If necessary, then we will share soda.

Again, shed all the water, until the reaction is completely removed.

As you can see, the terminals and the poles are simply and quickly cleaned even without mechanical exposure.

We wipe the terminals, poles and the entire top of the battery dry with dry rag.

We clean the terminals and the poles in any convenient way to remove the possible residues of the oxide and the smooth surface.

We process protective sprays. You can buy it in automotive stores. This will prevent the further appearance of the oxide for a long period.

We dress the terminals, tighten the bolts.

Battery connection node is working and ready for further operation.
This method was based on the wake of soda directly on the problem connection, but there is still a similar method when the soda is dissolved in water and shed oxides with this solution.
If the oxide is very much like in this case, in my opinion it is better to use waking wreck, as it can create a large concentration of soda on the surface, thereby increasing the reaction rate. If the plaque is a bit, then the solution will be a better choice, since they can easily shed the entire surface of the battery to remove not only oxides, but also the residues of the spurni electrolyte.

Unfortunately, sometimes motorists face difficulties when running the motor. Not always "Problem" is related to the engine faults. It is much more often this is due to the oxidation of the battery terminals. Their cleaning can be made independently and at the same time quite quickly.

The first thing to be done if the engine is headed, - to drown out. Thus, you eliminate the likelihood of random wiring. Then it is necessary to understand how the Battery conclusions are located:

  • They can be on the Bocam Akb. In this case, you will need the key to remove the key to 8.
  • Terminals can be located at the top of the battery, then the key is needed by 13 or 10.

The next step is to weaken the nut on the negative and positive terminals of the wiring. After that, you need to remove the terminals from the conclusions of the battery. It is advisable to check the battery for the leakage of the electrolyte and the presence of cracks. When defects are detected, it should be completely replaced with AKB. Similarly, you need to go with the wires and the terminals themselves. In the course of operation, they can wear out.

Then we take a special spray or composition cleaner for the battery terminals, it can be purchased virtually any auto-store in Moscow. It is advisable to choose products that have a special acid indicator. They are the most convenient to use. We inform this substance on the terminals and, if necessary, carefully clean with the use of undergraduate items, such as a toothbrush or shallow beam. It remains only to wash off the residues of the solution or spray with clean water, and then wipe the processed area dry. For reliability, experts are recommended to lubricate all open metal parts of the terminals with a technical vaseline or protective composition. After that, connect the terminals to the conclusions of the battery.

In most cases, the oxidation on the terminals of the battery is a kind of "bell" that very soon the owner of the car will have to post a certain amount of money to buy a new battery. If the required amount is not yet available, at first you can do with simple oxidation removal.

Deleting oxidation on terminals

In order to remove the white oxidation flyer, you can use an ordinary metal brush (with a metal, stainless pile) or sandpaper. It should be remembered that the lead from which the battery terminal consists is quite fragile material, so it is necessary to clean the contacts carefully to damage them.

Some motorists purify problem terminals with a cloth moistened in gasoline. This method is very effective, but requires marginal caution when working with flammable liquid.

So that oxidation is not formed again

Even on very carefully cleaned terminals of the battery, the white oxidation raid can be formed again, so we must try not to provide him with such an opportunity. Based on the fact that the main reason for the formation of plaque is the effect of electrolyte on the lead base of contacts (the battery breakdown is facilitated), it is necessary to isolate contacts.

It is possible to effectively protect the contacts of the battery from the harmful effects of the electrolyte using the old, "grandfather" method. To do this, cut two washers with a diameter of about 25-30 mm from ordinary felt and impregnate them in machine oil. Then you need to wear one puck on the battery terminal and install the car on-board network terminal. The second puck should be fixed on top of the onboard contact of the car.

A solidol or technical vaseline can be used as an isolation of the AKB terminal. If finance allows you to purchase a special spray for these goals to protect batteries or a popular tool called "Lubricant-protection of a corrosion battery terminal". In the people, the word "Electrobr" is used to name this fund.

Other reasons for plating on terminals

The battery breakdown is not the only cause of the problem that has arisen, albeit the most common. White plaque can be formed and in effect of a vehicle working capacity, which may appear due to insufficiently reliable contact with the batteries of the AKB.

Also, oxidation can be formed due to clogging of the ventilation openings of the battery or overwhelmed battery mounting.