Battery terminal. $#(*$)#(*)!

[Mikes91]

Well in the search for finding the cause of my flickering lights and fluctuating voltmeter, I chose to start with the simple (ha!) things today and found that the + battery terminal connector was loose.

SO I took both terminals off the battery and cleaned posts/terminals. Now, that + side won't tighten down (which is why I suspect it was loose to begin with).

The bolt turns as I try to tighten the nut because the terminal won't hold the bolt still. When I try holding it with a wrench, the terminal is forced upwards off the post as I try to tighten things down.

What should I do? Replacing the whole harness has crossed my mind. Is there a simpler fix?

If I replace the whole battery harness, does anyone make a quality replacement that will work better than the factory unit? I'm not impressed with this style of connector. Never have been for this very reason.

Ideas? Can't drive the truck till I get things tight...

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

What kind of connection is it? Typical Ford-style tinwrap? or a standard battery clamp?

if its the tinwrap kind, you're pretty much screwed. I've got those on my ford car. And no, I dont know of any harnesses out there to replace them with, short of just cutting the cable and soldering in a new clamp instead.

 

[Mikes91]

What kind of connection is it? Typical Ford-style tinwrap? or a standard battery clamp?

if its the tinwrap kind, you're pretty much screwed. I've got those on my ford car. And no, I dont know of any harnesses out there to replace them with, short of just cutting the cable and soldering in a new clamp instead.

Well, they're standard clamps. I went ahead and removed/cleaned the bolt and reinstalled. Everything went back together fine, so dodged this bullet but will probably need to invest in new leads/terminals in the future if I keep the truck more than another year or two.

Of course, a new set of bolts or even washers behind these'll probably work.

Keep the bolts clean, and these problems can be avoided. The other battery (the driver's side one that's not disconnected as often for whatever reason) required LITTLE effort to get the terminals tight enough to not move.

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

yeah, I would try the new bolt and nut thing first.

Generally the terminal alone won't hold the bolt, I've always used two wrenches. Over time, the clamp will stretch out to the point where the bolt *bottoms out* but the clamp is loose..... and its time for a new clamp.

I think the battery positive terminal is also angled slightly (cone with top chopped off) to prevent an accidental polarity reversal with cable installation. Negative terminal is a standard barrel shape. Negative clamp on a positive terminal wont tighten up properly.... will always be real sloppy. Usually smoke coming out of somewhere by then anyway

I always unhook ground then positive. Hookup is positive then ground.

If you really want to see something screwy with a dual battery setup---- hook them up in series and watch the whole electrical system including the starter get fried.

 

[sassyrel]

emd--you speaking from experience???

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

emd--you speaking from experience???

I wish.... just book knowledge (and my pyro tendencies) and also having blown up a 74V battery on a locomotive while attempting to start it.

No, I didnt do the loco batts thing intentionally. went to start... she started to spin up on cranking and suddenly died.... along with every other light (engine room and cab/radios) on the unit. One of the guys came around and said I had acid pouring out the battery compartment vents on the conductors side.

Positive terminal had partially deformed and grounded and blew the battery... case was still in one piece--sorta, but quite swiss-cheesed..... all the electroyte was in the track pans beneath the unit. Cable burned off and it was the master (2 battery setup)--so it killed the power to the unit.

 

[JPR]

If have gotten a few more miles out of a battery terminal by cutting a gap with a hacksaw when the two sides bottomed out against each other and the terminal was not tight.

 

[wwwabbit]

When I did my truck, I used those terminal posts that have the wing nut and bolt on them. Then I just put the ends on my cables for them. I love them, when they don't fit any more, you just toss them and stick on new ones, no more cutting wires and getting shorter, etc. I also like them for adding things, makes it look a little cleaner to have them off the battery on the bolt and wing nut then tapped into some other wire or stuck under the clamp with the main wires.
I bet the shipping would be more then you can buy them for, but I picked up about 30 some odd pairs of them from old batteries at work, you are welcome to a set or two if you want to pay for shipping or come and get them

 

[Mikes91]

When I did my truck, I used those terminal posts that have the wing nut and bolt on them. Then I just put the ends on my cables for them. I love them, when they don't fit any more, you just toss them and stick on new ones, no more cutting wires and getting shorter, etc. I also like them for adding things, makes it look a little cleaner to have them off the battery on the bolt and wing nut then tapped into some other wire or stuck under the clamp with the main wires.
I bet the shipping would be more then you can buy them for, but I picked up about 30 some odd pairs of them from old batteries at work, you are welcome to a set or two if you want to pay for shipping or come and get them

Thank you... Got pictures? Not sure I've ever seen 'em. Would AutoZone have them?

Mike

 

[wwwabbit]

Thank you... Got pictures? Not sure I've ever seen 'em. Would AutoZone have them?

They should... I got mine first from an "auto marine electric" sorta place, I got the big ends for the cable that fit over the studs too. I soldered my ends on, you can get a crimper to crimp them on as well.They are 2 different sizes, if I remember right the bigger one is pos, and the little one neg.
2 pictures are attached, the yellow on them is a spray on paint that keeps them from growing the white stuff

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The Wabbit guy has the right idea.

If you will look back a few pages in the 6.9 section of TDS, there is about two or three pages of the same set-up with lots of good pictures.

If you put the ring terminals on your cable ends, when you need batteries, you can use 30S or 31S (with a threaded stud instead of a lead post) just like a big truck. They are a lot less hassle and quite a bit more reserve.

I put the ring terminals on my cables and 30S batteries and I love it.

 

[Mikes91]

The Wabbit guy has the right idea.

If you will look back a few pages in the 6.9 section of TDS, there is about two or three pages of the same set-up with lots of good pictures.

If you put the ring terminals on your cable ends, when you need batteries, you can use 30S or 31S (with a threaded stud instead of a lead post) just like a big truck. They are a lot less hassle and quite a bit more reserve.

I put the ring terminals on my cables and 30S batteries and I love it.

Thanks, guys. Looks like a good possibility. I'll probably have a battery shop do the work since they'll have the tools to do the crimping/soldering. Looks like a GREAT way to do things--I've never been a believer in having to disconnect from the battery poles with these standard terminals. Too much wear and tear for such a badly-designed connection system. The ring terminal setup wwwabbit listed looks terrific.

 

[gandalf]

Morning Mike,

I too thought I remembered a recent discussion on this subject. Review that one.

In the meantime, take a look at West Marine. I believe there's one down your way. Their terminal doesn't look quite as good as the one pictured above, but the same style. Seems a bit pricey though
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=14723