Class A battery maintenance

We've had our coach two years now. They've remained free of any corrosion over that time. This year I did spray the posts with a battery cleaner from the auto store. When dry I sprayed with a corrosion preventer. That has a red die of some kind in it that will change color if there's corrosion present. Didn't see any signs.

I preferred not to disconnect everything to clean if a problem wasn't apparent. I just tightened all the connections a bit. Some of the battery clamp straps loosened a bit over time. Its a good thing to check those too as if the battery can move slightly while driving it'll loosen the battery connections.

I installed ( really easy) the battery watering system. You can water them all at once from the outside of your RV.

http://www.janwp.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

While you have the batteries out.... check & clean the main ground connection to the chassis... On my battery terminals, I use copper based anti-seize... prevents corrosion, lubricates, and conducts electricity extremely well

gemert wrote:
Wow, that didn't take long for a 5 minute rinse down to morph into 3 hours or more of work!!

If a job is worth doing it is worth doing right. "When you lick the lollipop of mediocrity you suck forever".

Another good reason to clean the tops of the batteries is to avoid self discharge. Battery acid and dirt provide a path from one terminal to the other (milliamperes).

I clean mine with baking soda and water in a spray bottle. Let sit for a couple minutes then rinse well. I then spray everything with Simple Green, let sit, then rinse. I use a leaf blower to dry the compartment. Then I take the cables off ONE AT A TIME, clean the terminals, coat them with dielectic grease and reinstall. Top off the water in all the batteries and I'm done until next year....Dennis

A word of caution: Battery acid is very caustic. That said, whatever is UNDERNEATH your battery bank is going to get toasted. This includes grass and/or concrete. If you do it at a campground, the hosts won't like you much. If you do it at home, your wife will have your head. Put down a drop pan, drop cloth or a tarp you can discard....D

Wow, that didn't take long for a 5 minute rinse down to morph into 3 hours or more of work!!

Good idea. But as was previously suggested be sure and mark any wires you take loose as to polarity along with the terminal they came from. Then be sure you get ALL of them connected back . Don't leave any loosies hanging over behind the batteries where you can't see them.

The very most appropriate fix here is to totally remove the batteries so that the spillage into the battery trays can be neutralized and cleaned up. Otherwise the crud and corrosion will be back to haunt you in a short time. This also allows you to clean the sides and bottoms of the batteries so corrosives are not transferred back into a clean box or boxes. And by the way; While you have empty battery boxes (trays) it would be a good time to wire brush them real good and spray them with an appropriate Rustoleum or like paint. And don't forget to lube the tray runners with a good oil. Not a non lube like WD40.

If you would have said "electronic," it probably would have passed without comment. :)

I figured someone would make the electrical component comment but most would know what the heck I was talking about.....never fails....

I like that water will not hit any electrical components,, Just the batteries

Uh,, They are electrical components.

That said however.. Good plan, only thing I would add is before you wash

Step 1; Mark all POSITIVE wires with red paint, nail polish, tape or heat shrink.

Then disconnect and clean the terminals with a tooth brush and baking soda paste (Add just enough water to make it like tooth paste.. Use an old brush)

Then rinse well and re-connnect.. Then do the rest of the batteries with water as you purposed.

Optional.. Use black paint on the NEGATIVE leads.