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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Battery ' fungus'

Before I clean up the battery retaining bar to remove the 'fungus', I hope someone can answer a couple of points:

why does the 'fungus' grow around the posts and retaining bar?

whats the best method of cleaning up?

how can I prevent it occuring again?

I have heard its more prevelant on cars with dynamos - why is this?

Thanks in anticipation of forthcoming help.

Doug


Doug Plumb

Probably lead sulphate on the posts and iron sulphate on the bar - from acid overspill/fumes from the battery cells.

Clean up with water and re-paint the steel; vaseline on the posts.

Maybe more prevalent on dynamo cars since a badly adjusted regulator will cause battery to overcharge and expel gas/fumes. Alternator packs regulate the volts and charging amps much better.

A
Anthony Cutler

On a side note, isn't that retaining bar awfully close to the terminals?
Trevor Jessie

it looks from the pic that the battery terminal clamps are so close to the bar that the whole lot is likely to go up in smoke; That's a drastic way of fixing the fungus problem !
David Smith

That probably explains the "furr" across the bar. The furr is where current has been flowing through liquid - usually moisture and condensed battery acid fumes. It's quite normal on the terminals (unless you coat them in battery post grease - petroleom grease or vasoline). I bet the liquid has collected along the edge of the securing rail and caused it to conduct between the battery posts.

Ant
Ant Allen

I think you can get the bar on 2-ways. It has a longer edge and a shorter edge. 1 way (like the pic) has the long side on the top. You can get it on with the shorter side on the top so further away from the terminals.

This is how mine is...

http://www.eatworms.org.uk/album/album2.php?album=midget-Dash&mode=page&index=10
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

my battery terminals are on the other side (back) of the battery
no change of contact with metal
Onno Könemann

Yes you seem to have the wrong battery fitted and so the terminals are forced to the front when you use the existing connections. I think the battery you are using is the 038, (metro Battery) Many people use this battery as it is far cheaper than the original Spridget battery, the number of which eludes me. That said you should fit new wires to it so that the terminals can be placed correctly at the rear and so will not have any chance of a direct short. Just for information if the bracket does short out the posts then expect the battery to explode and cover everything under the bonnet in acid.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Robert
"I think the battery you are using is the 038"

Very observant of you!
Guy Weller

Thank you! :-))
Observation has always been my strong point...........
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

I use the 038 to start the Kseries.

BTW - anyone seen how much batteries have gone up in the last couple of years??!!

A
Anthony Cutler

Made me chuckle Robert! ;-) Cannot get away with anything on the BBS!!
Guy Weller

Thanks for all the comments.

The battery came with the car. I changed the retaining bar for a stainless version and had to releave it by the posts to give clearance but obviously not enough!

Easiest solution would be to follow Dean's advice and turn the bar over. However I seem to recall trying it both ways when I fitted it and found there was no or little difference. It may be necessary to increase the clearance by more drastic releaving by the posts.

Alternatively, turn the battery round and rewire to suit. Is this liable to cause the 'fungus' to then grow on the bulkhead?

Doug

PS in the light of Bob's comment re possible explosion, I have disconnected the battery as I didnt like the thought of acid all over the engine bay


Doug Plumb

The fungus will not form on the bulkhead as it will be nowhere near the posts in comparrison to your clamp. And it is the Standard way for the battery to fit.

Your situation is different to Dean's, you will notice his battery has the posts lower than yours and allows a little more room for the bracket. Also his bracket is different to yours aswell. I think the bracket on Deans car is a copy of the original whereas yours is a repro S/S that would do the job if the correct battery was used I suspect his is also a 038 battery but a different style at the top. If it were me I would continue to use the 038 and simply go down my local motor shop and buy a couple of new battery leads so that you can turn the battery around. Or get an aut electrical place to make you some, or if you know an industrial electrician who can use large crimper then let him make you a couple up.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Also, I think that you will find that the bar you are using will go on without getting too close to the posts if you reverse it end to end. Then position it so that it is "on the angle" like this: <
rather than like this: ¬
The little angled step in one long edge should just fit over the corner of the battery.

Guy
Guy Weller

I have my 'posts against the bulkhead as original, but also have fitted a strip of EPDM (rubber sheet) a couple of milimetres thick between the bulkhead and battery - just to be safe - it also stops any possible corrosion from the battery developing on the bulkhead.
richard boobier

My bracket is the Ashley Hinton variety via Ebay. I'm also using a halfords 038 though clearly of a slightly different vintage/style as the posts are set back as Bob says.

I seem to remember a few years back working out the original should have the posts to the rear. Halfords still list the 038 as the Spridget battery so I think we can squarely blame them ;-)

Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Yes, the original had the posts to the rear. However, as Richard observed, unless you take steps to insulate the bulkhead in that vicinity, there is a tendency for the battery to eat holes through the firewall.
David "Holy Sprite <> Holey Sprite" Lieb
David Lieb

Dean,
When i looked in Halfords i seem to remember the one for Chrome bumper neg earths (44 type i think) are order only items.
The 38 ISTR fits all positive earth and rubber bumpers - (with contacts to bulkhead).

Richard.
richard boobier




I cant belive you have not detonated that battry into a massive taliban explosion, you never want to witiness something like that...I have only seen photos, but its bad

I dont think disconnecting the battry is good enough, you HAVE to remove the bar its self, thats the dangours problem you got, if this hasnt been done, (((PLEASE))) use a face shield and safty glasses, heavy coat, and gloves, and a head towel, and hat, have a "ABC" fire extingisher at the ready, and someone AWAY from the action with the phone to dial 911, If this bar is touching both post, your NOT disconnecting a battry, your disconnectiong a BOMB, think in terms of 2 battrys and reversing the Jumper cable leads....Ba--BOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!

Id be surprised if the battry didnt need replacing, if not now then vary soon.

vary freaky, and your vary lucky, probably to the point that you no longer need to ever gamble agian, as it would be a waste, cause you will never win at anything agian that depends on luck, you used it all up, your mojo is spent and gone...lol


Until this battry is rendered safe with (THE BAR NOT touchng the 2 post), please keep everyone away, esp. children...its one thing to scar and tear up our bodies due to our mistakes, but is wrong to subjuct inocent children, with there whole lives ahead to the same fate, and it seems in this kind of situation, its always the kids that pay the price.

just remember as long as that bar is touching those 2 post you got a live bomb that can denatonate with a simple change in temp and humidity, a spark, or a vibration to the car.


Prop
Prop***The End in 2012



Anyone ever heard of a "sacrificial anode" for a battery? It involves glueing a piece of copper (usually a penny) to the top of the battery somewhere between the 2 posts to "absorb" the stray currents that tend to run across the body of the battery, between the posts. Supposedly prevents corrosion of the posts.
JM Morris

I have the same (or soon to have) set up as you, and yes a similar problem with the retaining bracket.

I was happy to go with the "wrong" battery, I knew that when I got it, however my solution will be to cut/shape 2 nice size half moon shapes around the area of the terminals, or make a new bracket that sits more to the front of the battery, rater than the top.

I intend to glue 2 rubber strips to the bulkhead and use more rubber under the retaining bar itself, My "J" bolts will be too short, but an easy fix.

Clean it all up, make sure you sit the battery on the plastic battery tray, protect your bulkhead from the battery, cut your braket to gain clearance re-connect and vasaline the terminals, and see how it all looks.
Jim Stewart

here is what I did with my battry tie down, hard to explain it,

its a piece of angled alumiinum across the front and held with machine thread eye hole screws bolted to the 2 battry wings where the old battry tie downs bolted to, then I rivited to small pieces of angled aluminum in a vertical postition next to the battry, ...so holds tight and no movement, BUT be sure you dont over tighten the eye blt machine screws next to the battry, cause the plastic of the battry does give and flex so probably not good for the contents in the battry

2 pics

Prop


Prop***The End in 2012

and a 2nd photo that shows the eyebolt attachment...sorry for the mess the car is in during the time of this photo


Prop***The End in 2012

I still think those standard battery clamps are designed to fit just with the narrow edge of the metal bar on the corner of the battery. Fitted that way they are more rigid, and less likely to cause the fungus problems or shorting to the terminals.




Guy Weller

Guy, correct!
David Smith

Thanks for all the comments.

The retaining bar wasnt touching the posts as suggested as it had two cutouts but maybe the clearance was too small and this caused the 'fungus' to develop.

All cleaned up and greased with the bar reversed as per Guy's drawing - cant recall why I didnt fit it that way originally as it seems so obvious and saved making the cutouts.

In an effort to prevent a recurrance of the problem, I have reduced the electrolyte level in each cell until the plates are just covered. This was a suggestion by a local auto electrician.

Thanks again,

Doug
Doug Plumb

Tried it again last night as per Guy's drawing, as I had to convince myself that I had already, and it must be either the lip edge of the aftermarket type battery or my retaining bar is non standard, but it doesn't stay in place.

Going to try another bar when I can put my hands on one, failing that will cut out as previously stated.
Jim Stewart

Thank god, I have been thanking of you the past couple days, Im so glad it worked out, and was never a possiable threat, I really wasnt in the mood to hear how the thing blew up in your face while trying to fix.

Prop...Fire infested flaming battrey acid dosnt make a good facial cream...Prop
Prop***The End in 2012

Mine was done in wood by PO. He just bent some threaded rod and used a hunk of wood. Ugly silly but effective. I'll probably change it. I saw battery clamps in varying lengths at AutoZone.


J Van Dyke

J,

Thats as bad if not worse then mine when I got my car, various blocks of wood and a bundgy cord....good luck with that, funny what PO will do....Me included.

Prop
Prop***The End in 2012

Guy -

Bingo! Thanks for the sketch. I was trying to think of an easy way to explain that fitment without a picture, but you saved me the effort. I have my clamp fitted that way.

Also note that you can reduce battery fungus to some extent by placing a felt washer on each post, under the clamps. The washers block stray electrons from creeping down the posts and across the battery top, apparently.

Cheers,

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

This thread was discussed between 23/02/2009 and 05/03/2009

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