RE: Lifting batteries

[roden ald net]

"Naugler, Steve" <SNaugler Rodel com> write:

> Can onyone accureately answer these questions: 1.  Is this no lifting by
> terminal post an old wive's tale? 

No.  In my case it's a middle-aged man's tale.  <g>  For years (I have 
owned on-road electric vehicles for about 10 years) I assumed that 
terminal corrosion from acid seepage was normal.  I read this 
suggestion (to avoid lifting by terminals) recently, that is within the 
last 
couple of years, so I haven't had a chance to make a long-term test of 
how well it works.  

I *will* say that I have a large quantity of East Penn valve-regulated gel 
batteries right now, and I absolutely will *not* lift them by the posts; 
sealing is *extremely* important with VR batteries.  Fortunately, they 
have semi-permanently attached lifting handles.

2.  Did Exide make a major boo boo in supplying these lifting handles?
3.  Or are the Exide batteries different somehow than most other batteries?

Hard to say.  I have not owned Exide batteries in many years.  

Maybe Exide has great confidence in the durability of their terminal 
post sealer.  Maybe the Exide terminals and sealer are designed to 
withstand the stress of the Exide lifter.  

Or maybe Exide doesn't consider it an important issue.  With a flooded 
battery, leakage around the posts isn't fatal, just inconvenient (because 
it increases the need for periodic disassembly and cleaning).  I prefer 
to avoid it if possible, however.

By the way, it's also a good idea to use two wrenches when you 
tighten your terminals, so as not to put too much lateral stress on the 
posts.  That can have the same effect as lifting the battery by them.

"Max Hall" <maxo iname com> wrote:

> HEY! Just because this hoo-ha about lifting batteries was part of an 
> old quote in an email from me doesn't mean I wrote it! 

Oops!  Sorry Max, I didn't mean to misquote you.


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