Battery Terminals: Dielectric Grease or CRC Spray?

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: kozanoglu
By using DI-electric grease are you trying to kill contact between your battery and your car?
The actual contact areas push the grease out of the way. RF connnectors carrying pesky radio signals can be packed with the stuff. The important thing is to keep water out and to use something which is a good dielectric so electrons don't travel THROUGH it and leak off to ground. I use SuperLube general purpose on my terminals. The spray stuff works, and looks nice but sometimes doesn't give the coverage you need because the spray can miss spots. You will find car makers suggesting grease on things like headlamp terminals.

 

[OneEyeJack]

I depend on Pledge Furniture Polish for not only the terminals but the whole battery. The battery will look like brand new even on the day it dies. There will be absolutely no corrosion or discoloration of any kind. My OEM battery in my 03 4Runner lasted 11 years. The last battery in my 84 Civic lasted 14 years. Both looked exactly like brand new on the shelf the day I replaced them. I think the Pledge stops very low level discharges across the battery and therefor there's no corrosion and the battery lasts longer. It's my guess but it works even if I'm wrong.

 

[andyd]

Aren't you supposed to soak the washers in oil? The amount of juice read between a dirty battery top and ground with a meter surprised me. Sonny lit a test light once. I use grease on relay sockets.

 

[SwedishRider]

Thanks for all the helpful info! I ended up using the felt washers and then coated the terminals with Amsoil HD Metal Protector. There wasn't really any acid or corrosion.. I washed down the battery box and terminals with a baking soda paste, and nothing fizzed. I also brushed the terminals with the stiff bristle tool I bought.

I'm optimistic that the HD MP will prevent any corrosion from developing. Time will tell I suppose. The factory Chrysler battery was spotless when removed after 9 years in service.

 

[oilboy123]

I have used battery felt washers, red battery spray, or battery anti corrosion liquid .

I use dielectric just like they show in the video, and more. I bought a big one pound can on Amazon I have not cracked open yet. I still need to finish my other stash.

I will have to try the pledge trick. I have some my mom was selling at a garage sale.

 

[Gokhan]

Again, you don't need any grease or protector on the battery terminals. If they get corroded, just clean them with baking soda occasionally. A well-maintained battery will hardly ever need its terminals cleaned. Grease could reduce the electrical current, which is bad for your battery and electrical system, and it also makes an unnecessary dirty mess. If grease was necessary, OEMs would put it in the factory but they don't.

 

[JHZR2]

I've typically used dielectric grease covering the terminal and lead to plastic transition well. I just install the cable and then wipe up any big, obvious excess. Works fine.

Recently I got some NCP-2 in a brush on can to use. It's slightly more fluid, and red... I can't say it's any better, time will tell. I figure it has some anti-corrosives in it which must be good.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Again, you don't need any grease or protector on the battery terminals. If they get corroded, just clean them with baking soda occasionally. A well-maintained battery will hardly ever need its terminals cleaned. Grease could reduce the electrical current, which is bad for your battery and electrical system, and it also makes an unnecessary dirty mess. If grease was necessary, OEMs would put it in the factory but they don't.


OEMs don't because batteries aren't nevessarily a warranty item, and issues will usually arise outside of the warranty period.

In reality, the current carrying conductive interface is quite small, but micro ohms at most, and the grease is easily displaced in what is in reality an interference fit (soft lead terminal accepts imperfections as soft lead connector, which flexes on initial install until torqued).

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Again, you don't need any grease or protector on the battery terminals. If they get corroded, just clean them with baking soda occasionally. A well-maintained battery will hardly ever need its terminals cleaned. Grease could reduce the electrical current, which is bad for your battery and electrical system, and it also makes an unnecessary dirty mess. If grease was necessary, OEMs would put it in the factory but they don't.


Sudsy ammonia works great too.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Again, you don't need any grease or protector on the battery terminals. If they get corroded, just clean them with baking soda occasionally. A well-maintained battery will hardly ever need its terminals cleaned. Grease could reduce the electrical current, which is bad for your battery and electrical system, and it also makes an unnecessary dirty mess. If grease was necessary, OEMs would put it in the factory but they don't.


OEMs don't because batteries aren't nevessarily a warranty item, and issues will usually arise outside of the warranty period.

In reality, the current carrying conductive interface is quite small, but micro ohms at most, and the grease is easily displaced in what is in reality an interference fit (soft lead terminal accepts imperfections as soft lead connector, which flexes on initial install until torqued).


Depends on the grease used. Once I put some Dow Corning 111 silicon grease on the outsides of the terminals. This grease will slowly flow like a liquid. After a couple of months the car started cranking slowly and I had to remove it.

 

[willbur]

I've seen ppl recommending hair spray to protect the terminals! I use grease or dielectric on the terminals before connecting. Never had a problem since the terminals squeeze the grease out and make a protected connection. Internal surfaces stay shiny.
If grease or dielectric insulates the connection, then why are sensitive computer and other electronics connections coated internally with it? On my Dodge truck I replaced the ecm and all the terminals were coated with thick green grease for weather protection where it sat on the inner fender.

 

[wtd]

I use the CRC cleaner and protectant and never have issues.

Wayne