RE: [SilverStreak] Newbie battery question

["Ken Wilson" <ke5dfr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For years I have applied a coating of grease to my battery terminals when I 
install a battery.  I generally use the bearing grease that is in the grease gun.  
This practice was taught to me by my Dad.  It is also a good idea to put a thin 
film on light bulb bases.

Ken

Ken Wilson
KE5DFR
Cypress, Texas

-----Original Message-----
From: sslist-admin@tompatterson.com [mailto:sslist-admin@tompatterson.com] On Behalf Of Eddie
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 6:42 PM
To: sslist@tompatterson.com
Subject: Re: [SilverStreak] Newbie battery question

Al,
That is totally incorrect. Grease is a hydrocarbon. It promotes conductivity 
and it conducts electricity not much differently than the carbon brushes in 
your electric drill or blender. There are specialized greases for sensitive 
contact connections, which lead lugs to lead lugs are not, that are even 
designed for specific types of metals. There is dielectric grease and 
others. Your CPU processor must have a white grease beneath it to conduct 
heat and that grease is constantly improved upon. It is basically a grease 
with extremely fine aluminum powder in it. Without that grease your 
processor would instantly burn up.

You are correct that grease should be liberally applied as a protective 
coating over the completed assembly. You are totally incorrect to believe 
the grease will interfere with the contact of the concealed lead to lead 
connection. It will do three things and they are; Promote the electrical 
contact connection, Totally prevent the inevitable seepage of acid corrosion 
between the tapered post and tapered lug, and Allow the soft metal to move 
while tightening forming a uniform shape to shape mating.

You can see the application in most every automotive 1157 and 1156 bulb on 
any modern vehicle including your own. Simply remove a bulb and you will see 
the industry learned in 1983 to apply a bulb grease to the entire bulb base 
and socket. Bulb grease is available everywhere and no bulb including the 
1995 and up pin-based bulbs should ever be installed without the grease. 
Prior to the greasing of bulb bases, a constant corrosion occurred to the 
base and bulb causing a loss of ground connection as well a B+ contact. As 
the connection was lost, the socket heated up ruining the socket components.

Advising and reminding the good people of this forum to take the little 
extra and messy step of greasing everything from batteries to bulbs, rubber 
hoses that connect to radiators, their trailer connectors, and much more is 
proper, correct, and professional. I am no expert, but I am a professional 
and I would be totally remiss to participate in this forum, with people I 
care about, have never and probably will never meet, but not share such a 
simple and basic knowledge.

It is no big deal, I am not special, and I really don't care if you choose 
to "do it your way". People get tired, don't want to bother, or just hate 
the mess. That is absolutely ok with me, but if my old grandpa was here, 
he'd make you take it all back apart and do it right. This is nothing new.

-Eddie-
Houston, TX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <waymark1@juno.com>
To: <sslist@tompatterson.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: [SilverStreak] Newbie battery question


> Protective coatings like grease should be applied AFTER the connection is 
> made. If grease is applied before the connection is made, it may interfere 
> with the contact.
> At Walmart you will find both deep discharge cycle and combination 
> starting/deep cycle batteries that have both wingnut and post terminals. 
> Other suppliers have them too.
> Al