# Help with JD 5300



## brad62 (Aug 2, 2007)

I dont know very much about tractors so please bear with me as I try to explain the problem. Over the course of the last year, I have been experiencing problems with the battery terminals corroding up. I dont use the tractor regularly(maybe every few weeks), but they still have massive corrosion and even eat away at the terminlas and nuts. I installed a new battery about 8 months ago. It starts right up after I give the terminals a good cleaning. I even greased everything up really well last time I cleaned it. Any ideas about why they keep doing this? I always make sure all the lights are turned of so I dont think that should be the problem. Both the + and - terminals corrode up.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Welcome to Tractor Forum Brad! Make yourself at home and enjoy. 

Sorry to hear you are having corrosion problems. This is what I do on my tractor (bear in mind that I finally bought a sealed battery):

Check the negative cable coming from the battery to ground on the engine or frame. Make sure this connection is VERY clean and a good solid connection. 

Try mixing up a batch of hot water (about a pint more or less depending upon what size jar you can find) and baking soda. Mix in about a half cup of baking soda and stir or shake it up real good. Not all of it will desolve. (save that part for later) Knock off as much of the corrosion crust as possible before dipping. 

Dip the battery cable terminals in the baking soda solution so that the entire terminal and 2 to 3 inches of the cable are submerged in the baking soda solution. There will be LOTS of fizzing and bubbling. Hold the cable ends in the solution until the fizzing stops. Remove. The cable ends should now be clean. The baking soda solution will also migrate up the cables and neutralize any acid corrosion under the insulation as well. Let cable ends dry and clean up with a wire brush and a battery terminal cleaner on the inside of the terminal lug. 

Remove battery. Check acid level and add distilled water as required. Rise the battery off, let dry and pour a baking soda solution on the battery as well. That solution will neutralize any acid on the surface. Be sure battery caps are on tight before you do this. 

Reinstall battery hook up cable terminals and spray with a battery terminal protector, spray grease, or dry type silicone spray. (ie: something that will coat and protect the terminal lugs from the air) 

Eventually the coorsion will come back but this should hold it off for a good while.

The best option is to install and sealed battery such as an Optima or other sealed type battery. This eliminates battery gas fumes from out gassing during charging for the most part. The battery gasses are very corrosive and make mess of the battery compartment. 

Good luck and let us know how things went.


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## brad62 (Aug 2, 2007)

alright thanks for your help! Upon further inspection this afternoon, I found out it had corroded all the way through the positive terminal ring and broke clean off. I will go to the auto parts store and see if they have a crimp on tomorrow. Hopefully I wont have to replace the entire positive wiring.


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## mla2ofus (Nov 5, 2006)

One thing I've found works well is after both batt connections are clean and tight,I liberally coat them w/ anti seize. As chief said,make sure they are "air tight".
Mike


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## KansasFarmer (Oct 1, 2008)

To avoid corrosion in the future you can use an old trick I learned when I was knee high to a grass hopper. Attach a half dozen pennies to the top of the battery with epoxy or any good glue. The pennies act like an anode on an outboard motor. They become sacrificial to the corrosion and your posts and cables are spared.

When the pennies become completely corroded, knock them off and put on some more.


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

Welcome to the Tractor Forum KansasFarmer! 

I had never heard of doing this but will give it a try. Thanks for the practical suggestion

Andy


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Another trip I use to keep the corrosion down on the cable ends and battery cable clamp after it has started is to mix up a batch of baking soda and hot water in a big jar. I mix in baking soda as the water will mix into solution and then a bit more until it starts to settle on the bottom. 

I submerge the clamp and cable ends into the jar so about 3 or 4 inches of the cable is submerged and soaking. When the fizzing stops (this can take anywhere from a few minutes to days depending upon how much corrosion there is or how much has migrated up the cable). 

Reinstall and coat the battery posts and clamps with grease or a spray protectant.


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