Battery Terminal Corrosion Protection

Electrical and electronic topics for small boats
Oldslowandugly
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Battery Terminal Corrosion Protection

Postby Oldslowandugly » Thu May 13, 2021 6:12 pm

I have had great success [in preventing battery terminal corrosion] using LANOCOTE to coat battery terminals. The LANOCOTE is a corrosion inhibitor made from sheep lanolin. It neutralizes acid.

I also use rubber battery terminal covers to keep dirt from accumulating on the coated terminals. Keeping the battery terminals coated and covered also minimizes voltage leakage from battery acid deposits.

ASIDE: My marine batteries are flooded-cell vented batteries and have removable cell caps. Removable caps allow evaporation of the [electrolyte] in the battery which in turn carries out acid that gets deposited on the battery terminals. This causes much corrosion.

jimh
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Re: Battery Terminal Corrosion Protection

Postby jimh » Fri May 14, 2021 10:04 am

There are many products available to protect the terminals of lead-acid batteries from corrosion. I have not seen any test data that reports on the effectiveness at preventing corrosion at battery terminals on LANOCOTE as measured by testing against of a number of products.

The anecdotal report that a specialty marine anti-corrision inhibitor product LANOCOTE can be used on battery terminals in interesting, but I don't expect that there is any real data that supports it being superior to the many other products available.

For example, battery terminals can be protected against corrosion by using a product called TECHNICIAN GRADE CRC BATTERY TERMINAL PROTECTOR.

How effective TECHNICIAN GRADE CRC BATTERY TERMINAL PROTECTOR or LANOCOTE are in comparison to each other is unknown to me.

I have used TECHNICIAN GRADE CRC BATTERY TERMINAL PROTECTOR for many years. The terminals of my battery are not corroded.

Another product is BRP DPL (for DISPLACES, PROTECTS, LUBRICATES). I have used BRP DPL aerosol spray to prevent corrosion of metal and electrical components.

Another product is BOESHIELD T-9. I have used BOESHIELD T-9.

In a test of many corrosion prevention compounds for use in marine applications, BOESHIELD T-9 had the best rating. See:

https://www.practical-sailor.com/system ... al-systems

See:

https://boeshield.com/marine/

NOTE: marine batteries are generally placed in plastic battery boxes, which provide some splash protection against water intrusion. Water coming in contact with copper wire and steel battery connectors will cause corrosion.

jimh
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Re: Battery Terminal Corrosion Protection

Postby jimh » Fri May 14, 2021 10:07 am

Re evaporation of battery electrolyte

With a flooded-cell open vented lead-acid battery, the loss of electrolyte can be from overcharging the battery. Overcharging the battery creates a chemical reaction that releases gases.

Lead-acid batteries use sulfuric acid as their electrolyte. The evaporation rate of sulfuric acid is very low. The notion that evaporation is the source of sulfuric acid vapor seems unlikely. More likely is release of gas from the battery due to overcharging, particularly when the battery is being charged by an outboard engine with poor voltage regulation in the charging circuit.

Based on many prior remarks from author OLD SLOW AND UGLY about use of older OMC outboard engines in conjunction with his boat, I would expect that loss of battery electrolyte experienced as cited above was due to overcharging and not due to just evaporation of the electrolyte.

ASIDE: the batteries in my boat are sealed valve-regulated batteries, and the charging voltage applied is very well regulated to prevent over-charging and generation of out-gassing of the electrolyte.

jimh
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Re: Battery Terminal Corrosion Protection

Postby jimh » Fri May 14, 2021 10:19 am

LANOCOTE is a product of FORESPAR. FORESPAR is primarily known as a manufacturer of sailing hardware. One of the attractions of LANOCOTE for use on sailing hardware is the product is described as "natural" and "environmentally safe." These qualities are appropriate for use of LANOCOTE on sailboat hardware that will, by the inherent nature of sailing, be repeatedly splashed by seawater. That any LANOCOTE washed away by splashing with seawater into the sea will be "environmentally safe" is certainly an asset for the environmentally conscious sailor using it in "environmentally sensitive marine locations," as FORESPAR points out in their advertising.

WIth regard to use on a marine battery, my first observation is that a marine battery should not be located in an area where it is subject to being repeatedly being splashed with sea water.