Conductive Paste For Battery Terminals
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From: houston
Conductive Paste For Battery Terminals
Does anybody know of a CONDUCTIVE paste/grease to coat the inside surfaces of the battery terminal connections that is both conductive and a corrosion inhibitor. I have read about stuff for aluminium connections but I have heard this is not really conductive. Is there anything out there that you recommend? Thanks.
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From: Virginia
You do not want anything conductive. That is part of the reason why the battery top should be kept clean. A light film of acid will conduct a small current from post to post, causing the battery to lose charge slowly.
What you want to do is keep the oxygen away from the connection. Most metals will combine with oxygen, and turn to an oxide that does not conduct very well. The stuff you are talking about that electricians put on connections, is to seal the connection and try to keep the metal from oxidizing.
The best thing to do is take the cables off, and clean them very well. Then coat them to keep them from oxidizing.
I have tried grease. That didn't work. I have tried the little felt washer you buy in the store. That didn't work. What has worked for me for the past 10 years is motor oil. Everytime I change the oil, the couple of drips that are left in the can, I let drip on the battery post connections. Just about 2 drips on each one is all it takes. I have not had any corrosion problems since I started doing this. If you get someone else to change your oil, just get an oil can and fill it with motor oil, and put a couple of drips on there yourself every 3000 miles.
What you want to do is keep the oxygen away from the connection. Most metals will combine with oxygen, and turn to an oxide that does not conduct very well. The stuff you are talking about that electricians put on connections, is to seal the connection and try to keep the metal from oxidizing.
The best thing to do is take the cables off, and clean them very well. Then coat them to keep them from oxidizing.
I have tried grease. That didn't work. I have tried the little felt washer you buy in the store. That didn't work. What has worked for me for the past 10 years is motor oil. Everytime I change the oil, the couple of drips that are left in the can, I let drip on the battery post connections. Just about 2 drips on each one is all it takes. I have not had any corrosion problems since I started doing this. If you get someone else to change your oil, just get an oil can and fill it with motor oil, and put a couple of drips on there yourself every 3000 miles.
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From: houston
I may not have explained myself clearly in my original post. I am looking for a product that you would coat the battery post and the inside surface of the cable clamp that would prevent corrosion of those mating surfaces. I would also like it to be conductive so that it could fill in any tiny gaps or voids between those mating surfaces so that there would be vertualy 100% contact. I hope this clears up any confusion. Thanks.
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From: Virginia
Originally Posted by holland501
I may not have explained myself clearly in my original post. I am looking for a product that you would coat the battery post and the inside surface of the cable clamp that would prevent corrosion of those mating surfaces. I would also like it to be conductive so that it could fill in any tiny gaps or voids between those mating surfaces so that there would be vertualy 100% contact. I hope this clears up any confusion. Thanks.
Last edited by Franklin2; Aug 6, 2005 at 01:37 PM.
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Originally Posted by GeneStoner
Why not dialectric grease?
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From: Central Virginia
NO-OX-ID is a product that may suit your needs. It is a conductive paste that also seals out oxygen to prevent corrosion and oxidation. It is an ubiquitous product in telephone and industrial battery systems. Check out the following ULR:
http://www.sanchem.com/aSpecialE.html
http://www.sanchem.com/aSpecialE.html
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From: Virginia
I am a little confused with their sales pitch. All they way down through they say "conductive grease", but when they explain how it works, they say it's a "corrosion inhibitor" like all the rest of the products you can buy.
Then down in the sales pitch they say:
Falicy of adding metals to increase Conductivity:
Many contact greases have copper, zinc or other metals blended into a grease to increase conductivity. In a study for an aerospace company in 1985 it was concluded that putting a metal into grease does not help conductivity. In many cases it reduces conductivity. The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation in their Facilities instruction Journal Volume 3-3 Electrical Connections for power circuits states in Sec. 6.3.2 that “Use of grease with embedded zinc particles will cause a poorer connection due to the lower conductivity of zinc".
I personally do not know of any substance other than metal that will have a low enough resistance to conduct electricity.
"Conductive grease" sounds like a play on words to me, even though this stuff probably works well as a corrosion inhibitor, like all the rest of the products you can buy.
Then down in the sales pitch they say:
Falicy of adding metals to increase Conductivity:
Many contact greases have copper, zinc or other metals blended into a grease to increase conductivity. In a study for an aerospace company in 1985 it was concluded that putting a metal into grease does not help conductivity. In many cases it reduces conductivity. The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation in their Facilities instruction Journal Volume 3-3 Electrical Connections for power circuits states in Sec. 6.3.2 that “Use of grease with embedded zinc particles will cause a poorer connection due to the lower conductivity of zinc".
I personally do not know of any substance other than metal that will have a low enough resistance to conduct electricity.
"Conductive grease" sounds like a play on words to me, even though this stuff probably works well as a corrosion inhibitor, like all the rest of the products you can buy.
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