Battery Negative Post Cracked

[Citroënbender]

I’ve had this twice now, both batteries were Super Start brand of 3 years or more age. Terminal care had been followed in both instances - a light buffing and then application of waterproof grease.

What initially looked like undercharging from alternator or ground issues grew to be an obvious issue of acid attack to the terminal clamps. Zinc depleted, the pressed brass crumbled.

To limp one car along, I’d slopped on a standard brass replacement clamp - within months it was a weeping mess of zinc sulfate crystals. Have just finished soaking it in a warm bicarbonate solution, it took a change of this to fully neutralise. Erosion of brass is evident in the cleaned, salvaged clamp casting.

[aussiblue]

It's not being overcharged is it; what voltage does it show with the engine running? Overcharging will heat the terminals accelerating corrosion and increasing gassing and the risk of electrolyte leakage both of can cause terminal corrosion.

[Citroënbender]

No, not overcharging. One ran slightly low for years, predicating my original idea, but honestly I think it’s a metallurgical fault.

[Franco Cozzo]

VT-VZ Commodore terminals are the go to for any battery terminal replacement job - the genuine are crap the aftermarket item is the best

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.tridon.com.au/products/M...34719/MA100BL2

If a battery post is cracked you'll end up with that build up all over the terminals over time.

[Citroënbender]

How often have you seen cracked posts? My occasional colleague reckons about 4-5 times in his 25 years, including my twice.

[roKWiz]

Never heard of Super Start batteries, are they a quality brand ?

[Citroënbender]

They’re an outfit which mostly sells into Greater Sydney workshops, with a presence also in the ACT. Good warranties and faithful higher-end CCA ratings.

[oldel]

Never heard of them either. I looked them up and it seems like a generic brand that independents sell, like the random korean or other asian brands some warehouses or mechs sell in WA. They don't even list batteries on their website in a way you can choose by vehicle, you have to check you dimensions and research that way. Not that anythings wrong with that, it's the same here for other generic names I'm thinking about too, like neuton power etc

And just to be clear you're saying the battery casing cracks around the post and lets out fumes that screw your terminals up right? IE: This is nothing to do with the terminals and all about the battery being faulty.

At least that's how I read it.
go exide, the only brand that's never let me down.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

How often have you seen cracked posts? My occasional colleague reckons about 4-5 times in his 25 years, including my twice.

Wasn't overly uncommon, when you see cars with big build up around one of the terminals that's usually a cracked post, can do it through over tightening the terminals, most of the time you won't even be able to see any physical damage.

To put it into perspective, none of my cars have done the fuzzy build up around the terminals, but I don't do any 'maintenance' on the battery terminals either, the only time they get touched is when a battery is on the way out and it gets changed, I don't use any additives/sprays or any interim maintenance on them - out with the old battery, in with the new and that's it.

The Lebonator had badly corroded wiring and terminals though, the green crap that happens to copper so I rewired its start/charge and body/engine earth circuits with the terminals.

I'm suspect on those sprays and lubricants, you're just adding another point to create resistance between the terminals and the post.

If you want to support local manufacturing - Century with the blue and yellow case (manufactured in Brisbane) - 67EF MF for anyone with a Falcon or a 68 MF for a pre VE Commodore.

Bond Premium is ace but foreign manufacture

If price is a concern, then Supercharge Gold or ACDelco are value for spondoolies kings of the big brands.

[MercuryT]

Every time I hear of the word "battery " it gives me chills.

Ruined my Christmas and Boxing day completely last year.

Ford Falcon sure just open the bonnet and replace the battery - VW make it deliberately near impossible!!

[Citroënbender]

Originally Posted by oldel

And just to be clear you're saying the battery casing cracks around the post and lets out fumes that screw your terminals up right? IE: This is nothing to do with the terminals and all about the battery being faulty.

It’s the actual terminal failing due to a manufacturing defect in the metal, that’s what’s happened. Not the casing. The first one separated halfway up the post, OEM band type terminal clamp was pressed metal with the tensile strength of Elastoplast. The second OEM clamp was one of the “push down when tightened variety”, again fairly weak.

[oldel]

Strange, I've seen the poorer industrious Indian citizens rebuild batteries from parts and chemicals on the street and even they pour liquid lead straight onto the pole to remake the post. It's not a hard thing to do or substance to work with, or something to cheap out on and get wrong.

[Franco Cozzo]

This is my favorite one on a customers car - Optima yellow top, very old

Went to undo the nut and that happened, can see all the fuzzy stuff below the terminal even though its an AGM battery

Optima yellow top is crap btw - Deka Intimidator is where its at for AGM (Its 9A34/9A34R are the ones for Falcon/Commodore, can't remember which is which though).

[genebaby]

My yellow top in the XR8 is very old, kept on the Ctek all its life, looks brand new.

I'm waiting for it to die. It's about 10 years old.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Wasn't overly uncommon, when you see cars with big build up around one of the terminals that's usually a cracked post, can do it through over tightening the terminals, most of the time you won't even be able to see any physical damage.

To put it into perspective, none of my cars have done the fuzzy build up around the terminals, but I don't do any 'maintenance' on the battery terminals either, the only time they get touched is when a battery is on the way out and it gets changed, I don't use any additives/sprays or any interim maintenance on them - out with the old battery, in with the new and that's it.

The Lebonator had badly corroded wiring and terminals though, the green crap that happens to copper so I rewired its start/charge and body/engine earth circuits with the terminals.

I'm suspect on those sprays and lubricants, you're just adding another point to create resistance between the terminals and the post.

If you want to support local manufacturing - Century with the blue and yellow case (manufactured in Brisbane) - 67EF MF for anyone with a Falcon or a 68 MF for a pre VE Commodore.

Bond Premium is ace but foreign manufacture

If price is a concern, then Supercharge Gold or ACDelco are value for spondoolies kings of the big brands.

Yep Aussie made Century.
Have seen a few damaged AGM batteries being charged up using the wrong Lead acid only type chargers around marina's.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by genebaby

My yellow top in the XR8 is very old, kept on the Ctek all its life, looks brand new.

I'm waiting for it to die. It's about 10 years old.

The one in my image was about that old too.

It was made in the USA though before it went to Mexico production.

Like everything that moves from the USA to Mexico production the quality heads south

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Yep Aussie made Century.
Have seen a few damaged AGM batteries being charged up using the wrong Lead acid only type chargers around marina's.

Yep - AGM is supposed to charge at lower voltages compared to lead acid batteries.

They also won't accept charge at lower ambient temperatures compared to lead acid batteries, Optima D34 hardly accepts a charge above 65 degrees Celsius ambient temperatures, so something to think about when it's in an engine bay in a boosted car.

On the other hand of your car sits on float charge in the garage most of the year then it's a good compromise to have an AGM battery in there.

I had a heap of dramas with Optima D34 in SYII Territory mica paramedic vehicles that we moved to Deka Intimidator because of them lasting 5 minutes in the engine bay

Deka Intimidator was a bit cheaper too but harder to get your hands on.

[genebaby]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The one in my image was about that old too.



It was made in the USA though before it went to Mexico production.



Like everything that moves from the USA to Mexico production the quality heads south

Didn't know about the production change, will have a think about it's replacement.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by genebaby

Didn't know about the production change, will have a think about it's replacement.

Deka Intimidator 9A34 or 9A34R (one suits Falcon - check positive terminal location)

[genebaby]

Thanks

[Citroënbender]

The broken Yellow Top shows how the terminals are hollow - part of the way electrolyte splash or sulfation can creep when the post is cracked.

[aussiblue]

You'll probably find the answer somewhere on this site: https://batteryuniversity.com/