My battery post broke/melted off - Why?

[teecro]

As you can see by the post above there may be some who prefer to solder, and some who prefer crimp and those who prefer that both be performed. I prefer the torch method simply as its an inexpensive common tool that many of us keep on hand, whereas a proper crimp requires a very specific and uncommon tool.

[NCPW]

I prefer a good mechanical crimp with no solder and a good adhesive lined shrink tube to keep the elements out.

[Fairtax4me]

Originally Posted by teecro

As you can see by the post above there may be some who prefer to solder, and some who prefer crimp and those who prefer that both be performed. I prefer the torch method simply as its an inexpensive common tool that many of us keep on hand, whereas a proper crimp requires a very specific and uncommon tool.

What he said ^.
Either way works. For a stock setup a crimped connection is fine. The current draw from a stock motor is not so much that it will stress a properly crimped connection, but having a proper crimp tool is a must.

Most people have a propane torch, and a solder connection is easy to make.


If you're using a corrosion inhibitor, it needs to cover the ENTIRE battery terminal and the cable end, both top and bottom. Also Both terminal and cable end need to be 100% shiny clean metal before applying any sort of corrosion inhibitor.
I prefer spray on grease type products, because when sprayed on properly, they wick all the way around the connection and terminal.
Permatex makes a good product for this. It sprays on fairly thin, then dries to a thick grease that stays in place for a long time.
Avoid any product that dries to a paint like finish. The dried material will crack from vibration and temperature changes.

As I said before, be sure to rinse the batteries off every few weeks. Any dust or dirt that is on top of the battery will attract moisture which can attract and hold the gases that are emitted from the battery during use and during charging. That damp layer of dirt on top of the battery is conductive, and will allow current to pass between the posts, which will cause galvanic corrosion of the terminals, and will also cause the batteries to discharge faster when not being used.