Melting Battery Terminals

[Road Surfer]

My battery got so hot that the plastic and lead around the terminal screws melted. The terminal screws actually fell off. The battery is still good but the terminals are gone.  I got a new battery but before I put it on, I am wondering what could have got it so hot.  Over cranking is one thing, but not the case here.  I did have it on a tender off and on for a couple of years.  Can anybody shed some light on this?  Thanks mucho.   

[cheech]

Loose screws can cause terminals to get hot and melt.

[rbabos]

Loose or corroded contact points on the terminals. Seen it many times.
Ron

[JW113]

Overcharging due to regulator gone tits up?

-JW

[jamminhd2000]

Charging system is suspect....I have seen voltage regulators do this upon failure...jimmy

[smoserx1]

Also check the condition of the terminals of your battery cables.  If they have turned black from the heat I would replace them.

[rigidthumper]

The battery bolts vibrate loose, and loose connections cause resistance. The heat is a result of current being forced through resistance (system charging/discharging)
I see this on softails all the time. Tighten battery bolts on a regular basis, and useing small internal tooth lockwashers helps

[02roadcling]

I forgot to mention on our phone call that I have super duty cables with an extra ground, Yooper Cables made from #4 welding cable with gold ends.

   cling

[Breeze]

You didn't mention your model, but several models have a two-piece negative cable. If the cable is loose where it joins , it can cause same problem as if it were loose at the battery.

[Deye76]

Star washers are your friend.

[IronButt70]

Star washers are your friend.

So is locktite on the bolts that hold the negative cables to the frame.

[Tollbooth]

 Lost the neg. Broken ground wire usually at a connector. The big wire that comes from the regulator. Was the problem on RK.

[jsachs1]

I find that if you crank the bike over for a prolong period, without starting, it seems to be another thing that overheats the connections at the battery, causing the cable or cables to loosen. If you have a battery, that uses a removable nut under the lead posts is another problem waiting to happen. Especially from over heating.
John

[Boe Cole]

All good recommendations but add to your list to make sure that the metal where the negative terminal connects to the frame is clean and shiny.  Corrosion is not your friend.

[MikeL]

I stay away from those hollow terminal batteries and spend the extra $$$ on the solid "HD/ Deka" terminals.


                                                                                             MIKE

[motorhogman]

I stay away from those hollow terminal batteries and spend the extra $$$ on the solid "HD/ Deka" terminals.


                                                                                             MIKE

I used one of those "table top" style terminal batteries with the nut inside. once... It ended up in my lawn tractor in less than a year. The table legs cracked on it.. My first and last one ever.

[screem]

i had a battery in my softail.. it was a yellow Motobatt i think.. the terminals screwed down with and button head bolt, the terminals bolted to the side of the bolt on terminal. it started the bike ok for about a year, I keep it on a Battery tender, and it still started getting more and more sluggish.. it would take a big pause, then roll the starter over for half a turn or so and kick out, a couple times of this and the bike would fire. I pulled the seat and was check battery with a volt meter, sitting and trying to start it... after several attempts to get volt readings under load, i touched the negitive cable connection and it was extremly hot. Turned out to be a loose connection on both ends of the ground, they had both vibrated loose.
I went to my friends bike shop and got a new Deka Batt with a normal side mount terminal.
I told him of the loose terminal issue and a suspect ratty ground cable, He crimped me up a new ground cable, and then made a simple suggestion.. where the bolt and cable attach to the battery, paint the side of the bolt and the cable with nail polish, i used a dab of red, so now i can see at a glance if the bolt is baxking out.. and maybee the nailpolish will also add a little locking to the connection as well

[Hossamania]

Good idea on the bolt marking.

[rbabos]

Biggest problem with batteries is the lead itself. It will only get so tight and then it deforms, making that tight feel about impossible. Good and snug is about all you can do.
Ron

[JerseyT]

Yes, I agree with that.  For many years now I've always replaced battery bolts with short studs.  Run them in with red loctite and then use a nyloc nut to fasten the cable end.  Never had a loose battery cable since.

[crock]

Man, I like that idea

[92flhtcu]

I like Jersey's way of studding them, may be doing the studs, may have to do that on a couple of mine

[mrmike]

No lead terminals on Li Ion batteries.


Mike