Sell, Ken wrote: > I've just become the proud owner of a 1984 VW Rabbit convertible...
Congratulations, and welcome to the EV list! > My plan is to first clean everything up. I've read that one should use > 1 lb. of baking soda to 1 gal. of water for cleaning the batteries and > terminals. That's FAR more baking soda than necessary. Even a few tablespoons per gallon will do it. I apply it with a (disposable) brush, let it work until it stops foaming, and rinse it off. Repeat until it doesn't foam any more. Be careful not to get it IN your batteries! Be sure the vent caps are tight, and don't get it on top of the vent caps where it might drip inside! Wear rubber gloves and eye protection against splashes. Also, the acid around the tops of the batteries and in the various corrosion products will eat holes in your clothing if not diluted and rinsed off. Wash your clothes immediately after work, or you will discover little holes later when the water has dried and left little spots of acid on them. Finally, remember that batteries are always ON! Don't wear rings, metal watches, or jewelry. Put one hand in your pocket, so you don't inadvertently lay it on another battery or the body of the car. > After cleaning do I just wash off the solution with water? I just put > in a new driveway, and don't want to stain it. Will this stuff damage > my concrete? No, it won't stain your driveway or damage your lawn if well diluted. Baking soda is pretty inert. The other stuff; sulfuric acid, copper sulfate and lead sulfate, are likewise pretty inoccuous as long as you don't drink them or get them on your skin or clothes. -- Lee A. Hart Ring the bells that still can ring 814 8th Ave. N. Forget your perfect offering Sartell, MN 56377 USA There is a crack in everything leeahart_at_earthlink.net That's how the light gets in - Leonard Cohen
