Battery corrosion

[Euphman06]

I am fixing up an astro flite and am trying to get the tank horn and lights to work. The old batteries were in there and corroded of course but I soaked the unit in rust dissolver and it looks presentable now. The wires are all great, it really is just the battery holder that's rough. Can't get it to work.. pretty sure I have it wired correctly, pretty easy really, brown to brown, black to black, and there is an extra wire that just comes off the battery housing which I believe is just the ground. Any suggestions?

 

[B607]

Did you test the bulbs and horn to see if they work outside the unit? Gary

 

[Euphman06]

Did you test the bulbs and horn to see if they work outside the unit? Gary

Welll..... In short, no. But that's because I really don't know how so if you care to enlighten? I'm really just thinking the contact point in the battery casing is too far gone?

 

[B607]

Remove the bulbs and try them in an old flashlight. Probably the same type of bulb. Or, get a flashlight battery and 2 pieces of wire. Touch the wire to the bottom tip of the bulb and the other wire to the side of the bulb while the wires are in contact with the battery. Same for the horn. A small inexpensive volt meter would tell you a lot also.
File the contact point in the casing until it's shiny. Gary

 

[jerrykr]

you can tape the wires onto the battery with scotch tape for the testing outside the light. (unless you have 3 hands)

battery corrosion is a real killer, you may think you have it all polished off, but the corrosion may still provide a path to short things out.

corrosion is nasty. If you are not using the unit regularily remove the batteries just in case one of 'em might leak.