[RE-wrenches] Strings and series of batteries

[Mendocino Solar Service]

Everybody has their favorite goo. Ours is Burndy Penetrox, a thick gray paste that we apply with an old toothbrush and work it on good so it's not too thick but everything's well covered. It's much thicker than Vaseline so it never melts or runs. One bottle lasts us a year or two. Terminals that are many years old look like the day they were applied.

Bruce Erickson
Mendocino Solar Service
PO Box 1252
Mendocino, CA 95460
707-937-1701



On Dec 2, 2009, at 10:08 AM, Michael Welch wrote:

> My (now retired) C&D flooded batteries came with a can of a dark, grease-like paste that was supposedly electrically conductive and that had a higher melting point than Vaseline. It did a good job of protecting the interconnect bars and the cable end connections. Maybe C&D sells this stuff, but I could not find it on their web site.
> 
> North Texas Renewable Energy Inc wrote at 07:02 AM 12/2/2009:
> 
>> Petroleum jelly does work as you say to keep oxygen away from the metal surfaces but its melting temperature is relatively low making it not a long-term solution.
>> A device I saw used on an industrial battery bank years ago used a solid brass alloy device. A small oblong plate fits over the battery post, lies flush on the battery case, then the battery cable is attached. A machined brass dome-shaped cover fits snugly over the plate and is attached with small set screws. A grease fitting on the top is where you squirt in special non-corrosive 'grease' until it leaks out around the battery cable opening.
>> If the cable/terminal connection is good & tight the connection should not corrode or loosen for a decade or more. The device is no doubt pricey but should last for the life of the bank on a quality installation.
>> I have not ever seen this device advertised, or even thought about it until I read Dicks posting. It sounds like it's worth the investment for an enclosed flooded battery enclosure where fumes will accumulate.
>> Jim Duncan
>> North Texas Renewable Energy Inc
>> 817.917.0527
>> ntrei at earthlink.net
>> www.ntrei.com
>> ********************************
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard L Ratico" <Richard.L.Ratico at VALLEY.NET>
>> To: <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 5:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Strings and series of batteries
>> 
>> 
>>> 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.
> 
> 
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