lots of corrosion on frame??

[bsa_bob]

2002 CC aluminum frame; seems to have a lot of corrosion from battery acid spills.Tried scraping it[not to much] and gave up . Can anyone share with me the easiest -or the best way to remove this corrosion?baking soda? maybe and water. OR am i way off? thanks for looking at this post bob s

ps; aluminum frame is "NOT"!! deteriorating underneath this white crusty stuff. bob s

[LukeL]

White vinegar and baking soda will blast it off if it’s acid corrosion. I’m always shocked how well it works.

[LukeL]

Before and after...

[NCPW]

I wouldn't use white vinegar since it's composed of acetic acid and water, but try mixing a cup if baking soda in a gallon if warm water.

Spray it on the frame and let it bubble for a few minutes then rinse with clean water. Repeat until the chemical reaction (bubbling) doesn't happen. Be sure to NOT do this over your driveway because it will stain your concrete.

Another option is using the CRC aerosol can that you can get from any auto parts store. It works really well at neutralizing acid.

[bsa_bob]

Been gone awhile- Can i leave the batteries in place while spraying this aresol on the corrosion I don't care if it doesn't all come off. clean it up a little thank you bob s

Yes it sure does stain the concrete.Found that out the hardway filling the batteries bob

[NCPW]

I'm a little anal when it comes to that kind of stuff; so I would removed the batteries, spay the aerosol and let it sit a few minutes, wire brush it then rinse and repeat if necessary to make sure as much as possible is gone.

But, if you don't mind getting all of it off I guess you could leave the batteries in place.

[jacobsond]

Remove batteries. Clean with baking soda and water. Clean and paint what can be painted. Its going to be a fairly big job. Stop overfilling your batteries.

[golf cart man]

I only fill my batteries so that the water just covers the metal plates inside the batteries. I may have to check them a little more often but I avoid the water boiling over during charging and ruining the frame. Someone in your carts past overfilled. Once you are done cleaning be sure to keep your eye on the level so you avoid the frame issue again.

[alchemy]

I'm concerned about this as well. If my chemistry is right. first of all, nothing is going to dissolve aluminum oxide which quickly becomes the final component of corrosion. It should however act as a barrier. Against sulfuric getting back under it? Obviously not. So yes, it's going to need to be "blown off" by reaction, as some are saying, or removed by hand. I can't see dilute acetic acid or vinegar hurting it especially since you are going to be washing it off soon afterward. Magnesium or Mag alloy yes! I'm right now rigging another battery frame for my old yamaha that rusted out. It was steel. I intend to paint it and put a layer of rubber sheet under them and to the top this time as well as using caps and hoses from a single point watering system to drain any venting below the frame. Mercedes, for decades, require batteries with a vent tube, and I've never seen any with that with even the slightest corrosion around the batteries.
Baking soda will actually remove rust on steel (changes it to black oxide which also inhibits) but I believe it will oxidize aluminum and copper which means be sure to wash it all off and avoid splashing any near copper or brass connections.

[alchemy]

Originally Posted by golf cart man

I only fill my batteries so that the water just covers the metal plates inside the batteries. I may have to check them a little more often but I avoid the water boiling over during charging and ruining the frame. Someone in your carts past overfilled. Once you are done cleaning be sure to keep your eye on the level so you avoid the frame issue again.

I just began seeing a lot of people filling like that and quite frankly it's shocking because I have nightmares about getting down to the plates. :) I'll take your word that there may be something to that. Really I just wanted to add that I just found out something I never knew, don't ask me how, but the electrolyte expands significantly from full charge state to discharge or becomes less dense and increases in volume. That's at least a good part of why the specific gravity changes.