White powder stuff on battery
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
White powder stuff on battery
Please help.
The old lady's car gets this stuff on the battery posts and she gets stuck all the time. Last night I drve her car and got stuck. I clean it with coke and wash it. What causes this? How can I fix it for good? Backing soda doesn't take it off.
The old lady's car gets this stuff on the battery posts and she gets stuck all the time. Last night I drve her car and got stuck. I clean it with coke and wash it. What causes this? How can I fix it for good? Backing soda doesn't take it off.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
White powder stuff on battery
Baking soda and water will take it off along with a small wire brush. You can buy an anti-corosive gel for the battery terminals. Any auto supply store like Autozone, pepBoys, etc will carry the stuff. Mine comes in a small tube.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, MN
White powder stuff on battery
Your best bet is to take the connections apart and clean them. Make sure the contact points between the terminals and the cables are clean, bright metal. Use any method that works: Wire brush, baking soda and water, baking soda and coke, sandpaper, sandblaster (just kidding), pocket knife, etc. You need a good metal to metal connection. If you're only cleaning what you can see and not getting to the connection, you'll still have problems.
After the connections are clean, reassemble them dry. Don't put anything on the connection until the cable is on and tight, other than those anti-corrosion felt washers. If there is any foreign material (grease, etc.) on the post or cable where the connection is, that grease will dry up over time and act as an insulator. The terminal will look clean but it won't work very good.
After the connections are clean, reassemble them dry. Don't put anything on the connection until the cable is on and tight, other than those anti-corrosion felt washers. If there is any foreign material (grease, etc.) on the post or cable where the connection is, that grease will dry up over time and act as an insulator. The terminal will look clean but it won't work very good.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 52
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
White powder stuff on battery
It could be that the battery is just sulfating so badly that it needs to be replaced or the charging system is overcharging. I never use the felt pads, I believe they create more problems than cure them. Most people put those things on and fail to get the terminals on far enough down on the posts and overtorque the battery terminal bolts till they break or crack. A thoroughly cleaned, fully seated terminal with some good terminal coat will work wonders, but you have to get to the source of the problem with the sulfation as well.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,673
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Area
White powder stuff on battery
Boy, Homer, I sure enjoy reading your stuff!
I certainly agree with your comments on cleaning and properly tightening the terminals, but the felt washers seem to easily compress and don't interfere, in my experience. Out of curiousity, what problems have you seen? I usually put them on my vehicles as extra insurance. Maybe I'm wasting the time and money?
I certainly agree with your comments on cleaning and properly tightening the terminals, but the felt washers seem to easily compress and don't interfere, in my experience. Out of curiousity, what problems have you seen? I usually put them on my vehicles as extra insurance. Maybe I'm wasting the time and money?
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: York, PA
White powder stuff on battery
This is my repair for your situation, take off the cables and clean, baking soda and water and brush, dry off components, for top post battery, wire brush the battery post and the top of the battery around the post, the white product is the acid drying, where did it come from you ask? well I will tell you, it comes from the battery post itself where the case of the battery meets the post, they have tried many different ways to stop the acid fumes from leaking through the case to post area, after I clean the top post and area at the battery, I take masking tape and tape up the post, then I spray undercoating around the post to battery sealing that area, (then remove tape), it stays flexible and eliminates the white acid formation, also upon reinstalling the cable to the post, wipe the inside of the clamp and the outside of the post with dielectric grease or vaseline, keeps out the moisture, prolongs connection without having to take them apart. Just what I do in my shop. works on side posts as well.
broken wire
broken wire
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 52
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
White powder stuff on battery
MRBSS, Well the problem of not seating down the terminals is the most common problem I see with them. Some terminals are too loose unless they go all the way down on the post by thier design, especially those band metal type. Secondly they seem to be a trap for sulfating acid and just give the terminals a "bed" of corrosive to allow the lower ends of the terminals to corrode away out of site. Of course regular maintenance will prevent a lot these problems, but unfortunately most of the vehicles I get in are not maintained until they are broken down. I just dont think we do any favors putting pretty felt pads down on a battery that just hides the corrosive sulfation until it is too late or promotes improperly installed terminals. Any time I get a vehicle in that has starting problems or battery problems and I see those pads, I remove them and toss them in the trash. Just my way of ensuring we are giving the battery full service, the vehicle cables complete contact, reduce terminal damage and to reduce repeat repairs.
Last edited by HomerWinzlow; Sep 22, 2003 at 12:30 PM.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
White powder stuff on battery
I have used the felt washers as well as dielectric grease or just plain white lithium spray grease for 30 years with absolutely zero connection problems. I have run from 2 to 6 vehiciles in my "fleet" this entire time also. I keep vehicles for 10+ years. I have run without the washers with grease and without the grease with washers and neither seemed to work as well as both.
The idea about sealing the terminal with spray undercoating seems to be a good one to me .
If I remember my chemistry the white powder is lead sulfate that comes from sulphuric acid migrating along the battery post to case seal.
I have been using the band type terminals on the vehicles I have acquired for 5 years now. I went to those because I was unable to find the exact replacement cables I needed. I crimp and solder the terminals on my cables. You can't get a good connection on the ordinary lead "clamp type" terminals and a plain crimp does not make a permanent connection either.
The idea about sealing the terminal with spray undercoating seems to be a good one to me .
If I remember my chemistry the white powder is lead sulfate that comes from sulphuric acid migrating along the battery post to case seal.
I have been using the band type terminals on the vehicles I have acquired for 5 years now. I went to those because I was unable to find the exact replacement cables I needed. I crimp and solder the terminals on my cables. You can't get a good connection on the ordinary lead "clamp type" terminals and a plain crimp does not make a permanent connection either.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 0
From: peoria, az
White powder stuff on battery
Originally posted by Torque1st
I have used the felt washers as well as dielectric grease or just plain white lithium spray grease for 30 years with absolutely zero connection problems.
The idea about sealing the terminal with spray undercoating seems to be a good one to me .
I have used the felt washers as well as dielectric grease or just plain white lithium spray grease for 30 years with absolutely zero connection problems.
The idea about sealing the terminal with spray undercoating seems to be a good one to me .
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 1
From: Dededo, Guam
Originally posted by RLFulton
This might sound strange but it works take two or three pennys and superglue them between the Pos & Neg posts.
Fulton
This might sound strange but it works take two or three pennys and superglue them between the Pos & Neg posts.
Fulton
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
From: The best is the U.S.
They are called sacrificial anodes, and the Navy still uses them in some applications. I have read studies however that stated this practice results in very little extended life. Oh yeah, zinc is not the only element that can serve as a sacrificial anode. 
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
thegreatgate
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
0
May 8, 2016 12:59 PM
AtlM5
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
12
Dec 13, 2015 07:57 PM
tucsongeorge
1997 - 2006 Expedition & Navigator
26
Apr 26, 2011 02:41 PM
