Optima battery terminal corrosion

[handyman]

My daughter left a light on in her Prius which ran down the battery. She was able to jump start it and go to work. The battery is an Optima that I installed a few years ago. I open up the back to get to the battery and was shocked to see corrosion on the negative terminal. I thought this battery was sealed and we would never get corrosion from battery acid. I know there is a water leak back there but that should have no effect.
The negative ground post is odd. It looks like it is cracked. Could it be hollow and leaked out battery acid???
One more question. I usually replaced the terminals on all of my cars. The negative terminal has corroded so much but it is much smaller than most terminals on my other cars. Can I get a new smaller terminal to fit that?

 

[handyman]

 

[ragtoplvr]

Our forklift uses smaller terminals like that, the local NAPA store had them along with the small diameter post battery. They had the battery in both post diameters, at the same cost. I kept the smaller post because I only had to change the one clamp and it stayed OE.

Check for overcharging.

Rod

 

[Donald]

The battery acid in an AGM is supposed to be in the glass mat. Not like a flooded.

But I have never taken apart an AGM battery to see what it looks like.

 

[CharBaby]

I thought the OPTIMA line of batteries were gel.

 

[Rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
I thought the OPTIMA line of batteries were gel.

There are 3 completely different types, any battery can freeze/rupture.


To the OP, does your battery have a vent hole?

Every PRII I have seen has a tube attached to its AGM battery to prevent coorsion in the box.

And personally I have never liked Optima batteries, to each his own I suppose

 

[user52165]

Optima used to be a great battery. Then they went the way of all flesh and sold out to JC.

Now just another battery.

 

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
I thought the OPTIMA line of batteries were gel.

Optima's are spiral wound AGM batteries, not gel. I have never seen that on a Optima, but certainly it can happen. I assume its out of warranty.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted by rubberchicken
Originally Posted by Char Baby
I thought the OPTIMA line of batteries were gel.

Optima's are spiral wound AGM batteries, not gel. I have never seen that on a Optima, but certainly it can happen. I assume its out of warranty.


I see!