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Cleaning Battery Terminals


Honda Bob

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Honda Bob

I often see the recommendation to wire brush battery terminals to clean them. The problem with wire brushing is that you are removing metal from the terminals and you never really succeed in getting the terminals completely clean. The best way to clean battery terminals, and their associated connections, is to pour a weak solution of Bicarbonate of Soda and warm water onto the terminals and connections. That will remove all of the green gunge and dirt  leaving the terminals and associated connections as clean as new. Rinse off with fresh clean warm water and when dry apply silicone grease to the terminals. Because the Bicarbonate of Soda solution does not damage or contaminate anything else, in fact you can drink it to cure an upset stomach, you do not need to remove the battery from the bike if you do not want to. Bicarbonate of Soda can be found in the kitchen cupboard of anyone who bakes cakes and they never miss a spoonful. 

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Rocker66

I was always taught to apply vasaline to the terminals to prevent corrosion.

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listener

As @Honda Bob says, bicarb works best.

Brush it on with an old toothbrush or other small brush with stiff bristles.

 

If the corrosion is bad you could use a brass toothed brush which will do less damage than a steel wire one.

 

You can get 3-piece sets like this, which are always handy for getting into tight spaces on the bike.

 

Halfords do a 6-piece set (2 of each brush).

 

 

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(left to right; steel, brass, stiff bristles)

Edited by listener
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listener
20 minutes ago, Rocker66 said:

I was always taught to apply vasaline to the terminals to prevent corrosion.

 

But after you tighten down the clamps. :thumbsup:

Vaseline is not a good conductor so you don't want it smeared on the terminal body itself.

 

You can also use silicone grease (aka plumbers' grease).

 

 

 

WARNING Silicone grease should be used for sexual pleasure! :devil: 

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4 minutes ago, listener said:

 

But after you tighten down the clamps. :thumbsup:

Vaseline is not a good conductor so you don't want it smeared on the terminal body itself.

 

You can also use silicone grease (aka plumbers' grease).

 

 

 

WARNING Silicone grease should be used for sexual pleasure! :devil: 

Is that some sort of plumbers’ perversion?

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listener
19 minutes ago, listener said:

WARNING Silicone grease should be used for sexual pleasure! :devil: 

 

14 minutes ago, Xactly said:

Is that some sort of plumbers’ perversion?

 

That should have been, "Silicone grease should NOT be used for sexual pleasure!"

 

Bloody fingers (I blame the silicone grease ... errr ... forget I said that! :whistle:)

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fj_stuart

I'm a big fan of Halford's Electrical Contact Cleaner. I've used it successfully on my bikes and also the off/on switch of a digital camera and a domestic 13A socket.

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On 12/12/2021 at 20:40, listener said:

 

That should have been, "Silicone grease should NOT be used for sexual pleasure!"

 

Bloody fingers (I blame the silicone grease ... errr ... forget I said that! :whistle:)

Good grief, I'm in Thailand and the buzz is on the streets! All the motorcycle dealers are selling out of Silicone grease and even some local girls, who have an inbuilt supply of Silicone and are strapped for cash are thinking how they can benefit from this news! Oh, wait, correction made, people queueing at bike dealers to get their money back, a few with part full tubes are crouching on their haunches smarting but didn't get any joy. Local girls are going about with smug looks in their masked faces knowing that they chose the best use for Silicone, apart from sealing bathtubs to the wall, obviously!

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