Car batteries are just like any other part of your car, requiring a little bit of care and maintenance from time to time to keep things running smoothly.
Battery terminal protector plays a key role in keeping your battery free of corrosion from moisture, salt and road grime. It ensures that it operates at peak performance over a long period of time.
Given how much it costs to replace a car battery completely, it’s definitely in your best interests to keep it in the best condition possible and we’ll discuss how you can do exactly that.
What is battery terminal protector and how does it work?
Battery terminal protector is a dry, lead-free spray that imparts a soft, flexible film over an exposed surface protecting it from moisture and other contaminants that cause corrosion.
It works extremely quickly which means you can too. It makes it an incredibly easy job to check off the car maintenance list.
Why do you need battery terminal protector?
Battery terminal protector helps prevent acid corrosion from forming which is important for a number of reasons.
The first is that corrosion can badly impact the performance of your battery resulting in rough starts or the vehicle not starting at all.
It might also prevent you from getting maximum current flow from your battery and may even degrade the battery, reducing its overall battery life.
Applying battery terminal protector - Step by step guide
For the battery terminal protector to work at its best, it should be applied to battery terminals that are already free of corrosion. For that reason, we’ve included in this guide, steps for cleaning the corrosion off your terminals before applying too.
1. Make sure the Engine is turned off
Your car engine should never be running before or during the process of cleaning your car battery terminals.
2. Disconnect the negative terminal first, then disconnect the positive
The negative terminal is your ground terminal so should always be disconnected first to avoid any chance of causing sparks. Be sure to avoid contact between the disconnected terminals and posts.
3. Apply battery maintenance or battery corrosion cleaner
Using a reputable battery maintenance spray, shake well before applying liberally on the areas in and around the terminals. The foam that forms will attack the acid corrosion that’s damaging the terminals. You can then brush the acid corrosion off with a toothbrush.
4. Rinse thoroughly
Once clean, be sure to rinse the areas thoroughly before drying with a towel.
5. Reconnect positive terminal first, followed by the negative
Once the terminals are dry you can reconnect them, this time going in the opposite order that you disconnected by connecting the positive terminal first.
6. Spray battery with battery terminal protector
Spray your clean terminals with your battery terminal protector. The film that forms will keep your terminals protected from acid corrosion for a good length of time.
The protector is a yellow colour that will fade over time, conveniently letting you know when it’s time to reapply the protector again.
Getting the most out of your batteries, quickly and easily
As you can see, maintaining your batteries can be done quickly and easily with the right products by your side.
By doing so, you’ll get better performance from your batteries over a longer period of time avoiding premature and costly replacements.