Battery corrosion is winning the battle

[Sleepy]

I am losing the fight against battery corrosion. I have an 05 Kountry Star with a slide tray that now won't unlatch. I pull the release handle but now it can't be pulled out to clean it all up. Does anyone know how I can access the latch to clean it up, and what do others do to clean out the rust and corrosion. I know about the baking soda to neutralize the corrosion but what are people using to clean up the whole compartment and rust etc. Does the mineral oil (4 oz per cell) really stop the corrosion. I am a little scared to put that much oil in working batteries but others claim it works, so I think I'll try it. Also, does anyone have experience with a ? paint called POR15 antirust treatment. I have tried to keep this mess under control with periodic cleaning etc, but I am being defeated...maybe AGM batteries the next time. Thanks all for any help, especially gettin the darn tray to slide out!

["007"]

Welcome wmagel to the Newmar forum.
Know what you mean about corrosion sure makes a mess. Here is a LINK to Oemy's tips and what he did, I changed my two 6 volts to 12v AGM's after cleaning up tray and repainted them. Scrool down if they do not appear.
Enjoy the forums and do post often.

[GaryKD]

Hi wmagel,
If you have the 600 watt inverter and the IOTA charger, consider purchasing a IQ Smart Charger for DLS Series Battery Chargers from IOTA Engineering This will help keep the batteries from out gassing. Not knowing the model of KS you have I am not sure how you get the tray latch open. Penetrating oil on the latch mechanism and let it set for 24 hours may be a good start. Other than that, calling Newmar would be my next step.

I replaced the original coach batteries with AGM batteries about 2 years ago. This eliminated the out gassing problem.

I cleaned the tray with baking soda and a stiff wire brush. Let it dry. I then sprayed it with black RustOleum type paint.

[allynne]

Mineral oil works. I put it in batteries in my '01 DSDP and now in my '05 MADP. I'm not sure 4 oz is the right amount, I think I used 2-3 oz, but didn't measure. The oil being lighter than water floats on water and forms a barrier to gassing and fluid evaporation. No mess in over a year.

Works well for me.

Al Sawyer
'05 MADP

[Dav5942]

When the latch breaks(which it will), you can put pins in each side to keep the tray in place. See "tips". After four years of special caps, etc. we are in the process of changing out to AGMs.

[RJay]

Wmagel, Welcome to the forum.

To open you batter draw, spray penetrating oil in the latch track. Spray from the back and underneath the latch mechanism and work the handle and it should open.

Remove the batteries from the compartment. Dissolve a box of baking soda in a gallon of warm water and with a brush scrub everything down. You may have to do this a few time to neutralize all the acid. Rinse several times and let dry. If you have any rust spots scrape the loose rust with a steel brush then treat with Ospho. Once the Ospho is dry prime and paint everything. While waiting for the paint to dry wipe down the tops of the batteries and cable connections with the baking soda solution being careful not to get any in the battery cells then replace and connect the batteries.

I have 4-6volt Interstate Workhorse batteries that I put 4 oz. of mineral oil in each cell. This puts a 1/8 layer of oil in each cell and still allows you to use a hydrometer to take specific gravity readings when necessary, just be sure to get the hose below the oil to the top of the plates. I used 3-16oz. Bottles of mineral oil for the whole job. I bought the oil at Walmart for about $1.60 for each bottle.

That's it!! You battery corrosion worries are over.