Replacement for packets of terminal grease?

[05camryv6]

I was searching around the forums and saw a few discussions on what can be placed on a battery terminal to prevent corrosion. I was curious what is in the little packets of stuff that they sell for about two bucks at most auto parts stores that (in my experience is usually a red grease substance) to prevent corrosion. Also, in addition to what it is, is there a way to get it cheaper than $2 per small packet?

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/perma...03-P#fragment-1

^ Stuff like that

 

[E365]

I'd buy an aerosol can of Fluid Film. It's great for that purpose and 1,000 other things.

 

[andyd]

Anything that covers the terminals with an airtight coating will suffice. I use washers made of underlayment soaked in oil on the posts I use chassis grease on the the clamps I rub the grease into any exposed copper on the cable ends.

 

[Brad_C]

I just buy a can of CRC Battery terminal protectant. I think the current can has lasted me 10 years so far and it's barely been used.

 

[bvance554]

I've never out anything on battery terminals. I can't recall the last time I had a corroded terminal.

 

[BigD1]

I use dielectric(silicone) grease on my battery posts, and all the bulb sockets, rubber door seals and trunk seals, and my spark plug boots too. It's good stuff, and something a DIY type of person should have in their toolbox.

 

[Olas]

I normally use Vaseline, or NLGI 2.

Anything airtight and non conductive should work a treat.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: Olas
I normally use Vaseline, or NLGI 2.

Anything airtight and non conductive should work a treat.


Why non-conductive? Surely conductive (like, maybe, copper-base anti-seize) would be, at least theoretically, better?

That said, I don't seem to need anything here, though its very humid.

In The Yook I used Vaseline, which used to be the "standard" recommendation in me yoof.

 

[Trav]

Don't over think it, just put some of the battery grease on it and a (real copper) penny next to the post.

 

[bullwinkle]

Felt washers under, battery protectant or even plain white lithium grease on top. Since I use the rather leaky Johnson Controls built batteries (AAP, WM, & Interstate), & no one wants to warrant the leaks around the posts-it's the only way to stop them from corroding. Fortunately they seem to last pretty long otherwise.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Olas
I normally use Vaseline, or NLGI 2.

Anything airtight and non conductive should work a treat.


Why non-conductive? Surely conductive (like, maybe, copper-base anti-seize) would be, at least theoretically, better?

That said, I don't seem to need anything here, though its very humid.

In The Yook I used Vaseline, which used to be the "standard" recommendation in me yoof.


I think the issue is that "conductive" greases are usually a non-conductive base with metal powder dispersed in it...the result is a huge number of tiny conductors that are isolated by a vastly larger amount of non-conductive material.
If anybody knows of a useful grease that is truly conductive on its own, I'd like to hear about it. Really!

 

[cat843]

Originally Posted By: Olas
I normally use Vaseline, or NLGI 2.

Anything airtight and non conductive should work a treat.


Vaseline.

If you have corrosion shortly after cleaning with baking soda, you probably have a leaker. The seal for the post is not holding. Exide battery probably.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
I think the issue is that "conductive" greases are usually a non-conductive base with metal powder dispersed in it...the result is a huge number of tiny conductors that are isolated by a vastly larger amount of non-conductive material.
If anybody knows of a useful grease that is truly conductive on its own, I'd like to hear about it. Really!


Correct, a "conductive" grease usually has silver flakes dispersed in the media.

However, you really never want a "conductive grease" in this application. There was a paper a while back I found that showed no difference in electrical conduction when a dielectric grease is used in this type of application. Those conductive greases are generally only used for thermal management, not electrical.

 

[KrisZ]

You can use petroleum jelly, cooking oil, motor oil, regular bearing grease, bacon grease, any sort of rustproofing oil in a can. Basically anything that will coat the terminal and that can easily be removed later on will work just the same as the supposed "specifically designed" products.

 

[05camryv6]

Vaseline/dielectric grease/sound okay. However, does anyone have a clue as to what is in the stuff that is purpose sold for battery corrosion protection?

 

[Brad_C]

Aside from the film forming part, the ones I've looked at appear to contain some weak alkaline buffer.

 

[kb27]

I've used CRC battery terminal protector, SuperLube grease, Noco battery terminal grease, Fluid Film.

They all worked well. Just be sure the grease can withstand high temperature and doesn't wash or melt away.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Ducked


Why non-conductive? Surely conductive (like, maybe, copper-base anti-seize) would be, at least theoretically, better?


The connection between the clamp and terminal shouldn't have grease on it. In fact the grease is to keep air and other foreign stuff from getting "in there." If you put jumper cables on the total assembly, they'll pierce through the grease.

 

[Olas]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Olas
I normally use Vaseline, or NLGI 2.

Anything airtight and non conductive should work a treat.


Why non-conductive? Surely conductive (like, maybe, copper-base anti-seize) would be, at least theoretically, better?

That said, I don't seem to need anything here, though its very humid.

In The Yook I used Vaseline, which used to be the "standard" recommendation in me yoof.


I might be wrong, or have based my belief on a misunderstanding or misinformation, but, with clean terminals and posts the connection will be secure and conductive. I use a non-conductive grease to keep atmosphere away and also corrosion, but also, as mentioned above, things like copper grease etc. are usually an insulating base with small particles of conductor strewn about the place - not as good a conductor as clean metal-on-metal.

 

[Ducked]

Surely just about ANY base-grease is an insulator? Vaseline, bearing grease etc are petroleum-based so they almost certainly will be.

IIRC "common" dielectric grease (not common here) is silicon based. I've never actually tested dielectric grease but I'd be surprised if its electrically conductive.

I've always assumed that this wasn't a problem because the clamping pressure caused metal to metal contact, perhaps aided by some local heating helping the grease to flow away.

Conductive metallic (or graphitic, I suppose) particles in the grease might get trapped in this contact zone, but this shouldn't be a problem because they are conductive, and might increase the contact area.

A bentonite-containing grease might be less ideal, because I'd guess bentonite is an insulator.