11 replies to this topic

[Bradl]

How can I make sure the connectors stay on the battery even when tightened properly?

[Sag]

Make sure both are clean,are they the right size for the battery?

[slidehammer]

Depends on what type of battery connectors you have the ones that push on with a self tapping screw holding them down aren't very good, you could swap them over for a clamp style ones, they grip the battery terminals much better. Depends if you are after originality or practicality.

[Steve220]

Oval them a little, should stay on. Otherwise may have to get another terminal.

[Ethel]

+ & - posts are actually different sizes.

[Bradl]

my mini is a 1991 mayfair which has the clamp style one I stalled the car because i was getting used to the  car when the connector jumped off the terminal and I had to  drive back carefully for a spanner

Edited by Bradl, 18 January 2017 - 05:54 PM.

[nicklouse]

Sounds like there is nothing holding the battery down.

[benm]

put a bit of shim around the terminal

[MacGyver]

Happened on my 'normal' car once, turned out someone had lubed the terminals with grease or something so no matter how hard you tightened it, it would just pop off... Clean well and check the terminal clamp doesn't bottom out (so not 'grabbing' to anything).

Ben

[tiger99]

I strongly recommend following slidehammer 's advice above. The old pot type are basically useless, and a frequent cause of electrical problems.

If using the clamp type, please be sure to add an insulating cover on the positive terminal. The cardboard battery cover on its own does not give adequate safety considering that you may carry metal objects in the boot. We do not want to hear of Minis destroyed by electrical fires.

The taper angle of the truncated cone of the terminal is so small that a clamp terminal should never slip off if properly tightened. Small angle tapers are inherently self-locking as you will know from ball joint and track rod end maintenance.

[whistler]

If you are retaining the old screw down pot type then an old fixit used to be to use some cooking foil and fold into a strip and wrap around the battery post. That just makes up the gap and as long as you can still screw the pot into the top of the post then that should do it. As others have said, best to change to the side clamp type.

[neal]

I strongly recommend following slidehammer 's advice above. The old pot type are basically useless, and a frequent cause of electrical problems.

If using the clamp type, please be sure to add an insulating cover on the positive terminal. The cardboard battery cover on its own does not give adequate safety considering that you may carry metal objects in the boot. We do not want to hear of Minis destroyed by electrical fires.

The taper angle of the truncated cone of the terminal is so small that a clamp terminal should never slip off if properly tightened. Small angle tapers are inherently self-locking as you will know from ball joint and track rod end maintenance.

Morse tapers on ball joints and track rod ends are under tension due to the nut tightened on the thread increasing the clamping force.

 

A battery clamp terminal can sprain and slowly become loose over time if overtightened or if the battery terminals are regularly disconnected and reconnected, you'll probably notice this more with classic cars as people tend to disconnect the batteries more often to store the vehicle over winter, it might be a case of replacing them for a new set, I bet they are the original items from new?

 

Sometimes the tapered battery terminals deform and crushed due to excessive clamping loads and a snug even fit to the terminal deteriorates, after all the terminal is soft due it being lead, I have known people to gently tap the lead terminal to slightly oval/deform it, if you loosen the battery clamp pinch bolt and open up the clearance gap, refit and pinch up the nut and bolt you should have a tight secure terminal.

 

If you have the screw down pot type then check it for wear and consider as previously mentioned.

Edited by neal, 20 January 2017 - 12:46 AM.