Re-Plating Battery Terminals

[Paul Adams]

Has anyone ever tried to re-plate the battery terminals in test equipment, as I have a couple or so AVO’s that have suffered due to the batteries leaking (not by me, I always remove the batteries) I found a website that offer such kits, but I am a bit on the cautious side as to health and safety issues and the price of such kits.

http://www.gaterosplating.co.uk/Brig...lating-Kit.php

Or what would be the best remedy for removing the dreadful green contamination from the terminals, I tried a ‘fibreglass pen’ with some success but the nice shiny plating has gone forever, and I wanted to put it back if possible.

I bought an AVO 8 Mk5 from a car boot recently for just £1.00 and the battery inside looked like it had exploded, with green gunk everywhere.

Paul.

[Herald1360]

Never tried replating, but I've found a smear of silicone grease applied after cleanup to be effective at maintaining corrosion free status.

Maybe just tin the terminal and buff it a bit before smearing?

[Boom]

A drop of Hydrochloric acid eats the green away.

[ThePillenwerfer]

I smear solder over the bits that actually touch the battery terminals.

- Joe

[LXSTEIN45]

While I love the look of those kits I dread to think how you are meant to safely dispose of those chemicals!

[fetteler]

I'll bet there's an electroplating/metal finishing company somewhere not too far from you who will sort this out...

Steve.

Make new ones form stainless steel? Quite nice thin springy bits can be had from the sliding covers of old 3 1/2" disks.

[kalee20]

Soldering connecting wires to them might be fun though...

[Herald1360]

And the resistance might be noticeable too.

[Refugee]

Use a nut and bolt to fix the wires with a crinkly ring tag.
It will be easy to clean next time the battery leaks too.

Soldering connecting wires to them might be fun though...

1. Rub down well.
2. Lots of resin cored solder over the prospective joint.
3. Rub soldering iron tip oven the 'tag' when covered in solder

After all that (it isn't that hard and can be done on aluminium foil too) some solder will stick, just right for a wrap round joint.

The mechanism is that things like stainless and aluminium protect themselves with an oxide layer, don't let it form and give solder the first hit rubbing away the small layer that forms with the irons bit.

And the resistance might be noticeable too.

About the same as the steel most cell (battery) connexions are made of.

[Radio_Dave]

I've successfully zinc plated with vinegar and a piece of zinc. That terminal would have to be scrupulously clean though, so it might be easier to make a new one, as Merlinmaxwell suggested

[Herald1360]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

About the same as the steel most cell (battery) connexions are made of.

Do they use some sort of high alloy steel then?

Ordinary steel is about 1.6E-07 ohm-m and stainless around 7E-07 ohm-m.