Community Forums

JohnWMills · 08-22-2019, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reubenray

I need to remove all 6 of my batteries to figure out where I am getting corrosion from. I plan on numbering them and taking pictures of the cabling.

What I don't know is what do I need to do with the electrical system prior to disconnecting and removing the batteries?

Corrosion comes from the difference between copper wires and lead studs. This called galvanic corrosion and happens on all vehicles with lead acid batteries. I can’t tell you magnum inverters work, but always disconnect negative before positive to avoid grounding shorts, which could destroy micro electronics. I worked with mega lead acid batteries in the military and it doesn’t matter if the cells are low on water or high (that only applies to low/high cell voltage and not corrosion. Galvanic is the result of dissimilar metals transferring electrons to the lower valence orbit.

USTrekker · 08-22-2019, 10:05 PM

Hi,
I noticed right away in the photos there didn't appear to be any anti-corrosion spray on the exposed metal parts of the battery connections.
There are several good brands, here is one: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05046-Bat...dp/B000CIPUNC/
CRC also makes a cleaner you should use before this spray. It leaves a red tint that fades and the protection deteriorates, so when you start to see metal again you know you need to clean and re-treat.
As was mentioned previously, there's nothing that will completely stop corrosion but things like this will really slow it down.

puttin · 08-23-2019, 08:55 AM

In case no one has mentioned yet- corrosion is from battery gassing. Your charging system is helping to boil the batteries. I'd check each mode to make adjustments if you can. A heavy bulk or equalize phase can ruin the batteries. Also the suggestion of a battery watering system is good too.

Persistent · 08-23-2019, 09:50 AM

Wow! What a lot of very strong sometimes contradictory opinions. It can easily be confusing. Knowing the reasons for one or the other is the cure. Different systems have different risks.

My first point is:
The corrosion I see in your picture is normal for flooded cell battery installations. It may indicate excessive charging voltage or time, but it is also common with well maintained systems.

It is not evidence of defective batteries. If you want to eliminate the corrosion you see, replace the batteries with lithium or sealed lead/acid batteries.

My second point is:
In the 1950 all automobiles were the same. The negative terminal on the battery was always connected to the auto frame. Everything around the battery was metal and connected to the frame. When a beginner removes the positive terminal first he almost always touches something metal with the metal wrench. This of course causes extreme sparks, heat, damages metal parts, and startles the novice enough he may jerk away and hurt himself. The obvious solution, remove the negative terminal first. There will be no sparks touching the wrench to adjacent metal parts.

A decade or two later positive ground systems were introduced to accommodate new solid state devices. Now you have to disconnect the positive terminal first for all the same reasons.

A decade or two later new solid state devices were introduced. So, back to negative grounds.

A decade or two later complicated electronic logic and control systems are introduced into travel trailers and RV’s. No holds bar here. Anything goes. The only way to know is for you to make a mistake or read the manual and avoid the mistake. The added incentive to read the manual in addition to all the issues above is the huge cost of replacing complicated electronic systems.

Don’t touch the wrench to adjacent metal parts. Mistakes happen frequently to corroded or otherwise tight nuts and screw. Control yourself if sparks ensue. Don’t add personal injury to mechanical damage. Even so you can fry the electronics if you don’t read the manual.

Good luck with your project!

SurfsideGolfer · 08-24-2019, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

NEVER disconnect the battery positive cable first.

If you accidentally touch the metal wrench to the chassis while disconnecting the positive, you just threw a dead short across the battery. Several hundred to maybe a thousand amps will flow through the wrench, potentially welding it in place. Fire, explosion, lots of bad stuff.

After you have the chassis NEGATIVE disconnected that cannot happen.

But you still accidentally could short out an individual house battery with a wrench so guard against that with tape on the terminals, caps on the terminals, tape wrapped around the wrench, whatever it takes.

And definitely take a picture of the cables before you remove anything.

Ray

In reading this thread, I get the impression that some consider the corrosion abnormal. It is a natural occurrence from the fumes emitted by the batteries while charging. It is easily controlled by sprinkling area with baking soda, water, and washing with a brush, occasionally.

Tigerfan1 · 08-25-2019, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Persistent

Wow! What a lot of very strong sometimes contradictory opinions. It can easily be confusing. Knowing the reasons for one or the other is the cure. Different systems have different risks.

My first point is:
The corrosion I see in your picture is normal for flooded cell battery installations. It may indicate excessive charging voltage or time, but it is also common with well maintained systems.

It is not evidence of defective batteries. If you want to eliminate the corrosion you see, replace the batteries with lithium or sealed lead/acid batteries.

My second point is:
In the 1950 all automobiles were the same. The negative terminal on the battery was always connected to the auto frame. Everything around the battery was metal and connected to the frame. When a beginner removes the positive terminal first he almost always touches something metal with the metal wrench. This of course causes extreme sparks, heat, damages metal parts, and startles the novice enough he may jerk away and hurt himself. The obvious solution, remove the negative terminal first. There will be no sparks touching the wrench to adjacent metal parts.

A decade or two later positive ground systems were introduced to accommodate new solid state devices. Now you have to disconnect the positive terminal first for all the same reasons.

A decade or two later new solid state devices were introduced. So, back to negative grounds.

A decade or two later complicated electronic logic and control systems are introduced into travel trailers and RV’s. No holds bar here. Anything goes. The only way to know is for you to make a mistake or read the manual and avoid the mistake. The added incentive to read the manual in addition to all the issues above is the huge cost of replacing complicated electronic systems.

Don’t touch the wrench to adjacent metal parts. Mistakes happen frequently to corroded or otherwise tight nuts and screw. Control yourself if sparks ensue. Don’t add personal injury to mechanical damage. Even so you can fry the electronics if you don’t read the manual.

Good luck with your project!

Well said. [emoji106]

Pappion · 08-26-2019, 06:13 PM

There are many options for installing a battery disconnect switch for the positive wire to the inverter/converter. You may want one wall mounted and insulated. Also buy one with enough amperage rating.
https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Batter...omotive&sr=1-1
Also circuit breakers can do double duty for battery disconnect.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=12v+circu...b_sb_ss_i_3_11