Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rich5ltr]

OK first off I'll admit I'm pretty disgusted with myself for letting this happen and assure you I spent a few hours this morning cleaning up the mess!

I last used the car about 3 months ago and put it away in the garage with the Accumate charger connected as usual. This morning I came to get the car out and was confronted with this. So, instead of an early morning drive Sunday turned into a task to get the battery out, clean up all the mess, wash the corrosion with bi-carb, Vaseline the terminals and while at it wash and polish the whole car!

Anyway the point of this post is to ask the question; what could be causing such massive build up of verdigris (if that's the correct term) around the (pos) earth terminal. The other (neg) post was fine. Once I'd removed the green salts underneath was a hard, dark brown/copper coloured build up, the texture of hardened chalk that I had to chip off with a screwdriver.

Incidentally the metal of the clamps appears to be different, the pos earth seem to be copper/brass while the neg is grey steel. The battery was new just a couple of years ago from Lincon batteries so it's an old style one that breathes through the caps.

It all cleaned up ok but I think I will get a replacement battery clamp. I'm just baffled as the batteries of the other cars that I use Accumates on don't display this behaviour.

Thoughts anyone?

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[ukdave2002]

Hi

Its not necessarily the battery charger that is a fault; to get that sort of corrosion there has to be some H2SO4 (Sulphuric Acid) in the equation, possibly spilt when topic up cells or a very small leakage from possibly the vents. It has a Blue tint , this indicates its Copper Sulphate, suggesting a copper clamp. Copper wont react on its own with H2SO4, but when there is an electric current (from the charging) it will.

If the charger is over charging the battery this can lead to electrolyte escaping (battery will be gassing).

Did by change you measure the SG of the cells immediately after the charger was disconnected? this wouldindicate the state of the charge.

Cheers

Dave

[Rich5ltr]

Thanks Dave, I only mentioned the Accumate to indicate that it's an intelligent charger not a normal battery charger. I will measure the SG when I get in mind you judging by how well the engine span over on the starter motor would suggest that the battery was well & truly fully charged.

[goneps]

Since it's an old-style rubber-cased battery there's a possibility that it's not adequately sealed around the terminal post, and acid fumes are escaping therefrom. The extra venting during charging will exacerbate the trouble. Had this problem myself a few years ago, though admittedly the battery had been rebuilt twice.

Richard

[Rich5ltr]