[RE-wrenches] Strings and series of batteries

[R Ray Walters]

Vaseline is great,  but I wouldn't put it on all "exposed metal surfaces', though.
The battery parts themselves (the lead) never have a problem, so just the copper and the bolting hardware need the treatment.

R. Walters
ray at solarray.com
Solar Engineer




On Dec 1, 2009, at 4:00 PM, Richard L Ratico wrote:

> Perhaps off topic, it's been said here previously by others, but is worth
> repeating, good old Vaseline, coating all exposed metal surfaces at battery
> terminals, totally eliminates the corrosion issue. It's benign, inexpensive and
> available everywhere.
> 
> Dick
> Solarwind Electric
> 
> 
> 
> --- You wrote:
> Yes, especially with flooded batteries where the posts are much more subject to
> corrosion. I am getting too old and decrepit to get out in the field much
> anymore, but in the past I have seen complete strings basically isolated by bad
> cross connections, usually (but not always) due to corrosion at the terminals.
> In extreme instances I have seen cross connect cables totally gone at the
> cable/lug connection point - nothing but green powder. 
> 
> With multiple batteries and banks, correct cabling and connections become much
> more important, because they may not show up until too late. With a single
> series string it is usually obvious if something goes bad, but with multiples
> not so much. Sometimes you have no choice but to use large strings, but I have
> seen installations where 60+ 42 amp-hour batteries were strung together, because
> they were "cheap".
> --- end of quote ---
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