Should I coat battery terminals?

 I generally use Gel cell VRLA batteries for my solar and hydro powered
applications (radio repeater sites). Sometimes it may be 2 years
between site visits if nothing goes wrong.
What is the general thoughts on coating battery terminals. There are a
lot of products out there (sprays and jelly).
What about plain old Vaseline?
I appreciate your input.
Alan

 

Have you had corrosion problems?

Are the terminals of the type that bolt directly together?

Or are there cables or other connectors to connect batteries together?

George

 

If you know the answer, why don't you just tell him?   We are all dying to
know.

 
These batteries (C&D BBG-180RT AND DCS100L) have "L" tab posts with
1/4" holes. We have standard jumpers that bolt to the battery with
1/4" stainless steel hardware.
We have little corrosion problems on single battery installations but
I am doing some 12-battery strings and am more concerned with
corrosion.
Thanks, Alan.


On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 18:15:48 +1100, George Ghio

 

If the two upright legs bolt together L brackets with the top edge
beveled should be bolted together and then a good fillit of solder
across the top of the two legs

If the L brackets are not of the type that bolt together, coating is
reccomended. Also tinned copper bar is better than cable for inter
connects.

The coating can be done in a number of products. Petrolium jelly is the
messyest but works. Then there are proprietary coatings that can be
sprayed or brushed on. The best I have seen was a plastic that was
warmed in its tin then brushed on. It dried to a soft plastic finish  
and gould be cut and pealed off for maint.

Best tip is to just not charge the batteries hard enough to create the
fine acid spray from the caps.

George