FVEAA Forums

EV Ownership => EV Maintenance => Topic started by: tim.moore on January 16, 2007, 07:33:31 PM

Title: monthly meeting and maintenance
Post by: tim.moore on January 16, 2007, 07:33:31 PM
One reason I like to go to meetings is to feed my hypocrodriact (spelling???) nature. Whenever I hear someone had problem I always check my car.  I also always tighten my battery terminals and check my water level.  Some think this is obcessive, which maybe it is, but look at the first sentence.  Hey give me a break, you got guys waxing their muscle cars daily.
Title: Re: monthly meeting and maintenance
Post by: rich.rezny on January 16, 2007, 11:18:32 PM
Its always good to get input from others. We all have different types of jobs and experiance.
Title: Re: monthly meeting and maintenance
Post by: ted.lowe on January 16, 2007, 11:31:59 PM
i've found that my battery terminals are staying tighter way longer without my (oversized) belleville washers and with the thicker posts on my latest t-125's.

i have a monthly reminder set in my e-calendar (Mozilla Sunbird) for checking/tightening the connections.

On that note, i'm going to the garage to do the work that is past due from Jan 1 :-)

Thanks for the re-reminder :-)
Title: Re: monthly meeting and maintenance
Post by: ted.sanders on February 02, 2007, 08:28:09 PM
I used to cover the battery connections with grease to keep them from corroding.  Is this still the thing to do?  Is there a better cover that regular grease?  Is Corrosion still a problem or has someting been added to prevent the corrosion without sealing out the air?
Title: Re: monthly meeting and maintenance
Post by: ted.lowe on February 02, 2007, 09:42:18 PM
I used to cover the battery connections with grease to keep them from corroding.  Is this still the thing to do?  Is there a better cover that regular grease?  Is Corrosion still a problem or has someting been added to prevent the corrosion without sealing out the air?

They sell an anticorrosive in the auto parts store, but it just looks like red-colored vasoline (which John Emde suggests).

Corrosion will always occur when you have to different types of metals combined and exposed to air (& charging gases).

It's important keep the corrosion to a minmum, because it will eat away your battery posts and lugs over time AND most importantly, can lead to resistance in the connections.  A little resistance generates a lot of wattage (heat) with the high amperages we're drawing. 

Combining Watts law P=V *I  and Ohm's law V = I * R gives P (watts) = I^2 * R

so a little R gives a lot of P with high I!

Take it from a man that has (unfortunately) melted a few battery posts due to loose connections! :-(

 
Title: Re: monthly meeting and maintenance
Post by: rich.rezny on February 03, 2007, 02:20:00 PM
We sell a battery terminal protectant spray at Car Quest for $4.  It goes on a bit tacky but later dries into a protective film.  Rich R