Maintaining clean battery connections is crucial to insuring the reliability of your automobile. There is nothing more annoying then turning the key, and hearing the Click, Click of a dead battery. Not only will corroded battery terminals prevent your starting the engine, they will also prevent the alternator from charging your battery while driving.

The process to properly clean, and maintain your battery terminals is quite simple. There are, however, some serious safety precautions you must take into consideration, when you do this rather routine maintenance.

The dirt and material collected on your battery terminals contains Sulfuric Acid, at the very least it will burn holes in your clothing. It can rapidly irritate skin, and can easily cause permanent blindness if you get it in your eyes. Always wear safety glasses, preferably rubber gloves, and clothing that you don't mind ruining. Always have a source of running clean water close at hand to flush an acid spill of even a small amount. A garden hose would be ideal. Take no chances, Sulfuric Acid is bad stuff. A glass of water just isn't enough to flush it away.

That covers the chemical danger, now the Fire and Explosion danger. Never, Never, disconnect the Positive Terminal first. It should always be the last disconnected, and the first installed.

I restate, the Positive Terminal is the LAST to be disconnected, and the FIRST to be attached.

This is very important to prevent an explosion. Batteries are designed to be vented to atmosphere, even today's semi-sealed lead acid batteries will allow some gases to escape. With the smallest of sparks, this plastic box of acid and heavy metal will, and does explode. Causing blindness and burns enough to permanently ruin your life.

Avoiding this dangerous possibility is as simple as disconnecting the NEGATIVE terminal First. If while using a wrench to loosen the negative clamp, you make contact with the car body or any other metal surface you will not cause a spark.

On the other hand, if you attempt to remove the positive terminal first, and bump against any metal item, you will indeed create a sizable spark. You may even instantly weld the wrench to whatever you have inadvertently bumped against. The potential for both fire and explosion is extreme. Do not mix this up.

I state this with strong conviction, as a mechanic with over 20 years experience, I have witnessed the result of carelessness, which resulted in a battery

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