Your truck battery needs regular preventive maintenance. Corrosion can cause problems, downtime and expense. It’s best to spend a few minutes routinely inspecting each truck battery and going through the following steps:
- Use battery cleaner spray to neutralize any acid buildup.
- Rinse with water.
- Loosen terminal nuts with a wrench. Always disconnect the negative post first.
- Use a battery post and terminal brush to brush any residue and corrosion.
- Reattach the terminals to the post, doing the positive terminal first.
- Spray battery protective spray on battery terminals.
- Wipe your tools with a rag. Any sulfuric acid on rags can eat holes in them.
Safety Tips for Working Around A Truck Battery
- Don’t wear metal jewelry as accidental touching of terminals can cause the metal to heat up and burn skin.
- Wear gloves to protect hands from acid.
- Wear safety glasses in case of battery acid spillage or if a spark causes an explosion.
- Wear old clothing in case of battery acid leakage. Use baking soda and water to neutralize any chemicals that get on fabric.
For more information and some screen shots of the battery cleaning process, visit Phillips Quik Tech Tips.
