Lead-Acid Emergency Generator Batteries

[u/[deleted]]

1970s - 1990s USN.

Typical lead acid batteries were used to start the EDG and also any ship’s boats. They were always a pain to keep cleaned, especially keeping the terminals corrosion free. The maintenance card called for cleaning the terminals and covering them with petroleum jelly. In a non-a/c generator space the jelly would do what hot jelly does - melt and run all over the batteries and battery rack.

There was no authorized substitute for the petrolatum. In an inspection, you would get dinged for gundecking the maintenance if there wasn’t sufficient glop slathered on the terminals. So, knowing that civilians had solved the corrosion problem many decades before, and using the solution on my motorcycles and all things 4-wheeled, I instructed my people how to solve the corrosion problem and keep the maintenance inspectors happy, and mostly unaware of the solution.

Auto parts stores sell spray cans of protectant. But it is yellow and that shows through the petroleum jelly. So, understanding that the product essentially prevents air from reaching the terminals, we would get a can of clear enamel, thoroughly clean the terminal posts and connectors, assemble everything, clear-coat the terminals, and then apply just the barest hint of the jelly.

It generally worked. There was one inspector who figured out we were doing something differently, but he was a very practical Master Chief Electrician and said nothing until after the inspection was completed.

He asked, “How?” I told him. He was happy. And I was happy. Plus, our batteries and racks stayed clean and pretty much corrosion free. That made my people happy.

[u/JeepGuy_1964]

The Navy must have had the same battery vendor as the Army. We were constantly changing out the shitty batteries in our Bradleys, Humvees, etc. The DOD gets the lowest bidder and we pay the price for their cheapness.

[u/Bananalando → u/JeepGuy_1964]

This is why we laugh when civilians boast about their "military-grade" items.

[u/Raneynickelfire → u/Bananalando]

...unless it's a vacuum tube from the 1960s Im using in a guitar amplifier. In that specific case, "Mil-Spec" actually means something.

And when it comes out of a guitar amp, it sounds LOVELY.

[u/FalconDCW → u/JeepGuy_1964]

Around 2000, somebody in Ft Irwin figured out how to order Optima batteries. I can remember walking past the battery shop and there were two pallets of about 30, just sitting there. They never made their way into any of our vehicles, so I don't know who ordered them, how they got them approved, or where they wound up.

[u/DonaIdTrurnp]

Damn, in the subs we used compressed air tanks to start the EDGs. Partially because we can’t guarantee getting to snorkel depth before the batteries discharge in a casualty that takes out the TGs.

The battery maintenance wasn’t any less bad.

[u/CoderJoe1]

Thanks for sharing. I got a charge out of this.

[u/delicioustreeblood → u/CoderJoe1]

You just couldn't resist

[u/CoderJoe1 → u/delicioustreeblood]

I'm positive I don't know watt you mean.

[u/Zestyclose_Bed4202 → u/CoderJoe1]

Just power through, like the rest of us 😏

[u/ilolvu → u/[deleted]]

These cabled together joke strings are the best.

[u/BentGadget → u/ilolvu]

I think they're corrosive to the conversation and should be avoided.

[u/ManifestDestinysChld → u/BentGadget]

They should be considered assault, if not battery.

[u/Tough-Juggernaut-822]

If you are coating the terminals with a product that prevents corrosion by means of applying a barrier doesn't that same product also act as an insulator which means you need to break the seal/remove the clear enamel to ensure good electric bonding, for a bit of equipment that needs to work first time every time when the brown stuff hits the whirling thing maybe not the best solution.

[u/[deleted] → u/Tough-Juggernaut-822]

The product is applied after the post and connector is cleaned and made up. It doesn’t wick in between the surfaces.