Blue Board vs fumes

How does bare blue board (insulating board) stand up to being a battery compartments walls?
will the fumes eat it alive or does it have some longevity.?
Disassembling my old battery box and what a toxic mess of fumes, stains, wrong wore used for cables and insulation falling apart you name it. Boy they really mean it when they call that first set of batteries a learning set
mike
will the fumes eat it alive or does it have some longevity.?
Disassembling my old battery box and what a toxic mess of fumes, stains, wrong wore used for cables and insulation falling apart you name it. Boy they really mean it when they call that first set of batteries a learning set
mike
Comments
Even is it did stand up to the fumes, it is very flammable. Look in the Home Depot/Lowes for the white fiberglass board.
Here is one thread were I posted the acid resistance of various materials. Scroll down a couple posts.
-Bill
thanks for your serious help!
mike
based on your sulfuric acid chart...what do we use for nuts and bolts? I had though stainless steel hardware would be good but apparently not or is there another grade?
mike
I don't know how big your battery enclosure is, but I have 4 T-105s (Used to be 6 l-16's) in a under the counter (vented) compartment that has pink styro-foam (same as blue essentially) and it is fine, fire resistance not with standing. The insulating board keeps the battery temp fairly constant, and insulates the sound of the fan, so I almost don't hear it.
Tony
Looks like silicon bronze bolts, nuts, and washers is the best "common" material for battery terminals. Concord AGM batteries use silicon bronze hardware.
From what I have read--it looks like Brass is not a good choice. Brass is typically Copper+Zinc and the Zinc can be leached/etched out of the hardware by the acid.
Also, another reason for keeping batteries clean and use some form of coating/passivating paste on the battery terminals to keep the acid away from the electrical connections.
-Bill
Or do both
Silicon Brass hardware ain't expensive or hard to find. ANything I cann do to minimize the creeping green goop growth is good!
I had one nut I had to remove with vise grips it was 50% eaten away.
Now again these were very old , very cheap t105 so I may be overreacting a bit:)
mike
Battery terminal spray or grease works pretty well to keep terminals and cable ends clean in my experience. I have also used felt pads under automotive clamps with some good effect.
Tony
Almost any grease. Even Vasoline. Felt pads should be oiled.
I'd be concerned about why you're getting all this corrosion. Too high charge rate? Bad ventilation? Salt-water or very humid atmosphere? It just shouldn't be happening even with ordinary steel bolts. Sounds like the acid is actually bubbling up out of the cells and getting all over the top of the batteries.
Mine are insulated with polyurethane foam panels. Vented, remote temp sensor for the charge controller. Nothing special about the connectors and no corrosion anywhere.
I have to agree with ..coot,
My plywood battery box is lined with white Styro insulation, fastened using ring-shank nails through zinc plated fender washers (for the lid), and just glued to the sides elsewhere.
Surrette supplied SS bolts, nuts and locks for attachment of the battery cables. Used Vasoline on the Flag terminals. There are two screened 4-inch inlet vents, low, at the far end of the box, and 4X12 inch outlet at top of the other end of the box. There has been NO noticeable corrosion or deterioration of any of these components over 5.5 years of service.
I do wash the battery tops with a dilute solution of Sodium bicarbonate, followed by a DI water rinse to keep things more sanitary.
Of course, YMMV Vic
I think my problem is very old well used batteries before I ever got them then riding them hard myself...not to mention the high humidity.
mike
A simple switch to AGM batteries will end your corrosion problems
Larry
This is true! The cost is coming down to where you can get now get about 1/2 the cycles for twice the price. They are getting cheaper but tell me when they last over ten years!
To the OP, this should not be happening if, you use the great batteries, you set the charge times with a specific gravity measurement (no more time or voltage than needed), and you have enough solar or charge source so that you go thru the cycle times quickly. Green/blue terminals are usually from batteries that are in bulk /absorb too long and usually because there is not enough solar for your loads and charging. You should be in float after you eat your lunch most days.
15 minutes a month for maintenance! No deep cycles! No more than one parallel string or go up in battery size. Guaranteed to last over ten years
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