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Taking care of the battery and keeping it healthy is the only way to keep your car battery functioning at all times. This will also keep your car in good condition. But one of the most common problems that affect your battery is corrosion. Corrosion is an unavoidable problem and can impact your battery’s performance.
Usually, there are several reasons for the corrosion on battery terminals. For example, overcharging is one of the most common reasons for battery terminal corrosion. This usually causes corrosion on the positive battery terminal. Both terminals of a battery can get corroded due to the chemical reactions in battery clamps because electricity passes through them.
Corrosion can also happen if the battery terminals are exposed to several elements. When there are several reasons for the corrosion of a car battery, it is important to know how battery corrosion looks like and how to keep the battery corrosion-free.
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How Does Battery Corrosion Look Like?
The corrosion on your battery terminals will look like a powdery, crystalline buildup. The color of this buildup can be blue, white, or a blend of both colors. If you notice any of these signs in your car battery, then you can ensure that the battery is getting affected by corrosion. This is a serious case, and you shouldn’t ignore this sign.
Does Corrosion Drain a Car Battery?
Technically, corrosion doesn’t drain a car battery. But it affects the performance of the battery. If the battery terminals are affected by corrosion, then it will impact the charging process of the battery. How the battery will get affected by the corrosion depends on the amount of buildup the battery terminals have.
Because of corrosion, the battery can’t get enough charge during the charging process. Also, it can’t deliver the required charge for your car. But corrosion directly may not impact the charge holding capacity of the battery.
Apart from battery terminals, corrosion can also happen on other parts of the battery, which can result in battery leaking. If the battery is leaking, then it may not hold a charge. Because of this reason, you will not be able to start your car. So, corrosion is not good for your battery’s health, and it can indirectly lead the battery to die.
How To Remove Corrosion from A Car Battery?
Since corrosion on the car batteries happens naturally, you will need to clean your car battery safely to keep it free from corrosion. The following steps will help you clean corrosion from your car battery safely.
Step 1 – Collect the Thing Required for This Job
To clean the battery corrosion, you will need several things. Those things include safety goggles, rubber gloves, a hard wire brush, baking soda, an old toothbrush, a cup of lukewarm water, a wrench, pliers, and petroleum jelly. After gathering these items, you can go to the next step.
Step 2 – Take Out the Battery from The Car
Now, park your car and recognize the battery inside the hood. Some cars can have batteries in the trunk or under the rear passenger seat. So first, locate the battery in your car and then remove it using the wrench and pliers. First, disconnect the negative terminal and then disconnect the positive terminal. Don’t touch the battery cables with the tools because it can cause electrical shock.
Step 3 – Clean the Battery Corrosion
In this step, you will need to take a teaspoon of baking soda and put it in the lukewarm water. Then stir properly and make the solution ready. Now, pour a little of that solution over the battery post. Then take the toothbrush or wire brush and rub it on the post. If required, you can pour more baking soda solution and rub it on the battery post to clean the corrosion. Continue this process until all corrosion has been cleaned.
Step 4 – Dry the Battery
Once the battery corrosion is removed, you will need to dry the battery by wiping it. Take a clean rag and wipe down the battery and battery cables. After that, discard the rag. Then take the petroleum jelly and apply it onto the battery post properly. This will keep your battery from getting affected by corrosion in the future.
After applying the petroleum jelly, the battery is ready to use. Take the battery and place it in your car. Fix it properly, and then do the connections. First, connect the positive terminal and then connect the negative terminal. Tighten all the connections properly using the plier and wrench. Once the connection is done, close the hood and start the car. Now, you have successfully cleaned the corrosion from your car battery.
Corrosion Battery Frequently Asked Questions:
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How To Know If You Need a New Car Battery?
It is very simple to determine when you need a new car battery. If your car is not starting, then this can be a sign that the battery is failed. But before taking any decision, you will need to consider several points. For example, if the engine is turning over several times before it starts, then you can ensure that the battery is going to run out very soon.
If the battery is getting affected by corrosion frequently and showing signs of swelling, then the battery has some problems. In case the battery requires jumpstarting, again and again, then this is a sign that the battery has some issues. If you notice any of these signs, then you can ensure that the battery needs to be replaced.
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How To Prevent Corrosion on Battery Terminals?
When there are several reasons for the corrosion on the battery terminals, there are also several products available to prevent the terminals from getting affected by corrosion. Some products have been specially designed for this purpose that ensure that the battery terminals don’t get affected by corrosion. These products also provide resistance to moisture, shock, and evaporation. So, you can get one such product to keep your battery from corrosion.
Apart from the specific battery corrosion prevention products, there are also some products that can be used to keep the battery from corrosion. For example, you can use petroleum jelly to keep your car battery terminals free from corrosion. You can apply this on a dry and clean battery terminal before connecting the cables. This will protect the battery terminals from corrosion.
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Should You Drive with A Corroded Battery?
No, you shouldn’t drive with a corroded battery because it is a sign of a bad battery. If the battery is affected by corrosion, then it will suffer while starting the car. It will create problems for you because it can’t provide enough power required to the car. Sometimes the battery also can make you stuck in some unknown places because of corrosion.
Conclusion
Getting affected by corrosion is common in the case of car batteries. But you will need to keep your battery healthy by keeping it free from corrosion. When corrosion doesn’t impact the charge holding ability of the battery, it can reduce the performance of the battery.
If you are serious about your car battery’s health and want to know more about batteries to keep them healthy, then you can opt for the EZ battery reconditioning program. In this program, you will learn a step-by-step process to revive old batteries and use them.
