Can't keep up with Battery Corrosion. Help Please?!?

[Regcabguy]

Wonder who supplies Dodge's stock batteries? The discount internet dealers might cut a deal. The stockers are sealed and last a long time.

 

[NIsaacs]

Thank you for the reply, Jim. I see my local Car Quest just put in a large selection of Interstate Batteries, I have always like them. I might go look at them, see if they are the non cap type. I need to get these junkers out of my rig before the fenders disappear, LOL... I think the originals are Delco, because of the sight glass. Not sure what Dodge is using in the new trucks tho, I need to go look.



"NICK"

 

[Bob Cochran]

Some good info. LONG reading.

Batteries -- and Other Electric Stuff by phred

Tim thanks for correcting my error in a couple of areas. as you stated as follows:



Loose terminal connections Mean more ohms resistance which means less current.

Also a weak battery will discharge and recharge faster than a good battery meaning less current needed.



Thanks again Tim for your correction as it is really appreciated. Corrections to me is a learning opportunity that I like to get. I especially do not like to pass on erroneous information either. I did so in these 2 items and my apologies to the OP for them.



Again thanks Tim.

 

[Skydiver]

You're welcome Bob. PM me anytime as well.

 

[NIsaacs]

Good article posted by Skydiver REF. by phred. I skimmed thu mostly the maintenance sections. He (the writer) mentions that some so called maintenance free batteries are not. I agree. He also is not proud of the Delco brand, at least in '02 when the article was up dated. Maybe they have since improved? The biggest one thing I noticed he cautioned about was to not under charge or over charge the battery.



One thing I have noticed over the years is that in all types of equipment, the more tightly the battery is sealed, (as in a battery box) the worse the corrosion is. Maybe with the hood insulation and cowl sealed like the trucks are now, adds to the problem?



"NICK"

 

[Regcabguy]

Well,no corrosion on the '98. 5 w/stock batteries(sealed) none with the subsequent Optimas,and now zero corrosion with my current Mopar sealed units.

 

[Newf Limo]

Sorry i haven't gotten back to thank everyone. Something about my computer, as of Dec. 12 (no changes that I know of) I no longer get email notifications from any of 3 forums i belong to and post to. Really really frustrating.



Anyhow, I agree about the original batteries. Even with arctic cold, and the rattling of the Cummins, I never touched the originals and didn't even need to clean anything when installing the CQ's. But have been doing it ever since... well, actually, i have given up.



I will have to order the new cables from Customcables .com, that is a huge help and thank you for the link.



Didn't the sears diehard have the "green eye" on sealed units? Been a long time since I have looked at sears for anything.



Atleast i now know what is going on and can save more money to fix this problem as well.



TDR pays for itself once a gain.

 

[WDixon27]

if just the ends of the cables are bad you can do what i did, humvee battery terminal clamps and copper lugs crimped and soldered, it gives you a few more places to add small lugs for goodies too, i re did the block ends of the ground cables as they sucked too, the ground on the left battery could be caught glowing occasionally the system was so bad

#ad


#ad




25-30 for the clamps off ebay and maybe 10-15 worth of lugs/solder/flux if you get a deal, i think if it craps again all ill need to do is replace the bolts or maybe the clamps as the copper should hold up plenty good if they work up a good fur coat and it takes me a while to get to it

 

[Hammer]

Optimas=The END of your corrosion issues.



Its one of those pay me now or pay me later deals... .



You spend the cash now and buy the good batteriesthat eliminate the corrosion issues or later you deal with corrosion issues that also could affect the paint on your front fenders,Which is a very common problem with our trucks. I choose to eliminate the problem and spare my paint the acid bath paint removal 2 years ago and will not go back... ... . Andy

 

[WDixon27]

mine was missing the paint on the left fender when i got it, guess i did a decent rattle can job as it looks like the rest of the truck 3 odd years later, but with 334k mile 13 year old 2nd gen factory paint that ain't saying much :-laf i've seen free bumper stickers look good longer