This is unusual so I thought I would post. I put in a new battery to my Hustler Raptor. When I turned the key nothing happened. The problem was the washers to the negative battery ground were corroded beyond continuity. The reason the washers worked with the old battery was because they were serrated and had worked their way into the negative terminal. I put new washers and it started right up. Sometimes it's the little things.
I have this same issue, and it has been a recurring one. The positive terminal washer corroded and disintegrated, and the positive cable lug was in a rapid state of decay (but only the positive terminal- the negative terminal still looks new). My Raptor XD is 2 years old and has around 40 hours on it- and the battery is the one that was in it when I purchased the mower new from a Hustler dealer. I bring the battery inside to live on a battery tender over the winter... When the mower does not start- I take a look at the positive battery terminal to see how much more corrosion has formed since the last time I sanded it down. This year- I was getting to the point that there wasn't all that much left- so I clipped it off, and crimped on a new lug. Of course it works perfectly now- but what do folks use to protect the cable lugs from corrosion? I read vaseline but also a battery terminal coating made by CRC. Anyone happen to know if using either of these is a good idea?
#4
7394
To get the corrosion off easily, put a little baking soda on it & then add a little water, it will become active, after wash it off well, with plain water. .
For long range protection, you could buy some specific stuff..($).
I just use a light coat of hi-temp grease. wiped thoroughly over the terminals / connections.
Thank you! The baking soda treatment would do nothing to replace the metal that corroded away. At this point (only a few years in) there wasn't much remaining of the original connector. I'll be sure to protect this new one.
