I cleaned my batteries only last week because they were showing leakage, white powder which dripped down and built up on the fender well. I cleaned all of that up but, now only a week later it's all back again. Only it's worse this time because both batteries are now doing it. I even coat them with grease. Both batteries have never done this before and I'm always in there checking and cleaning the terminals and connectors when needed.

 

So what gives with this? New batteries? Thank you for any thoughts, Mike

Edited October 11, 201410 yr by JAG1

Personally I coat everything in engine oil. Grease is absolutely messy next time you lean your arm on the battery or your chest. (Yuck!)

 

As for the boil over you need to verify the voltage of the batteries and make sure they are not over charging. Might check for error codes (battery temp sensor). Might pull the driver side battery out and check the battery temperature sensor for damage. This is what controls the charge rate of the alternator. The colder the battery the more voltage and the warmer the battery the lower the voltage. This prevents the alternator from over-charging the batteries causing the boil over.

  Thank you Michael Nelson. White powder is occurring with the truck sitting all week. No charging. Weird!

 

Could it be a shorted cell doing all the boil out off the other battery feeding it?

I like the felt anti corrosion washers myself, have been using them for 20+ years and have had no corrosion issues on any of my equipment no matter what it is. No mess from oils grease or those ugly spray on protectants.

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Duralast-Anti-corrosion-washers/_/N-25jo?itemIdentifier=8170_0_0_

Think I have it solved.

It's got to be my other battery charger overcharging the two batteries as the other charger is performing as it should (amperes slowly going down) with no boil out at all. The overcharger as I now call it, had the wires cut and extended so the sensing is caput making it overcharge the batts.

Thanks all.

Edited October 11, 201410 yr by JAG1

Personally I coat everything in engine oil. Grease is absolutely messy next time you lean your arm on the battery or your chest. (Yuck!)

 

As for the boil over you need to verify the voltage of the batteries and make sure they are not over charging. Might check for error codes (battery temp sensor). Might pull the driver side battery out and check the battery temperature sensor for damage. This is what controls the charge rate of the alternator. The colder the battery the more voltage and the warmer the battery the lower the voltage. This prevents the alternator from over-charging the batteries causing the boil over.

Aside from a kicked error code, are there other ways to test the battery temp sensor, ohm readings etc. ?

Update....

 

I found that when the rv umbilicle cord is hooked to the truck, that is when the lead oxide or fast corrosion develops. I think something is wrong,  like a leak to grounding inside rv wiring or cord. Will have to trace it down.

 

All I know is there's no corrosion when rv is disconnected.

Edited December 18, 201410 yr by JAG1

Assuming the RV is plugged into 120VAC as well. The RV converter might be bad and boiling your batteries out. Double check the function of the RV converter.

_{mix up some  baking soda in water and    hose  down the whole mess,   fenderwells,  batts...  everything.   won't fix  the problem,  but   will  keep  corrosion  at  bay.}

Edited December 18, 201410 yr by rancherman

_{mix up some  baking soda in water and    hose  down the whole mess,   fenderwells,  batts...  everything.   won't fix  the problem,  but   will  keep  corrosion  at  bay.}

 

I advise against this...

 

Good way to kill your batteries without knowing it. What happens in most start out with a warm batteries and mix up baking soda and op it on everything. The rinse it off with a cold water garden hose. What happens next is the battery creates a mild vacuum and draws in a few drops of baking soda solution into the battery cells. So doing this a few times you will kill your batteries in a short span. I normally take a plastic brush and water scrub the loose stuff off and the clean it up with a wire brush getting the lead shiny again. Then treat it with engine oil.

 

Q: What is the only materials that sulphuric acid will not eat?

 

A: Plastic and Glass

 

Q: What is plastic made from?

 

A: Oil...

So,  do it  when the  battery is cool.   Or  rinse  with hot water.   No big deal.   

 

 The  main thing is  to  get plenty on so  the battery tray, and supporting  sheet metal is   neutralized.   

I like the felt anti corrosion washers myself, have been using them for 20+ years and have had no corrosion issues on any of my equipment no matter what it is. No mess from oils grease or those ugly spray on protectants.

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Duralast-Anti-corrosion-washers/_/N-25jo?itemIdentifier=8170_0_0_

 

Yep,   I've  used  'Battery Wip'    a few times...  it works,  but  somehow always  ends up  under my arms..   maybe I should not  drag my arms  over the batt?

I'm  the most  prone person to handle  sticky, greasy, stainy  type  substances  on planet Earth.      RTV,  caulking,  paint, glue,  and  anti seize  are my  worst  things to handle..  I'll have it  EVERYWHERE.

i use a coke. carry one in the older toyota and it'll clean terminals faster then anything i've found yet. 20+ years hasnt hurt anything yet. but who knows maybe i've been doing it wrong for that long.

_{mix up some  baking soda in water and    hose  down the whole mess,   fenderwells,  batts...  everything.   won't fix  the problem,  but   will  keep  corrosion  at  bay.}

Great minds think alike!    I do this very thing plus I soak the battery lead terminals in a heavy solution of hot water and baking soda as well.  The baking soda solution migrates up the battery cable and prevents the strands of copper in the cable from corroding.  You would be amazed at the amount of acid contamination in the areas around the battery.  You can hear the sizzle as soon as you pour the baking soda solution on it.  Most batteries have the 2 piece caps that snap on 3 battery cells at a time and don't leak any baking soda solution into the battery.  I do NOT rinse the baking soda solution off afterwards but allow it to dry in place so it can further protect the sheet metal as the battery out gases which is a normal process.  Once the battery terminals are dry, I shoot them with a nice coat of spray battery terminal protector. 

i use a coke. carry one in the older toyota and it'll clean terminals faster then anything i've found yet. 20+ years hasnt hurt anything yet. but who knows maybe i've been doing it wrong for that long.

So that's why my teeth are gone

 

I did take the batteries out and neutralized everything that had the white powder. It worked great.

 

Now I want to say thanks to all for the advice

 

The corrosion only happened one time and that's when the built in battery charger in the truck, yes, truck has it's own charger, was turned on with the camper hooked up. Never when camper isn't hooked up. So I believe the truck charger kept pumping and pumping to no avail from a ground leak somewhere in the rv.. This a good thing actually since I never thought about it till recently that my rv charger takes way too long to fully charge up the two rv batts There something crossed up in the rv and will need to trace it down.

 

Now... want to say... you guys save some Christmas cookies for when the company comes.  You wolf 'em all down and the wife that made' em will turn from a sweet Mrs. Clause to everything short of a mean divorce attorney and you'll never get that new part for your truck.

 

Merry Christmas all you.

Edited December 19, 201410 yr by JAG1

I had an old timer teach me to put a penny in the little groove of the battery caps.  It doesn't rattle around much and has been good at keeping the posts and wires clean.  When the penny gets bad just replace it.  They have yet to rattle out of place and I beat the heck out my truck.  Just my $.02, no pun intended. Or was it???

Edited March 28, 201510 yr by Deadbus

I had an old timer reach me to put a penny in the little groove of the battery caps.  It doesn't rattle around much and has been good at keeping the posts and wires clean.  When the penny gets bad just replace it.  They have yet to rattle out of place and I beat the heck out my truck.  Just my $.02, no pun intended. Or was it???

 

http://www.livescience.com/32401-whats-a-penny-made-of.html

So just like on ships and boat in the ocean they use zinc blocks to prevent oxidation of metals. Your solution is cheap only cost a few cents.

Bingo.  We called 'em sacrificial anodes (I was an electrician and responsible for part of the system).

Bingo.  We called 'em sacrificial anodes

They do the same thing to underground gas lines as well.

I have an anode in my trailers how water heater

My wife sometimes calls me 'anode'. I hope I'm not 'sacrificial

 

No...... I used to have a boat with a some 'zincs' as they called  them. I used to watch if there was rapid or slow anode loss as an indication of electrical leaks thru the water. Sometimes it would get more or less rapid.

 

I think part of my problem on the truck may not be a ground leak  but, may be the Excide batteries with a weak casing, leakage between top and sides, as  my other truck battery is doing the same white powder.

 

I have solved it by using a light coat of oil on tops and terminals.

 

I want to try the two cent advice too