Why is my battery doing this?

Is it leaking acid out onto the bracket and corroding it? Battery is from 11/22 the stickers wore off so it's not that old.

 

It’s west TX man. I assume it’s pretty hot. Things expand and gas off in the heat.

 

Your battery is so dirty that the grime gets on the O rings that seal the 2 square caps. Pop those off with a flat blade screwdriver and clean the rubber seals and the top of the battery good. That will keep the acid from leaking out when you’re bouncing around off road.

 

Automotive lead acid batteries almost all leak, it's a good idea to rinse them off every few months or so to prevent the acid from doing damage.

Baking soda mixed with water works well to neutralize and remove the acid then rinse with water.

 

Yeah it's super dusty in west Texas. Also super hot. I can see both those being a problem. Thanks you guys are always helpful on here

 

Since you’re in Tx. where’s is pretty darn hot, I would bet your cells need to be checked and add a little distilled water. Most people don’t think to do this and there battery doesn’t last very long.

 

I use these:

$8 NOCO NCP2 MC303 Oil-Based Battery Terminal Protectors, Anti-Corrosion Washers, and Battery Corrosion Pads (Pack of 2)

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-MC303S-...orrosion+preventer&qid=1721783676&sr=8-9&th=1

$22 NOCO NCP2 A202 12.25 Oz Oil-Based Battery Corrosion Preventative, Corrosion Inhibitor, and Battery Terminal Protector Grease Spray

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-A202S-B...orrosion+preventer&qid=1721783676&sr=8-5&th=1

 

Yea dust on the battery allows the acid to wick up and onto everything in contact with the battery.

If you smear a bit of grease on the battery posts before you install the terminals it helps prevent the acid from getting into the terminals and corroding them away.

 

I find those pads unless you change them often just give the acid something to soak into and marinate the terminals in.

I've found that putting a small amount of grease on the battery posts and giving the battery a good rinse every few months does the best at keeping the terminals clean.

 

You need to properly clean your battery terminals also, while your at it. Or not.

 

OK, I could grease them too I got lots of free grease at work, I was gonna do driveshaft too next slow night.
And when you say give the battery a rinse you mean like take it out and put water on it ? I wouldn't try this in the truck (or at least hooked up) cause i think it'd short out

 

I install the pads and then spray the connections all over with the NCP2 Grease Spray as I listed it above. It works well in South Carolina Coastal Area. I treated my 2012 battery and there isn't a speck of corrosion on it anywhere. And as you stated I have used just grease on the terminals also. Which works, just not as long lasting as the NCP2 in my experience. Grease is cheaper as most people have some on hand anyway...

 

Well considering the average lifespan of an automotive battery here is 3 years there's no need to get fancy

I also find that battery corrosion seems to be a much bigger problem on some vehicles vs others, Ford for example is terrible with battery terminals corroding on pretty much all their vehicles while most GM stuff you don't see alot of corrosion on battery terminals.

 

If a system is over charging it can cause this. I see it a lot on Toyotas where as GM uses a variable charging system that reduces the output to maintain the output volt level.
Most GM vehicles max output a little under 14 and often put out less than 9 unless the battery is low.

 

Almost all the domestics use "smart" charging systems, they have since the early 2000s. They all tend to charge at a pretty high voltage (typically 14.5-14.8) unless they go into economy mode where they drop it down to under 13 (I've seen as low as 11.8).
People with GMs that have a voltmeter come in all the time and think their alternator is going out because it drops below 13v and I have to explain to them that it's normal.

Most Toyota's I've seen have standard internally regulated alternators and depending on temperature stay in the 13.2-13.8v range.

 

A bit of Vaseline on the terminals works.

 

I'm glad I found this post as my battery is doing the same thing in the same location.

 

That's .. not going to be a problem. Don't use salt water, but water on the battery isn't a problem.

 

I've seen very few batteries with rubber seals under the caps anymore, they're almost always a plastic-on-plastic interference fit, which the acid seeps past pretty easily.

I've had fairly good success keeping them leak-free by wrapping the plugs with teflon plumbers tape (the acid doesn't affect the teflon). Give each plug 1½ - 2 wraps or so (being careful the tape doesn't block the vent holes) then shove the caps back onto the battery.

 

Ah cool I got lots of teflon tape and bought some baby water today it is distilled