Mineral oil in batteries

[mike.t]

On my way to the store for both. Before i go are we talking about mineral oil you find at the drug store?
Thanks all.

[Romeo]

Yes, mineral oil from the drug store. Commonly used as a laxative. Four (4)oz in each cell.

After reading the many posts regarding adding mineral oil to batteries, I decided to try it in the coach house batteries. Before using oil my batteries terminals would show corrosion around the terminals each time I filled them. Since using the oil I have had none and my terminals look as shown in Mr_D's photos. I have also added oil to my electric golf cart batteries with the same results. The batteries sit disconnected in Yuma for 5-6 months and I have had no corrosion and when I reconnect them I have enough juice left to more the carts to the charging area. Throughout the winter when the golf carts are used I have no corrosion and always have them on the chargers when not in use. In Arizona golf cart batteries don't last very long, usually two to three years, due to the extreme heat. We will see if adding the oil will help with longevity since I just replaced all the golf cart batteries last winter.

One thing I do know is that other golf carts stored over the summer have had major corrosion on the terminals when the owners returned in the winter... corrosion that I did not have. My water level was at acceptable levels also.

I'm a believer...

[CampDaven]

I'm thinking corrosion is a sign of battery or charger issues, being that the charger is pushing current and the battery is gassing, otherwise you would have no corrosion like mine. The MO is like Mel said, a bandaid!

[FLSteve]

I did this about a year ago and have had good results. I think I have only had to top of the water one time since then. Here is what I did.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/mine...ml#post1791299

Steve

[palehorse89]

Gassing of a battery is normal all the time, in a wet cell under normal charge......vapors(gas) is produced, in a open wet cell battery, period. Different manufactures have better than other caps, some seem to hold back the gassing better than others. My batteries are held at 13.5 VDC all the time, plugged in charging or driving and taking a charge off the alternator. I had corrosion pretty bad when I first bought the Coach 5 years ago, read about the mineral oil........tore apart the slide tray and rebuilt and painted the entire battery compartment(pretty bad shape from corrosion), added mineral oil.......and the compartment still looks the same today as when I did the job. And the top's of all the batteries are dry........same batteries.
To each their own........

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by mel s

countrypair
If your charging systems are working correctly, (and if your batteries are GOOD), batteries WILL NOT gas.

Putting mineral oil in batteries is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg...(it may cover up the problem.... but does not FIX it).

Mel
'96 Safari

Spend a night boon docking, run the batteries down a bit, start the engine........your alternator is putting out over 14-14.5 DC charge current to the batteries until they are up, then the regulator backs off the charge rate.........Batteries gas at 13.8 DC
Some reading - http://batterytender.com/resources/battery-basics.htm/

[AndrewC]

Same thing as Roméo for mee 4oz on each cell for my 6 volts batteries
no more corrosion

[mel s]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

Spend a night boon docking, run the batteries down a bit, start the engine........your alternator is putting out over 14-14.5 DC charge current to the batteries until they are up, then the regulator backs off the charge rate.........Batteries gas at 13.8 DC

I often boondock, with little "battery gas corrosion", little "electrolyte loss" and NO "mineral oil" in my batteries.
BTW, my first set of house batteries lasted 11 years, (the second set is 7 years old).
Mel
'96 Safari, 134k miles

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by mel s

I often boondock, with little "battery gas corrosion", little "electrolyte loss" and NO "mineral oil" in my batteries.
BTW, my first set of house batteries lasted 11 years, (the second set is 7 years old).
Mel
'96 Safari, 134k miles

Super Mel........can't beat that!
No need to change anything.........

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

Super Mel........can't beat that!
No need to change anything.........

Me too. Must be my Magnum Energy is set up just right.
And I dont boondock.

[Romeo]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

I'm thinking corrosion is a sign of battery or charger issues, being that the charger is pushing current and the battery is gassing, otherwise you would have no corrosion like mine. The MO is like Mel said, a bandaid!

Well then 99% of vehicles must have charging issues because corrosion is very common in all kinds of vehicles...

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by Romeo

Well then 99% of vehicles must have charging issues because corrosion is very common in all kinds of vehicles...

Maybe.
Maybe lots of folks not checking them.
Maybe some of us doing things just right.
Maybe some of us just lucky.

[hawgguy]

I wonder what the environmental influence are. I have AGMs now, but on all of my previous MHs, despite fastidious attention to the batteries & appropriately set chargers, I have experienced corrosion requiring yearly cleaning, & touch up painting of the battery tray. I live in West TX where it gets brutally hot & dry.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by hawgguy

I wonder what the environmental influence are. I have AGMs now, but on all of my previous MHs, despite fastidious attention to the batteries & appropriately set chargers, I have experienced corrosion requiring yearly cleaning, & touch up painting of the battery tray. I live in West TX where it gets brutally hot & dry.

Perhaps part of the answer!
We move so we are never where it is too hot or too cold, and always on land power.