Extreme Corrosion or Bolt Sauce?!

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

How about an electrical meter and fixing the parasitic draw. Quick fixes cant always be found on Google. If you mean cor·ro·sion ...... use the word.

A meter isn't necessary. Put a 12 (or 6) volt bulb between either battery post and the cable. Turn on (or off) each possible draw. (Headlights, if equipped). Pull fuses to narrow the cause.

As for corrosion: conventional lead-acid batteries continually "out-gas". The out-gassing condenses on top of the battery, such that an indicator (such as the placement of a penny) will show corrosion overnight! Clean the battery top with baking soda, and keep the battery caps depressed.

As for the terminals: I've had excellent luck using ordinary "axle" grease; it's messy, but smeared over every metal part of the battery posts, exposed cable ends and clamps/connectors, the grease keeps those parts in such good shape, I've had to replace them only after they've run out of adjustment (after routine exchanges of batteries).

One would think grease would act like an insulator, but the clamps always make long-lasting connections. (And you may have to grease these parts only once during your entire ownership of the boat or auto). Those red and green rings won't hurt, but they'll get greasy, so their effectiveness may diminish.