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Battery Cable Fab

vintagespeed

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Upland, CA
I'm looking for info you your home-brew battery cables, sources for cable/connectors, guage size used, tools needed, pics.

I'm planning on running #2 SAE cable, the same guage as came with my winch. Unless someone else knows better?
 
term2.JPG


term.JPG


The audio-geeks have the right idea when it comes to terminals...gold with lotsa spots to add accessories!
 
I am spec'n out my battery move to the driver's side and found everything I needed here:

www.wranglernw.com

FWIW I am planning on 4ga cable, but I don't run alot of hi-amp lights and my winch is hydraulic.

P
 
I run 0 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire and it conducts over 5000watts of power, the beefies wire I can get, got it for 46 bucks for 25 feet, I had to double it up to keep the temp down on the insulation, same stuff as street wires, its twise as big as 2 guage. I promise its the best bet


Nik
 
I used 1/0 welding cable for my setup. The welding cable is very flexible and made to handle high amperage. This stuff is relatively cheap from your local welding supply house.

For my connections I used solder on brass eyelets and marine style battery terminals with wing nuts. Unlike some of the other mounting styles this allows you to quickly remove the battery via the wing nuts and also give you the flexibility of adding additional cables to the battery for your accessories if you want.

To connect the cables to the eyelets I used plain old solder first heating and filling the eyelets with solder before shoving the stripped cable end into it. To finish it off I used a little heat shrink tubing in the appropriate size.

You should be able to find the heat shrink tubing in your local home hardware type store and the eyelets in an auto/marine store.

Unfortunately most of the pics I have are from a distance so you can't really see the cables connections very well.


http://community.webshots.com/album/67867694oRFTUv

Oh yeah, I didn't use the 1/0 to the alt... only some smaller 4 guage for that connection.
 
Try West Marine for the marine grade hardware and cable. I know they have stores in Long Beach and Van Nuys but I'm sure there are others in the Southland too. They have lots of cool stuff that really holds up well in the backcountry, since it's made for the ocean.

You can also order online at www.westmarine.com
 
I used Marine grade Brass battery terminals (with posts and wingnuts,) got a couple distribution posts from Gall's for about $6 each, and I used 2/0 welding cable at about $1 per foot with silver-over-copper crimp connexions. Expect the "hammer-driven" version of that crimp tool to run you about $25-30, but will crimp just about anything to the smaller "entry" grade cables. I also use "greylock" industrial power connectors for my battery charger (50A version) and jumper cables (175A version) quick-connects and to keep my kids form making off with my cables. You can probably get greylocks from a welding house, anywhere that does parts for forklifts/industrial equipment, or order form McMaster-Carr or Allied Electronics - prices most of those places are reasonable. Don't get them from 4WD places, they'll charge you 2-3 times what they go for elsewhere!

5-90
 
I went to Farm&Fleet, and found some 2/0 cables intended for tractors. they come in a variety of pre-made lengths. also there you will find kits with eyelets and heavy wire to attach accessories.
 
I'm with Bender, I ran 1\0 welder cable to the PDC and starter, 1\0 for my ground, 2\0 from alternator to +, solder on copper lugs, heat shrinked the joins. I pulled the fuse out of the PDC and replaced it with an in-line 100 amp marine grade fuse. Then I put some mil spec quick release clamps on and haven't looked at it since
 
I have set of hd battery cables from jeeperscreepers.com
I don't know the size off the top of my head but they are really thick comparied to the stock ones. Juice
 
I second the west marine/boaters world. I got some 2 AWG Battery cable, oil/heat resistant, and very felxible. I also ordered military spec terminals from wranglernw.com...just need to locate some ring terminals for 2 gauge wire locally, and i'll be set.


BTW, here is a good write up, it gives info on the inline fuse if you are doing the alternator cable (which makes sense if you are doing the battery cables): http://www.olypen.com/craigh/charge.htm
 
I got some 1/0 welding cable today & will pick up some ends tomorrow. I'm planning on running a 4/0 cable from the alternator to the starter since my battery is on the passenger side. Any problems doing it this way?
 
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