[flandria]

When disconnecting my batteries for the winter, a brass bolt fell down. (Hey, why shouldn't it?) It can be retrieved, probably with one hour's worth of disconnecting stuff to lift the batteries out of their box.

But.

I have a stainless steel bolt that fits. Can I use that to re-attach the (negative) or will ss somehow create a problem? I figure that the bolt merely presses the connection together, and there should be no ill effect, but, what do I know...

Thanks, all of you out there

 

[capta]

Most batteries are sold with s/s nuts or wing nuts and if you check, I believe the stud is s/s. No problem with the s/s in my opinion.

 

[PhilipStevens]

A galvanised or zinc plated bolt would do just as well. It may be only a lead terminal with a plated cable connector to be bolted.

 

[SVAuspicious]

When disconnecting my batteries for the winter, a brass bolt fell down.

It probably wasn't brass. It might have been bronze. More likely it was plated steel.

 

[newhaul]

SS is just great it is only to secure the connection however do not use common steel bolts a season of rust usually makes removal impossible. M2CW

 

[IStream]

Can you use one of these to get it back?

General Tools & Instruments 70399 UltraTech Lighted Mechanical Pick-up, 36-Inch - Mechanical Pickup Tool - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@31Nsfk7dw4L

 

[Omatako]

Don't forget to get the dropped bolt out before you go sailing.

Any movement between the batteries/enclosure may wear a hole in the battery case/s

But to the point - my batteries have been connected with clamps fastened with SS bolts "forever".

 

[newhaul]

Just read this happened when you were winterizing you should be removing the batteries anyway and taking them home to protect from freeze damage and to place them on a float charge maintance charger

 

[mitiempo]

Just read this happened when you were winterizing you should be removing the batteries anyway and taking them home to protect from freeze damage and to place them on a float charge maintance charger

If charged the batteries will not freeze. They also will maintain a fuller charge when cold.

 

[newhaul]

If charged the batteries will not freeze. They also will maintain a fuller charge when cold.

I have had a battery freeze in a vehicle in the winter of 1990 in Wyoming it got to 35 below that winter at my sisters ranch

 

[mitiempo]

I have had a battery freeze in a vehicle in the winter of 1990 in Wyoming it got to 35 below that winter at my sisters ranch

Couldn't have been at a very high state of charge. Even at 85% it would be good to -62F.

From Trojan battery:

 

[newhaul]

I had just driven there from here for Christmas and it was a new interstate battery I'm just telling what happened to me now with wind chill it may have been much colder and I did have a big block heater