reccomendations for a new battery

[D Hook]

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I don't know about Vaseline on the battery posts themselves prior to re-connecting the battery cables back up,......


directly before I reconnected up the battery cables. Once I cleaned up the battery posts and removed the anti-corrosion spray, everything was fine. The tacky spray caused a break in the electrical connection. From that day forward I always apply the spray after everything is reconnected and tightened down.

No, didn't say anything about applying to battery post; only to the terminals.

Apply before reconnecting so you can get it on the bottom of the terminal before slipping it on, that way protecting the whole terminal, not just the top.

I've used the spray before and found it to be too sticky for my liking. The vaseline wipes away quite easily and is much cheaper. Small jar lasts about 10 years and costs about $0.99. Buy the off-brand instead of Vaseline brand. All the same stuff.

Lithium grease is a good alternative, too.

To each his own, as long as it does the job, right?

 

[Exproblems]

No, didn't say anything about applying to battery post; only to the terminals.

Lithium grease is a good alternative, too.

To each his own, as long as it does the job, right?

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Some people I know and myself consider the battery terminals or posts to be one in the same. Thats why I thought you meant appling it to the battery post. You must be referring to the battery cable ends or clamps. I've seen people use lithium grease before, just not the vaseline. You are right though, as long as it does the job, but for me personally, the $4 difference between the cost of a small jar of vaseline verus a can of anti-corrosion spray thats specifically made for this purpose, isn't going to break the bank.

 

[LMHmedchem]

My Grandfather was a mechanic and I remember him using lithium grease, and my Dad as well. I remember my Grandmother complaining that should couldn't get in and out of the car without ruining her dress there was so much grease on the car. I would still use is, mostly because I probably have some. If I don't, I will get a can of the spray the next time I am over there. They also sell anti-corrosion washers, which I guess you put over the terminals before you clamp on the connectors. I don't know what they are, but they cost less than a dollar. If they are the right kind of metal, the corrosion could collect on the washer instead of the connector, but I don't know.

LMHmedchem

 

[Exproblems]

They also sell anti-corrosion washers, which I guess you put over the terminals before you clamp on the connectors. I don't know what they are, but they cost less than a dollar. If they are the right kind of metal, the corrosion could collect on the washer instead of the connector, but I don't know.

LMHmedchem

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Yes, they do sell those matted, felt like material, anti-corrosion washers. Slide right down over the battery post. I used them a long time ago, 15 years or more. Think they are soaked in some kind of anti-corrosion chemical. They only last so long and then dry up. I don't recall ever seeing metallic anti-corrosion washers but that doesn't mean there aren't any out there.

 

[Geologist]

My vote is and always will be with an Optima Yellow Top.

 

[RickM]

I'm surprised you go with yellow tops as they are deep cycle and not ideally suited for typical automobile usage. AFAIK the red tops are designed for "civilian" use.

Unfortunately Optimas are a real pain to recharge after they go dead. Unsuspecting owners give up on them as you need to really hit them with alot of amperage, for an extended period of time, to revive. That said they nice as they're sealed and can run in any position. Some Costco stores carry them at a decent price.


Vaseline has been used for as long as I can remember and works fine to protect the assembled post/connector.

 

[Geologist]

I have used yellow tops for over 10 years, in every vehichle I have owned. Why they are not considered ideal is beyond me, they are pretty bullet proof batteries designed to be able to be repeatedly drained and recharged with minimal risk of permanant baterry damage. They also hold up very well in -30 Farenheith conditions.

 

[RickM]

Instead of going from memory here's an excerpt from a great site on the subject:

Quote from www.batteryfaq.org... 7.1.10. Can Deep Cycle Batteries Used As Starting Batteries?

Some things to consider in using a motive deep cycle (or Marine/RV Dual Purpose) battery as a starting battery are:

* Is it the same battery type as your OEM starting battery? This is so that your vehicle's charging system will keep it fully charged. Typically, deep cycle batteries require higher charging voltages than car batteries. Please see Section 7.1 for more on battery types and Section 5.4 and testing.

* Will the battery produce enough current to start the engine in the coldest temperatures that you start your engine in?

* Will it fit, will the lugs (terminals) match the battery posts and will the battery cables be long enough to connect to the correct battery posts?

* Can you afford to get stuck some cold morning until you can jump start your vehicle if it does not have the capacity to start you engine?

* Is the battery fresh and in good condition? Depending on the temperature and battery type, a battery has been sitting around for weeks or months without a charge has probably sulfated. If the battery has sulfated, please see Section 16.

If the answer to these questions is yes, then it should work. However, it might crank the engine slower or not last as long as a starting battery for this application, due of the high under hood temperatures and shallower discharges. There have been other examples where a wet motive deep cycle batteries have lasted over ten years. Fully recharge the deep cycle battery with an external charger first and have it tested at an auto parts or battery store. If good, then try it and monitor the SoC and electrolyte levels for the the first few months for proper charging. If the State-of-Charge is continuously low, the battery is being undercharged and sulfate will gradually build up, thus reducing the capacity of the battery and causing it to prematurely fail. If it is using a lot of water, then it is being overcharged and can prematurely fail.

 

[RickM]

BTW, WalMart batteries are made by Exide, Delphi or Johnson Controls.

Here's everything you ever wanted to know about batteries: http://www.battteryfaq.org

For a list of who makes what, choose "Battery Manufacturers and Brand Names List"

 

[Geologist]

Quote from the Optima website page that recommends the Yellow Top for Explorers.

YellowTop: Dual-purpose starting and deep cycle battery. Provides engine starting power plus deep cycle capacity to support multiple accessories , demanding electrical systems , and vehicles without alternators.


Basically, it is not your run of the mill deep cycle.

 

[RickM]

Not to start a pissing match but....I'm familiar with the Optima site and the recommendation is that the yellow top be utilized in an "SUV' when making use of very deep draw accessories such as winches, lifts, light bars and other high current demanding equipment. If that's the profile of every vehicle you own then you've made a good choice.

Bottom line is that deep-cycle batteries are not ideally suited for the typical vehicle with their "shallow" draw and limited "per cycle" discharge behavior. If I'm not mistaking Optima's recommendation for the typical Explorer is the Red Top.

IMO, the fact that the yellow top is a Dual-Purpose battery brings with it inherent performance trade-offs. It's not the best deep-draw battery and it's not the best "starting" battery.

Again, just my opinion...no offense intended.

 

[Geologist]

The Optima site does not recommend one over the other, it simply lists either as a suitable replacement for the Explorer, I should have been more clear on that apparently.

I will not dispute that there may be some trade off, as the specs do indicate this is true, but I will say they are negligible. Here is some objective evidence for starting power:

1968 Chevy Camaro 427 big block with 10.5:1 compression, Yellow top starts it just fine.
1970 Dodge Challenger 440 big block with 11:1 compression, Yellow top starts it just fine.
If what you are driving is harder to start than either of these, you probably are not driving it on the road.

As for deep cycling, I was sent on a business trip that ended up being over 6 months. When I returned to my secondary vehichle, which had been sitting in -20 Farenheight for the majority of that time, I realized the cell phone charger had been plugged in the entire time (has a little light that doesn't draw much power, but over 6 months will kill a battery). I put the battery on a 10 Amp charger I got from NAPA, and the next morning drove the truck to work. The Yellow Top bounced back to the normal voltage and, when I sold the vehichle 2 years later, it was still going strong.

Bottom line is, any battery that cannot do ALL of the things listed above would not get my vote.

 

[Geologist]

After reading the entire post, it looks like you got a great deal on a battery, LMHmedchem.
My dad was also a mechanic, and I observed him using lithium grease also btw.