Best place to buy battery cable supplies?

[Optikalillushun]

Need to make some battery cables, whats the best place online to get them from? Rather go local but NAPA is the only place that can get them and they are pricey.

need:
2-0 guage battery cable
solder pellets
solder on lugs
solder on battery terminals
heat shrink wrap

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Some may argue the point, but the best place to get cables is at the welding supply nearest your home.

They will cut the cable exactly where you say "here" and then crimp on the copper-lugs better than any method you may have up a sleeve.


I have little confidence in the solder pellet business.

On smaller wires, I am a firm believer in CRIMP-then-SOLDER; but, on big stuff like battery-cables, the best connection is a firm crimp only, with no solder.


Also, when you go to have your cables made, take a jar of Vaseline or the petroleum-jelly of your choice; and, generously saturate the stripped cable ends and pack the ferrules of the copper-lugs with the Vaseline, PRIOR to crimping.


Coated generously with Vaseline, fifty years later, those copper strands will still be shiny as brand-new.

I learned that trick from reading salt-water marine TECH articles.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

If you still have lead battery posts, then use MILITARY terminals on the posts and connect the copper-lugs to those.

If you have up-graded to threaded-stud Group-31S batteries, then the copper-lugs fasten directly to the threaded studs.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Azone has battery cable made up for $125 for our trucks.

 

[damac]

I am no techie but I was forced to deal with this issue after I got my truck home, cables were internally rotten.

I purchased stuff through genuine dealz online(google it).

Partly because they make it so easy to order the wire, shrink wrap, lugs and little pellets.

And I was able to do it myself in the vice at home rather easily.

I also moved to those marine type posts so I could take the wingnut off easily and connect extra things, etc.

They seem to do the job, I can't vouch for technically what is better.

We had the cable to the starter arch on the battery tray a couple months ago which was our fault because we forgot the conduit on that run.

One of those cables let loose at the lug. At first glance it appeared sound until I tugged on it and it came out. The 2 marine posts melted in a way to let loose of the battery posts, but the negative melted through the battery on that side.

Was actually able to pop the hood and use a tshirt to stop the mini fire

And surprsingly wrapped the exposed wires in tape, and got it jumped and drove it home.

 

[Matrix37495]

I had my cable built at NAPA and thought it was cheaper than some i'd found online of the same size.

Mine is 2/0 between the batteries and 3/0 to the starter. Ends soldered and heatshrinked. Looks very good.

 

[lindstromjd]

Some may argue the point, but the best place to get cables is at the welding supply nearest your home.

They will cut the cable exactly where you say "here" and then crimp on the copper-lugs better than any method you may have up a sleeve.


I have little confidence in the solder pellet business.

On smaller wires, I am a firm believer in CRIMP-then-SOLDER; but, on big stuff like battery-cables, the best connection is a firm crimp only, with no solder.


Also, when you go to have your cables made, take a jar of Vaseline or the petroleum-jelly of your choice; and, generously saturate the stripped cable ends and pack the ferrules of the copper-lugs with the Vaseline, PRIOR to crimping.


Coated generously with Vaseline, fifty years later, those copper strands will still be shiny as brand-new.

I learned that trick from reading salt-water marine TECH articles.

Exactly what I did the last time I needed some new cables.

Cool tip about the Vasoline... didn't know that!!

 

[The Warden]

Exactly what I did the last time I needed some new cables.

Cool tip about the Vasoline... didn't know that!!

FWIW RLDSL turned me on to this stuff called Noalox when I did my battery cables in '06 (documented here)...it's an anti-oxidant joint compound meant specifically for electrical connections (IIRC primarily for aluminum, but also works on copper). I coated my cable ends with this stuff, crimped on the terminal ends, and used marine heat-shrink with an inner glue lining...hopefully it'll be a long time before I have to worry about corrosion or anything like that certainly, they're doing fine so far even with living on the coast where the salt air's killing my truck's body. BTW, the 4 year old batteries I referenced in that thread are now over 9 years old and still working just fine (although I know that they're going to die sooner rather than later; planning on switching to Group 31's when they go )...

 

[sle2115]

I used solder on terminals with heavy duty marine grade self sealing shrink tube. My cables have been on for about 10 years with no issues. I purchased my ends and such online here he provided the ends and such and I purchased the cable (2/0 welding) at NAPA. I've done many cables this way on marine apps and previous cars/trucks with no issues and I much prefer this method to crimped on. I would also use dielectric rather than vasoline for conductivity if I went that route, but I just clamped the ends in a vise, heated them until solder melted inside and then stuck the stripped end of the cable in. How I was shown to do it years ago and it's served me well.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Maybe I have wrong information; but, I was always under the impression that di-electric grease itself was a NON-conductor.

 

[GOOSE]

Di electric grease is neither a conductor nor an insulator. It is used in spark plug wires because the high voltage will not track along the grease. If a I am not soldering, di electric grease is used on every crimp joint I make no matter what size wire. It does the exact same thing as vasoline but is more of a correct thing to use for the application. Noalox is intended to prevent oxidation when two dissimilar wires are connected, usually aluminum and copper.

Bigrigtech mentioned that using a torch to heat things quickly will make for a nicer soldering job on large wire.

 

[gatorman21218]

I used a mapp gas torch to solder mine. Those pellets are quite expensive so I just used some solid wire 60/40 solder and some rosin core paste flux. And I used adhesive lined shrink tubing. I did it just like sle2115 did it.

NOTE use rosin core "electronics" flux NOT acid core "plumbers" flux.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Why go to all that trouble making new battery cables. Azone has them already made for $110. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ing=search&itemIdentifier=414879_121283_5977_

 

[opusd2]

Welding cables all the way. They may cost a little bit, but the larger cables allow for more amperage to pass through. Will save on your starter for sure.

Then again, I'm from the camp of over building everything. And electrical circuits are something that should never be skimped on.

 

[lindstromjd]

Why go to all that trouble making new battery cables. Azone has them already made for $110. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ing=search&itemIdentifier=414879_121283_5977_

I used to work at a store much like Tractor Supply, and bought all the matierals there to build my own cables for less than $40. For me, it was a price tag thing.