Sep 09, 2020 Pageview:2862
Battery maintenance involves a lot of things. Corrosion is one of the most dangerous diseases to batteries. That is why we advise people using batteries to check them regularly. Corrosion is caused by spillage or leakage of acids from the batteries.
What is corrosion? Corrosion is a white, green, or bluish substance seen on battery terminals, battery posts, or battery cables. The white substance on terminals is either lead sulfate or anhydrous copper sulfate. Anhydrous copper sulfate turns bluish when exposed to moisture. Battery corrosion is a bad conductor of electricity because it increases resistance within the circuit.
What causes corrosion? Battery corrosion is caused by hydrogen gas released by the sulfuric acid inside the battery. Corrosion is catalyzed by moisture and salts. Battery terminal corrosion occurs in the negative terminal, which indicates undercharging. In contrast, the corrosion on the battery's positive terminal shows that the battery is being overcharged.
Corrosion can kill your battery in no time. When corrosion is visible on the battery's positive terminal, then that is a sign of overcharging. Corrosion drains power from your battery and makes the lifespan of your battery short. Corroded batteries can bring a lot of damage to your electronics.
Therefore, it is essential to know what causes corrosion and how you can clean out corrosive substances from your battery. This article is going to offer you all solutions to the battery corrosion problem.
There are various types of batteries that can leak the electrolyte. Therefore, depending on their location in an electronic device, they could potentially damage essential parts of the equipment. Batteries work due to the chemical reactions inside them. The reactions involve corrosive substances such as potassium hydroxide and sulfuric acid.
These chemicals can react with the casing of the battery, making it rust slowly. This creates holes through which the chemicals can leak. Once the chemicals start leaking, they can drip into the electronics. Other factors that can lead to leakage are; heat, age, low-quality batter, deep discharge, and attempts to recharge non-rechargeable battery cells.
Battery corrosion can lead to malfunction of the whole system. Thus, you need not let corrosion ruin your expensive electronics. For instance, if you are using a battery with corrosion in your car, it can fail to start. It can also lead to corrosion to the vehicle's air conditioning and electrical wiring,
Keeping your battery free from corrosion is a straightforward task. The process is straight forward, simple, and can be done by anyone. Here are the steps to follow:
Remove Battery Cables
Begin by disconnecting the cables from the battery. Make sure you disconnect the negative cable first, then the positive cable follows. This will help avoid being struck by electricity. The batteries have signs indicated on their far ends: (-) for negative terminal and (+) for the positive terminal.
Check the battery cables for damage.
Ensure that you assess each cable and ensure that they are not punctured or corroded. If the cables' insulation is showing some signs of damage, then replace them immediately. Damaged cables can lead to short-circuiting hence damaging your electronic device.
Eliminate the corrosion from the battery and battery terminals.
Once you have disconnected the cables, the remaining work is to clean the terminals and the battery. The corrosion is also neutralized with a chemical. There are various procedures that you can apply to clean the corrosion. These are:
?When the corrosion has affected the battery and the battery cables, use a battery cleaning agent. This is the best option that you can take. These cleaning agents not only clean the battery but also neutralizes the available acid in the corrosion. If the cleaning agent is not available, some household items can play this role, such as Coca-Cola. But if you opt for Coca-Cola, exercise some caution. The beverage contains synthetic sugars and phosphoric acid that can damage your equipment.
?You can also use the baking powder method. This method has been tried and proven to be efficient and effective. The substances that you require are a glass of water and one full teaspoon of baking soda. Mix baking powder with water and stir until all soda dissolves. Then using an old toothbrush or bristled brush, scrub the solution on the corroded surfaces.
Ensure that you cover the corroded areas and battery terminals with baking soda. You then pour some water to each terminal of the battery. You will observe that the two ingredients react with each other hence start bubbling. This neutralizes the acid available on the surfaces hence making it safe.
Dry And Polish Battery Posts And Battery Terminals
Once you have removed the corrosion, dry the battery, battery posts, and battery terminals with a microfiber cleaning cloth. Remove the residue that might have remained with a terminal brush. If you remove corrosion from your car, do not let the solution or corrosive elements fall on the engine. Also, do not let the cleaning agent come in contact with the car's paint because it can stain your car. If possible, you can dry the battery with an air compressor.
Take some corrosion preventive steps.
To prevent future damage due to corrosion, apply anti-corrosion pads (battery terminal protectors). These pads help to protect your battery posts. The pads should be coated in a battery-corrosion preventive compound.
You can as well apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly on the battery terminals. This helps in improving electrical conductivity between the battery terminals and cables. It can also protect the battery terminals from future corrosion.
Reconnect The Battery Terminals
When reconnecting the batteries, it is always advisable to start with the positive cable then move to the negative terminal.
Apply Battery Corrosion Preventive
Spray the battery with corrosion preventive spray. This provides a generous coating on the battery posts, battery terminals, and battery cables.
Removal of battery corrosion is a job of less than an hour. You can apply it yourself at home, and in no time, you are good to go. Therefore, do not avoid this process, thinking it will take much of your time.
It is your work to ensure that your battery is free from corrosion. The process of cleaning won't cost you anything. Do your part and have a healthy battery that can last for an extended period.
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