Melted battery post

[Herby D]

I was out playin yesterday and experienced a melt-down..I raised the seat and a gassy smoke nearly gagged me..I grabbed a cresent wrench but the nut was welded to the post so I disconnected the other end..When trying to disconnect the smoking terminal, I noticed a little play as the lug turned in the lead post..I assume the loose lug is what caused the bad connection..I've repaired the post by sawing off the welded nut and loose lug..Instead of tapping a new hole and puttin in a new lug, I cut the end off the cable and crimped on an auto type terminal and attached it over the lead post...It works great, but, I'm getting a puddle of battery acid around the base of the post..The battery isn't over filled and I never fill the batteries until they have a full charge..Even without being on the charger, acid still accumulates around the base of the post and battery surface..I think I may have loosened the lead post when I was trying to remove the welded nut..

Is it possible to re-seal the post where it goes into the battery..The battery is a US 2200 ? I thought it could have been a bad seal on the 'Speedycap', but I switched it with one on a dry battery and still have the acid leak..Any help is appreciated...

[radioman]

I would clean the acid from the post area good with a little water and baking soda and make sure there is no grease around the post. Then I would get a tube of a good high temp RTV and seal the area around the leak and let it cure before using cart again. Worth a try. If the post still gets hot when you run the cart you may have a internal connection problem too and the battery will need to be replaced eventually. I am sure some other solutions from others will pop up.

[yurtle]

I've sealed car batteries with JB weld, but that was just the case. I'm not sure how well it will bond to the post. The silicon sealer mentioned above would remain flexible, in case the post is loose and moving around. The epoxy might tighten it up if it's loose, assuming it will bond to lead.

[simple man]

Silicone should do the trick! I would not use baking soda to clean as if acid leaks out, the post is now loose in the case and you could get some of the baking soda solution into the battery cell. This would not be good at all for the battery!
I would clean the area around the post with plain water, remove the battery fill cap (prevents pressure buildup), cover the open cells with a damp rag, dry the area you just cleaned, and apply the silicone. Leave it sit overnight (or as long as the instructions say). Do Not charge the batteries until the sealer has cured and you have replaced the fill cap! The silicone won't last forever, but then neither will the battery!