inside battery box coating

[davek]

would por 15 painted inside a m37 battery box be a good coating to use or has somebody got another idea. thanks

[w30bob]

Dave,

I haven't found anything to coat a battery box with that can resist the battery acid from where the battery vents. I've tried POR-15, as well as everything else. The best results, and they weren't great, was with liquid rubber.....the stuff you dip your tool handles in. There may be some new epoxies out there I haven't tried.......like the stuff they use to coat garage floors, so you might want to look into that. Otherwise I don't think there's a solution.

Now you could buy sealed batteries, which are expensive, but that would solve the problem. You can also use one of those battery mats that can absorb any acid that spills....but that doesn't stop the venting. But to answer your question.....POR-15 is not battery acid proof. Sorry for the bad news, but maybe someone will chime in that has had some luck with something.

regards,
bob

[52 M-42]

Best luck that I've had is undercoating. I've removed the battery box from the truck and after cleaning it very thoroughly, sprayed just the inside with multiple coats of undercoating. After it is cured, I mount my batteries on pieces of solid Teflon (1X1 blocks) to allow space under the batteries for drainage. I also rinse out my battery box a few times a year to clean out any acid or condensate.

It has worked well for me. No rusted out boxes or corroded battery terminals in the last 30 years.

52 M-42

[w30bob]

See Dave.....there you go. 52 has the answer. Truth be told I tried undercoating years ago and it didn't work. But that's probably because I didn't use enough coats, as 52 did. They key is making the surface non-porous, which a single coat of undercoating won't do. The rubber will resist the acid, but if the acid can reach thru holes in the rubber to get to the steel.....it's a mess. So it sounds like undercoating works......if you put enough coats on.

thanks 52!

regards,
bob

[52 M-42]

It has to go on thick enough to seal the surface, bob, but you still have to rinse it out once in awhile.I've been told that some baking soda sprinkled in the bottom helps.

Maintenance is also part of the equation. I wish I could do something once and not have to go back and do the maintenance, but that's not how it works.

It sure would make being lazy easier!

52 M-42

[m37jarhead]

52 is right. Keeping a constant vigil on the battery box and tray will reap rewards.
Years ago I found a cheap solution to V W Bug battery area rot. If you remember, those batteries
were under the rear seat and frequently rotted out the floor pan.
My cheap solution was to cut down a heavy duty plastic box to fit the battery, not unlike battery
boxes on many boats. Back then commercial grade battery boxes from NAPA, Auto Zone, etc. were not
readily available so I improvised with any heavy duty plastic box that I could find.
It was cheap and easy. Regular maint. still required.
Jerry

[w30bob]

Jerry,

Good point regarding the plastic battery boxes. Now a days you can find them in almost any size. Even if you just cut the bottom off to use as a liner for the original tray that would help. As I said above, sealed batteries eliminate all this stuff..........but they are an investment.

regards,
bob

[MSeriesRebuild]

Install Optima gel batteries; they don't corrode the inside of boxes or the terminals and cables. Doesn't matter in an M37 application, but they can be mounted in any position and perform great if the application requires. We use them in all our rebuilt trucks, they are the longest lasting of any batteries we ever used and best of all, they are 100% maintenance free. Cost is $165 per battery at CARQUEST, supplied through their Interstate battery distributor. A very reasonable price when you consider the longevity they provide and the fact that all the periodic maintenance wet cell batteries require is eliminated. The battery box interior doesn't require special treatment either as there are no acidic fumes.

The best interior coating for us has been powder coating that has a slick, shiny finish. We used it for years before we stopped installing wet cell batteries with a very good result. The box does require a very thorough cleaning to remove ALL residue and proper prep for the coating to render a good, long lasting result.

[RMS]

.........but they are an investment.

and worth every penny. I have been running the same two red top optimas for ten years. I will never run a conventional led acid battery again.

look at the damage cased in a hour by an overcharging alt in my freshly painted 1970 510 wagon

[8543bob]

+GOOD MORNING, I see the product called "FLEX SEAL" advertised on TV. Its a liquid rubber sealant rubber coating, I bet that might be worth a try, and I just will do that, when the weather warms up. As for batteries; I buy all my batteries, boat, cars and other equipment, from WALMART. They offer a 3 year full replacement guarantee. So in 2 years 9 months I bring them back and no questions asks they give me new batteries. Its a no brainer.

[w30bob]

Hi 8543,

I've used Flex Seal on my gutter seams......didn't work once the summer heat thermally expanded the gutters. It's basically the same thing as undercoating....rubberized paint. In a battery box application I would think the same advice applies......but enough coats on to ensure the surface is completely non-porous and it should work.

As for the battery situation.......I'm not going to comment either way.

regards,
bob

[MSeriesRebuild]

+GOOD MORNING, I see the product called "FLEX SEAL" advertised on TV. Its a liquid rubber sealant rubber coating, I bet that might be worth a try, and I just will do that, when the weather warms up. As for batteries; I buy all my batteries, boat, cars and other equipment, from WALMART. They offer a 3 year full replacement guarantee. So in 2 years 9 months I bring them back and no questions asks they give me new batteries. Its a no brainer.

Here is the REAL no brainer. Bob your post is pretty telling; you just told everyone who reads it that you are a dishonest person. Gaming the system I guess may be a fitting term? Pretty ironic too, since your profile says you are an ex cop with 30 years service on the NYPD. Guess this offers some explanation as to why we have such a screwed up justice system in the USA these days; look how the enforcers conduct themselves.

[Monkey Man]

I think Bob may have been saying that "IF" I bring them back as they have failed 1 month from the warranty closure they will be replaced, not that he makes a habit of doing it as this indeed would be dishonest....

MM

[MSeriesRebuild]

He didn't say "if", so I took his statement at face value. Only Bob can offer a truthful explanation of what he meant. The reason I took it as I did; was what he stated. I thought about it and then wondered this; the warranty is for a full 36 months, so yes I'd expect a replacement right up to the last day of 2 years, 11 months, and 23 hours if one failed due to a defect of some sort. The fact he used 2 years, 9 months as a cut-off struck me as odd, that's all.

No problem to offer up an apology if I wrongly understood.

[8543bob]

YES I WAS A NYPD POLICE OFFICER FOR 30+ YEARS. AND BEFORE THAT I SERVED MY COUNTRY IN THE ARMY FOR TWO YEARS. WHAT HAVE YOU CONTRIBUTED TO OUR WAY OF LIFE?? OR ARE YOU JUST A NAME CALLER?? BATTERIES FAIL, AND THEY OFTEN DO IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT, IN ABOUT 3 YEARS +OR - SO WHEN THEY DOI BRING THEM BACK FOR NEW ONES, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. YOU GOT SOME SET, SITTING WHEREVER CALLING ME DISHONEST.