[lushan]

I notice there are some bluish foam build up on the positive end of my battery. What are they? Is this dangerous?

I have so far been wiping them off with tissues.

Thanks.

 

[___]

Mmmm corrosion. I don't thing just wiping it off with a tissue will suffice. The corrosion is still there, possibly within the wire and all that, and if one is not careful, one might have to eventually get new cables and a new battery because the old ones became too corroded. I've heard of people cleaning the battery with sandpaper or steel wool and/or applying a series of baking soda and water. You can also finish by applying some dielectric grease on the battery terminals.

 

[_karu_]

take the battery out from the car....

get yourself a brush like this:

brush the terminals with it really good.

next, brush the cables terminals with the same brush. you may want to use newspaper to collect the scraped metals.

apply a think coating of dielectric grease on the battery terminals and put everything back together.

optionally, you can also use the protection pad as shown on the top right corner of this picture:

from my experience, it helps protect your battery terminal from corrosion...

 

[lushan]

Does everybody have this or am I lucky?

 

[Aviography]

Moved to Maintenance & Detailing.

 

[Gen7coupe]

yeah everyone gets it....i would also get this battery terminal spray that helps seals it against corrosion. something like this;
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ca...categoryDisplayName=Starting+and+Charging&parentId=cat30100&subPartId=prod61956

 

[Inspector1]

yeah everyone gets it....i would also get this battery terminal spray that helps seals it against corrosion. something like this;
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ca...categoryDisplayName=Starting+and+Charging&parentId=cat30100&subPartId=prod61956

I have NEVER had corrosion problem.. I guess keeping the engine compartment clean prevents this also.:yes:

I1

 

[lushan]

What is the scientific cause of this phenonemon? I rarely open my hood. Should I periodically wipe the terminal area to keep it clean? Will the recommended spray resolve this problem forever or do I have to reapply it?

Thanks.

 

[Type_X]

What is the scientific cause of this phenonemon? I rarely open my hood. Should I periodically wipe the terminal area to keep it clean? Will the recommended spray resolve this problem forever or do I have to reapply it?

Thanks.

i've previously had some serious corrosion on my old battery before i know what i was doing. it was like a mountain, lmfao. i'm embarrassed to post that picture

completely ditched the stock connection and got some new top mount battery tops and a new battery. i clean the connections every now and then but there are cleaning sprays and protection sprays to keep corrosion away.

see here the posts are both red (the preventative spray is red)


i get both sprays from batteries plus, hopefully you have one near you? or you can find other ones that will also do the job :thmsup:

 

[lushan]

Thanks. I will look them up.

 

[lushan]

LOL. I open my hood this morning and the blue forams are gone. Can this be true?

 

[strontium90]

About Blue Foam on battery terminals-Correct Answer

I have NEVER had corrosion problem.. I guess keeping the engine compartment clean prevents this also.:yes:

I1

i've previously had some serious corrosion on my old battery before i know what i was doing. it was like a mountain, lmfao. i'm embarrassed to post that picture

completely ditched the stock connection and got some new top mount battery tops and a new battery. i clean the connections every now and then but there are cleaning sprays and protection sprays to keep corrosion away.

see here the posts are both red (the preventative spray is red)


i get both sprays from batteries plus, hopefully you have one near you? or you can find other ones that will also do the job :thmsup:

take the battery out from the car....

get yourself a brush like this:

brush the terminals with it really good.

next, brush the cables terminals with the same brush. you may want to use newspaper to collect the scraped metals.

apply a think coating of dielectric grease on the battery terminals and put everything back together.

optionally, you can also use the protection pad as shown on the top right corner of this picture:

from my experience, it helps protect your battery terminal from corrosion...

Dielectric Grease is "NONCONDUCTIVE" so do not use it to put battery parts back together. If you use "dielectric grease you will actually reduce the flow of power in your system. Dielectric grease is for things like spark plug boots so they come off in the future and the spark does not escape along the insulator. The blue residue you have found is from your battery weeping sulfuric acid. This occurs as part of the hydrogen gas generated by the battery is vented. I've over simplified this. This has nothing to do with keeping your engine compartment clean or using sprays or cleaners. It is a chemical process you can clean up using a tablespoon of Baking soda in a glass of water. I use two spoonfuls in eight ounces of distilled water and soak the part which will cause some bubbling when you dip it in and the blue stuff goes away. You can brush this on too and then clean and dry well. You just might need another battery as well.

Blue foam on the battery

I notice there are some bluish foam build up on the positive end of my battery. What are they? Is this dangerous?

I have so far been wiping them off with tissues.

Thanks.

Dielectric Grease is "NONCONDUCTIVE" so do not use it to put battery parts back together. If you use "dielectric grease you will actually reduce the flow of power in your system. Dielectric grease is for things like spark plug boots so they come off in the future and the spark does not escape along the insulator. The blue residue you have found is from your battery weeping sulfuric acid. This occurs as part of the hydrogen gas generated by the battery is vented. I've over simplified this. This has nothing to do with keeping your engine compartment clean or using sprays or cleaners. It is a chemical process you can clean up using a tablespoon of Baking soda in a glass of water. I use two spoonfuls in eight ounces of distilled water and soak the part which will cause some bubbling when you dip it in and the blue stuff goes away. You can brush this on too and then clean and dry well. You just might need another battery as well.

 

[Accordriver]

The blue residue you have found is from your battery weeping sulfuric acid. This occurs as part of the hydrogen gas generated by the battery is vented. I've over simplified this.

Then why is it only on the cathode? :dunno:

And from your explanation, why wouldn't this be happening closer to the battery's hydrogen vents?

I think you're looking more at Galvanic Corrosion. In this case, specialized sprays DO help by shielding the terminals from ionic compounds.
http://www.pdhonline.org/courses/s118/s118.htm

I would get a terminal cleaner like this:

Then use a protectant such as the one shown earlier to stop the corrosion.

 

[searich07]

You may be observing, Copper sulfate (chemically stated as CuSO4, and Pentahydrate CuSO4 SH2O) Pentahydrate is a common salt and bright blue. Best solution preventative measure to brush off bluish salt, then apply a battery terminal solution which can help prevent a chemical reaction (corrosion) where copper reacts with hydrogen and moisture forming copper sulfate or pentahydrate, Regards

Richard

 

[Atomic Robot]

yeah everyone gets it....i would also get this battery terminal spray that helps seals it against corrosion. something like this;
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ca...categoryDisplayName=Starting+and+Charging&parentId=cat30100&subPartId=prod61956

+1 :thmsup: I used to get corrosion all the time, but not since I started using the terminal spray and the protection rings.

 

[EBONY 09]

There is a simpler fix then buying all that stuff, and honda even uses it from the factory. (came on my 09 coupe), Wheel Bearing Grease. All you need is to prevent air and moisture from coming in contact with the terminals and connections. Its also an old mechanic trick I was tought and was suprised to see it on my new car. It works perfect and only needs to be put on once. Just enough to coat it and then wipe away the excess, the film left behind is more then enough to keep them clean forever I would know I did it to my old jeep and never had a problem again.

 

[strontium90]

Corrosion on only the Cathode

This would be because the electron theory is misunderstood. Most consider the electron flow to be from the positive terminal to the negative one but that is not what happens. Electrons flow "from" the negative terminal "to" the positive one. Once again over simplifying things. Thanks go to my Professor John Snedeker at the Milwaukee School of Engineering for which I now still know things I've not used in 30 years. A widespread misconception is that cathode polarity is always negative. The correct information is in all electrochemical devices units of positive charge move toward the cathode. Now again this depends on the type of device and of course the difference between electricity and electron theory which states electrons flow in the opposite direction to the electric current flow.

 

[Wallisp]

Mmmm corrosion. I don't thing just wiping it off with a tissue will suffice. The corrosion is still there, possibly within the wire and all that, and if one is not careful, one might have to eventually get new cables and a new battery because the old ones became too corroded. I've heard of people cleaning the battery with sandpaper or steel wool and/or applying a series of baking soda and water. You can also finish by applying some dielectric grease on the battery terminals.

Yes, yes......dielectric Grease is great for all connectors. Keeps off dirt, moisture.

 

[jackpine]

In my, admittedly anecdotal opinion, this buildup of sulfuric acid salts is the result of electrolyte leakage around the terminal. I start to notice it on older batteries that are nearing the end of their service life. I am "guessing" that the leakage is caused by pressure buildup inside the battery as the electrolyte "bubbles", when the battery is experiencing a recharge. I generally start thinking about replacing any battery when I see this, or a drop in the electrolyte level in any of the cells.

And yup, electron flow is from negative to positive - I learned that in college physics too. Electrons ARE negatively charged, aren't they? Makes sense they'd flow to the positive side. (Not that anyone cares.)

- Jack

 

[Miker]

In my, admittedly anecdotal opinion, this buildup of sulfuric acid salts is the result of electrolyte leakage around the terminal. I start to notice it on older batteries that are nearing the end of their service life. I am "guessing" that the leakage is caused by pressure buildup inside the battery as the electrolyte "bubbles", when the battery is experiencing a recharge. I generally start thinking about replacing any battery when I see this, or a drop in the electrolyte level in any of the cells.

And yup, electron flow is from negative to positive - I learned that in college physics too. Electrons ARE negatively charged, aren't they? Makes sense they'd flow to the positive side. (Not that anyone cares.)

- Jack

How I rmember it.....
(P)rotons (P)ositive charge
(N)eutrons (N)o charge or Neutral
Electrons are whatever is left (lol) has to be Negative charge.

P.S. I care, that's my career in a nutshell