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Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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suzucan
Anonymous Poster
suzucan@yahoo.com
Sep 9, 2009, 6:49 AM
Post #1 of 10
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Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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Hello. I have a new car battery (from Costco), and the cable clamps in my 95 Honda Civic do not appear to close tight enough to avoid jiggle. The clamps are fine and I've never had any problems with corrosion around the terminals with my older batteries. Perhaps the new battery's terminals are smaller/thinner than standard?
As a fix, I've used aluminum foil to wrap around the battery terminals to allow for a more snug cable clamp fit - the cables no longer move. IS THIS SAFE?
Please advise. Thank you!
Worried DIYer...
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suzucan
Anonymous Poster
suzucan@yahoo.com
Sep 9, 2009, 6:52 AM
Post #2 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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Sorry, forgot the auto details...not sure whether it'll help but...
1995 Honda Civic DX
1.4L
Automatic
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 9, 2009, 10:32 AM
Post #3 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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No, you don't want to do that. You don't get good enough conduction. Just replace the cable ends or the whole cable.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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suzucan
New User
Sep 10, 2009, 6:15 AM
Post #4 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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Thank you!
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Sep 10, 2009, 9:49 AM
Post #5 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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besides, the aluminum foil will probably corrode to nothhing in no time.
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suzucan
New User
Sep 11, 2009, 3:24 AM
Post #6 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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Yes. Maybe I'll consider looking for some lead piping or sheeting to replace the foil.
Thanks.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 11, 2009, 3:36 AM
Post #7 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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They actually used to make lead inserts for loose battery cables but it's long gone now I'm sure. You no doubt need new cable ends or whole cables to really fix this,
T
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Sep 11, 2009, 9:19 AM
Post #8 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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You could possibly remove (file or sand off) some of the lead from the two surfaces where the terminal clamps together. That will allow it to clamp tighter.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 11, 2009, 12:04 PM
Post #9 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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Again - battery cables aren't lead anymore for what I see out there. There are good make-your-own ends or whole cables in whole. Lead being a dirty word today this car probably doesn't have lead cables. Pic below.
95 Honda probably is the lower type and they can stink! Servicing a battery is a lost art when all kinds of stuff was available to recondition that - reem out tools and inserts (there was a day you replaced just one cell!)- not availalbe now TMK. Not a sponsor and I don't care but NAPA could be you best bet for the fix with this!
T
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Sep 11, 2009, 12:09 PM)
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 11, 2009, 3:18 PM
Post #10 of 10
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Re: Is Aluminum Foil safe on Battery Terminals?
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Wow..... Lots of backyarder tricks here........
Ok... here's mine. Just take the battery terminals off & put them back on upside down......
And no, just cuz their tight, doesn't mean it's fixed.....
Tom G has the right idea and even illustrated it for you.
(This post was edited by Sidom on Sep 11, 2009, 3:23 PM)
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