Battery Terminal ?

[speaceman]

**I figured I might as well start to learn to post things in the right forums

My red terminal corroded to the point that when I was trying to loosen it in order to clean off the corrosion, the tightening screw/nut broke off.

As a result, the terminal is stuck on the battery post, and I have a feeling I'm going to be needing a new battery very soon (5+ years old and starting to take a long time to crank the engine).

My question is, do I take the quick and dirty route and just cut the terminal off, and get one of those do it yourself screw on terminals, the ones where you clamp and tighten down on the end of the cut wire?

Or do you guys recommend me finding a place to properly fix/install a replacement terminal?

I'm kind of tight on time recently, so option 1 sounds okay to me, but I'm a bit scared since it seems like one more thing to loosen up on the jeep.

[Robert J. Yates]

My take is that while you can do option one for the short term, you really need a fully soldered terminal connection for long term duability. Don't you have a gel cel type battery yet Shalom? That will get rid of the corrosion problem once and for all.

[speaceman]

That was what I was kind of figuring.

As for a gell type battery, it's always been on the list. I figured I'd get around to it when the stock battery finally died.

Who knew the stock battery would have lasted this long? The most I've ever gotten out of a stock battery was 3 years.

I guess I'll start calling around for prices.

[TObject]

Would you like another, slightly used, stock battery for free?

[Robert J. Yates]

Shalom, ping Garry or Jeff Weston for the addy of an online battery store with great pricing.

[speaceman]

Will do, thanks for the heads up. I'm hoping the battery holds out a couple more days. I don't have time to deal with this until after this weekend.

[Jerry Bransford]

Robert, what gel cell battery are you referring to? The true gel cell batteries I'm aware of are not normally considered a good starting battery due to their high internal resistance which also makes them a poor choice for winching. Their typically high internal resistance limits their ability to provide high amperes on demand or absorb a high charging rate from a charging system. We use gel cell batteries at work but in small electric vehicles like the elderly or disabled use. Plus not all automotive charging systems are compatible with a true gel cell battery, we have to use special chargers for our gel cells.

[Jeff Weston]

I got my Odyssey from Battery Web . They were super cool and got the battery to me real quick. Unlike most batteries, the Odyssey can go through normal UPS shipping.

http://www.batteryweb.com/odyssey.cfm

I have the 1200MJT. It's smaller than the optima, has a steel case instead of plastic, has better battery terminals (brass, not lead, with terminal posts with screw tops on top). The only thing to note is that the battery terminals are on reversed of most batteries, though my stock cables still reach with no problem.

I don't know if it's any better than an Optima (Blaine and Garry would probably know), but it's been working fine for me.

[Paradiddle]

Jeff's is right about Olson Johnson being right...

I picked up a new house battery for my RV from batteryweb.com - the BEST prices on Odyssey's - I've been told they are below jobber rate.

Anyway - I also run an Odyssey in the XJ.

Jeff

[speaceman]

I was running errands at Costco today and noticed that they sell optima red tops for $99.

First of all, is this a resonable price? ( I think they sell for this much pretty much everywhere, no?)

And secondly, what is everyone's opinion on the red top?

Still going to call the above mail order place also, just exploring all options before doing so.

(Costco would be a simple solution due to the convienience because it is right down the street).

Thanks for the info.

[Jeff Weston]

Shalom,

I got six good years in three different Jeeps out of my Red Top. My dad had a Yellow Top go bad in less than two years. Who's to say how long any individual battery will last? For the price and convenience, the $99 Red Top doesn't seem like a bad way to go. I'd probably do that before spending the extra $50 to $75 on a Yellow Top for your ZJ. How much winching do you do? It seems to me that most pulls seem to be pretty short anyway. I can only guess that the long pulls that really tax batteries happen in mud.

[speaceman]

Seeing as how my grand doesn't even have a winch yet, and most likely won't, that is certainly not a consideration for me.

Thanks for the info though. I'll keep it in mind. I have to make a decision one way or the other, very soon. My jeep barely cranked over today. I'm pretty sure I only have a couple of days left.

I may just head over to costco after work today, as well as, pick up one of those screw on terminals so I have everything ready for when the battery finally dies. At least I won't be stuck in the driveway if I do it that way.

[Robert J. Yates]

Jerry,
I was speaking generically in answer to your question. Maybe the tearm sealed would have been more appropriate.

Shalom, thats not a bad deal for a redtop - make sure you get the warranty paperwork. My experience with Optima is the same as Jeff's dad - which is why I now run an Oddessey.

[SavageSun4x4]

[QUOTE=Robert J. Yates;Don't you have a gel cel type battery yet Shalom? That will get rid of the corrosion problem once and for all.[/QUOTE]
Robert,
Explain please? I think I know why, but am not sure.

[mrblaine]

Originally Posted by SavageSun4x4

Robert,
Explain please? I think I know why, but am not sure.

The AGM style batteries are closed to the atmosphere with the exception of a valve to vent gases at high charge rates.

The electrolyte is also captured by a glass mat that keeps it in place, thus the very limited mounting orientation restrictions.

If you don't leak electrolyte and it doesn't migrate out from under the caps, your corrosion issues go away.

Some may report a bit of corrosion after switching to a "sealed" battery, but it's typically left-over from improper cleaning of the terminals after running a non sealed battery.

[SavageSun4x4]

Originally Posted by mrblaine

The AGM style batteries are closed to the atmosphere with the exception of a valve to vent gases at high charge rates.

The electrolyte is also captured by a glass mat that keeps it in place, thus the very limited mounting orientation restrictions.

If you don't leak electrolyte and it doesn't migrate out from under the caps, your corrosion issues go away.

Some may report a bit of corrosion after switching to a "sealed" battery, but it's typically left-over from improper cleaning of the terminals after running a non sealed battery.

Thanks Blaine...this is what I was thinking, but was not positive. Of course I grew up with a box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in the garage.

[speaceman]

5 years.

We're all getting old.

[TObject]

Originally Posted by speaceman

5 years.

We're all getting old.

I joined AARP for giggles. But then I tried to cancel the membership ? unpossible.

[Rockjeep]

Originally Posted by Jeff Weston

I got my Odyssey from Battery Web . They were super cool and got the battery to me real quick. Unlike most batteries, the Odyssey can go through normal UPS shipping.

http://www.batteryweb.com/odyssey.cfm

I have the 1200MJT. It's smaller than the optima, has a steel case instead of plastic, has better battery terminals (brass, not lead, with terminal posts with screw tops on top). The only thing to note is that the battery terminals are on reversed of most batteries, though my stock cables still reach with no problem.

I don't know if it's any better than an Optima (Blaine and Garry would probably know), but it's been working fine for me.

You did know that odyssey battery is in corona right.

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by Rockjeep

You did know that odyssey battery is in corona right.

I am sure that someone may have told him in the past 5 years.

[TObject]

I don't get it. I am sure there is an Odyssey battery in Corona. What are we talking about?

[mrblaine]

Originally Posted by TObject

I don't get it. I am sure there is an Odyssey battery in Corona. What are we talking about?

He's talking about West Coast Battery, who used to be in Garden Grove or some other god forsaken hell hole industrial complex and then Moved to Corona so I would have to drive further to get batteries.

[TObject]

Ah, I see. Thank you. Ok, coincidentally, West Coast Batteries Inc. also runs the odysseybatteries.com web site. It all makes sense now.