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I have purchased a VTR two years ago. It was running smoothly until last week! I faced some issues while starting it. The engine got cold out of nowhere, failing to start. All of a sudden, every electrical part was dead!
I checked the batteries. And noticed that both the positive and negative battery terminals melted. I did some research and found out the exact reasons for this. I was able to fix this myself! So pretty excited to share all my knowledge with you regarding this. If you are facing problems with the battery terminals, I believe this article would be really helpful!
Reasons & Solutions To Fix Battery Positive and Negative Terminals Melted
A battery terminal usually melts either due to cable issues. Or due to high resistance. Again it also takes place for some internal tracks or blown fuses. Although it all happens naturally. Yet you should have a clear idea of why these battery terminals melt. Because if you know the reasons, you can fix it easily,
Why would a Negative battery terminal melt?
The negative battery ceases to melt or terminate. Followed by a number of reasons that you should know:
1. Loose connection
This is probably the most common reason- be it positive or negative battery.
If the battery is completely melted, then it has a higher chance of getting caught in the fire. What causes that? Loose connections!
If the connection is not tight, it’s gonna arc from the positive lead line to the terminal. If you don’t have a nice tight grip and there’s a gap in there, it will create an arc. That arc is going to make the battery hot and it will start melting.
Due to the heat resistance, your battery heats up with a lower voltage. That is where the trouble actually starts! Because a heated battery is never a good thing!
How To Fix:
- So whenever you put in a battery, use a loctite on the threads. To make sure those threads are stuck into that terminal. if the screw doesn’t start working, then it’s way loose. Thereby leading to arc. So check if the screws on the terminals are tight.
- Don’t overtighten it. But make sure the grip is good and snug. Let the lock tight sit overnight. Keep checking periodically if the battery leads are tight.
2. Compatible battery placement
The engines always come with a compatible battery placement to avoid any unnecessary risk. However, the batteries often come in different shapes and heights. It could result in electrical short of battery terminals. Especially when the battery is close to the hood.
How to Fix: The battery varies in terms of size and height. So make sure that your engine has appropriate safety battery placement.
3. Jumper cables
We often connect jumper cables to the wrong battery terminal. This actually happens due to carelessness. Thereby resulting in the melting of battery terminals. It could even cause an explosion or a serious accident.
How to Fix: There is an order for connecting jumper cables to the battery. You must maintain that order. To avoid accidents, I’d recommend you connect the negative black clamp as far you can from the battery.
4. Old and frayed connector
Sometimes you install new headers. And then you discover electrical shorts to the ground. This happens because you insert some frayed poor connector. That also leads to the melting of the battery terminal.
How to Fix: Check out if the connectors are old and ruptured. If so, replacing them is your only option!
5. High resistance
The positive battery terminal often starts melting due to the high power resistance. Due to the high resistance, the cables may wear out. They might even corrode internally, resulting in the battery terminal melting. High resistance also leads to the burning of starter solenoid contacts.
How to Fix:
- Unplug/Remove all the connections in the starting circuit.
- Inspect and clean the battery clamps, cable connections of the starter as well as the battery ground connection on the engine block.
- Pull the starter. Check if it is dirty. Clean it to block surfaces because you want sound ground.
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6. Too much heat
Sometimes it is excessive heat that leads to the melting of the battery. Because it uses high power to start and run. That makes it hot enough to melt or terminate. Again, when there is resistance, whatever goes through the connection transfers to heat.
How to Fix: When you conduct proper insulation of a battery, it becomes safe from excessive heat and cold. By proper insulation, I mean an insulation wrap and a wired box. These help your battery to tolerate excessive heat and cold.
Why would a positive battery terminal melt?
Why would the positive battery terminals melt? If your positive battery terminal melts, it could be due to a number of reasons.
1. Terminal Connections
Just like the positive battery case! This connection starts from the main power starter to the positive battery terminal. And the ground cable that comes from the negative terminal. If these connections look unstable, lose, or ruptured, the positive battery starts melting.
How to Fix: Remove the connections from the main power. Reinstall them ensuring that they are stable and tight. In that case, you can put some blue lock tight on your threads. Just a drop or two would work great. Put that in your battery terminal and tighten it down.
2. Old cable ends
Pretty old cable ends are more prone to internal damages. Besides, frayed cable ends are open to exposed wires. That might end up formulating rust or arc to other metallic parts. That ultimately causes the positive battery terminal to melt.
How to Fix: You should never undertake any risks with your battery. As it leads to dangerous situations. Replace the old cable ends with new ones.
3. Uneven distribution of current and resistance
If you are loading a massive amount of current and resistance to somewhere in the starting circuit. Or your starter could contain water inside. That drags it all badly, resulting in rust. Thereby shorting out. As a result, the positive battery terminal starts to melt.
How to Fix: Proper maintenance helps you to identify such problems faster. Sometimes, the situation gets too worse. And you have no option other than replacing the battery.
4. Inappropriate contact surface
Sometimes the face of the terminal sideways is recessed left from the face of the battery. So if you put a lead wire up to the terminal, there is a chance that it could not make contact with the face of the terminal. If it fails to make full contact, the battery terminal starts melting.
How to Fix: Most batteries come with a little brass spacer. That lets your lead terminal fit against the spacer. And get it out away from the edge of the battery creating a much better contact surface. With the help of a brass spacer, it would have been fit perfectly. Therefore no ability to start arcing.
Can you drill a hole in a battery terminal?
In most cases, battery terminals are lead materials. So you can not only drill but also tap them. So if you want to drill, use one with a long bit. Screw it to the end of the battery. Make sure you secure it perfectly. So when you will pull it out, the battery should probably come out.
Is it normal for battery terminals to get hot?
Yes, it is normal for battery terminals to get hot. But that should be moderate or mild. If it gets too hot to touch, then it could be an electric issue inside. So please be careful while dealing with it. The best option is to seek help from a professional mechanic or electrician.
How much does it cost to replace damaged battery terminals?
Battery terminals are a part of the battery. So if they get burnt or damaged, you better replace the entire battery. This might cost you around $50-$100.
However, replacing only the melted battery terminals won’t cost you a lot of bucks. Besides, it takes less than an hour to replace new ones. Normally, it costs around $20 to replace battery terminals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Battery Terminal
Now I am going to cover some frequently asked questions concerning battery terminal melted. It is a common problem. Since people are unaware of the solutions mostly, they often ask these questions.
Why is my car battery negative cable melted?
This is due to the loose terminal connections. If the connections are not tight and secure, they would eventually melt. Again, due to the higher resistance of heat, the negative battery cable tends to melt.
Can I clean my battery terminals?
Battery terminals are basically lead. As we know, lead doesn’t respond to rust or corrosion. So you can clean your battery terminals. How should I clean them? You just need some baking soda and water!
You will also get a wire brush. It does the job of neutralizing the battery acid along with baking soda and water solution. Don’t forget to apply anti-corrosive spray on the terminals.
Conclusion
Battery terminal melted is not something you can ignore. If melted, it will create problems while starting your vehicle. In extreme cases, it may lead to serious accidents. So regular checking and proper maintenance are absolutely important.
By taking proper care and maintenance on a regular basis, your battery would last for a longer time. So I hope these solutions would work out for you. Always remember to check the terminal connections.
Good luck with your battery!