Tech 101 Custom battery cables

[riotwarrior]

TODAY I purchased 10 feet of 000 red jacketed battery cable. 10 x 3/8" dia holes 000 ends to be crimped and soldered. 3' of red heat shrink and same of black.

I will be making a custom set of cables for the Big Blue Ox truck for my stud type group 31 batteries.

Lots of pictures and explanations as to why I do what I do. I AM EVEN go8ng to add some of that heat wrap tube stuff from the funky 90 deg elbow on the stock cable; which BTW I will be reusing as well. Think header wrap for wires so a sleeve.

Purchased 3 feet of DEI sleeving and I am guessing that I can seal ends with heat shrink so this should be good.

So far I am into this for 160 bucks or there abouts. I AM sure if you wanted you could find premade sets for less money but doubt it will be exactly what you want.

Southern Interior Truck and Electric had on for 95 bucks...but lead post type not a stud which is what these will be.

I am tired of crap old green frayed cables so expect top shelf stuff for this tech 101.


We have likely all seen a variety of ahem problematic battery cables thus causing issues with batterys draining or not able to charge or hard starts. So for starters....pun not intended her are a couple images of craptastic main battery leads.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is whats on me Big Blue Ox now...crap and you can see the stud terminal from 1 gr 31

You must be registered for see images attach

And the other end of same cable.

You must be registered for see images attach

Another example of excellent care NOT

You must be registered for see images attach

Here are some of what is needed and 160 bucks worth of cable and ends shrink tube and heat protective tubing. Crimp tool 50/50 Rosin core solder and solder paste. Not seen are professional grade cable cutters and propane torch.

You must be registered for see images attach

As you can see there are a few ends here

You must be registered for see images attach

The lowest lug is one of the 10 I bought the other 2 are stock on hand. All 3 are crimp and solderable.

You must be registered for see images attach

I will get on this as soon as I remove the two grounds and main lead from the Blue Ox hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks for looking

 

[riotwarrior]

For starters you will need some tools and supplies.

Sharp knife
scissors
cable cutters
Crimping tool or staking tool
heat gun
soldering torch map gaz or propane torch etc
50/50 or 60/40 ROSIN core solder
ROSIN FLUX
heat shrink tubing
Battery cable of sufficient size land ength required to complete the task 000 for me here.
crimp on ends
Grinder with flap wheel or file

OPTIONAL TOOLS/UTENSILS
electric kettle
cooking pot
dish soap and water
vaseline


DO NOT USE ACID CORE SOLDER OR FLUX

DO NOT USE ACID CORE SOLDER OR FLUX

DO NOT USE ACID CORE SOLDER OR FLUX

THERE that one tip is free...dont ask why...google it!

Safety is a primary concern so do not burn yourselves.

Since my lugs were all flat I bent one at 90 deg like factory as seen here ...which does not fit quite right.

You must be registered for see images attach

Little love with flap wheel on grinder...golden!

You must be registered for see images attach

Here I have the old cable and new one laid out to figure length etc.

You must be registered for see images attach

Starting with the not so fun part I tried VERY SOAPY water to slide that 90 on my cable...just caused twisting of cable and deformation of cable jacket.

Think Al....think think think....ahhh yes...out comes the electric kettle and a pot and my shop vaseline (ya ya insert proverbial jokes here)

So boiled up water and spread a bit of vazeljne on cable sheath. Placed the black plastic 90 in the pot soaked it in boiling water and removed it and it slid right on no problem...positioned it as requied and let cool...it is on there good!!!!

You must be registered for see images attach

Here you see it just a bit long...

You must be registered for see images attach

I TRIED THE HEAT SHEATHING...IT SUCKED...REMOVED IT after these series of images...

You must be registered for see images attach

Here is the crimp on end slathered in flux..notice that seam. Do not crimp the seam it will split. You want to strip just enough wire insulation to have it fit past the open end as shown or if your ends are closed you need a 1/8" gap from insulation to end so you can effectively solder.

You must be registered for see images attach

Here I support the seam in the V of the crimper

You must be registered for see images attach

End crimped on...

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Thanks for looking

 

[riotwarrior]

Picking up where we left off...

Let me say that MY execution of the heat sheathing is likely the issue. As I was working the heat shrink tubing on over the sheating and drawing back the sheathing for zolderjng it began to delaminate and disintigrate. I will in all likely hood lookt at a slightly larger version 1" vs the 3/4" I purchased and slide it over the soldered on lug. That would be a better idea IMHO after my first attempt.

My goal was to make a nice neat heat shrunk ends on top of the cable with soldered and heat shrink adding some protection. Wait for more experimentation.

Back to soldering the ends on. I attempted a propane torch..forget that...out came my oxy acetelyne.

For soldering I heated the ring end until flux began boiling then tested the solders melt into wire and crimp...heat more...ahh melting ok feed solder into fitting and add some...heat add solder and when filled you are set. There are vids on you tube no need to duplicate that work.

Here you can see the end soldered on.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Now heat shrink

You must be registered for see images attach

This image shows the delamination of heat sheathing after I cut it off

You must be registered for see images attach

More to come

Thanks for looking

 

[riotwarrior]

Picking up where I left off...

Tip!!!

DO NOT FORGET TO SLIP HEAT SHRINK TUBE ON PRIOR TO CRIMPING AMD SOLDERING.

After measuring out my cables here is where we are with ends installed and heat shrink on.

Both main positive leads

You must be registered for see images attach

Ends on starter feed wire

You must be registered for see images attach

Ends on LH to RH battery cable

You must be registered for see images attach

How the end results turned out. I will add some split loom to the cross over cable as factory has done when I install it.

You must be registered for see images attach

That is about all there is to this...repeat for negative cables and you will be golden when done with cables to last many years.

Open for dialogue now!!!

Thanks for looking.

 

[riotwarrior]

More cable work and more discoveries.

Here I have inspected a piece of 00 factory cross overcable and cut it and repurposed it for a solenoid feed cable. Again crimp solder heat shrink. This should provide sufficient current to the solenoid.

At the same token I am considering a feed wire to my Glow Plug controler along the same line of 00 to end any issues once and for all.

You must be registered for see images attach

Here are my old positive and negative cables, the new custom on essentially on top of old for comparrison sake.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is the ominous bracket to support the cable on the black plastic 90 it will be sanded and painted up and baked in oven.

You must be registered for see images attach

Bloody hell that + cable underside is showing signs of degredation. Notice that - cables big split amd bad cable inside.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Here is drivers side - cable and it is hard brittle and cracking as seen here

You must be registered for see images attach

This pig tail goes from Block to frame on pass side cable. I may rethink this and do something different. If I do it will be shown and explained why....basicaly thinking 00 direct from block to frame . WAIT N SEE

Thats it beer O clock

Thanks for looking

 

[F350camper]

this is awesome, I think a lot of people just don't realize how many hard start problems are caused by bad battery cables. these look sweet!

 

[79jasper]

Excellent.
Hey Al, now you can put whatever in the oven and not have to worry about getting in trouble. Lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[IDIoit]

Excellent.
Hey Al, now you can put whatever in the oven and not have to worry about getting in trouble. Lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

please dont be putting this stuff into the oven you "cook" with.
may make your food taste funny

 

[riotwarrior]

please dont be putting this stuff into the oven you "cook" with.
may make your food taste funny

I bake painted parts in the oven all the time...however it cures almost as well in sunlight...when 100 deg in shade..so black bracket was good and cured.

Does make house smell but no issue with taste at all

 

[jaluhn83]

Might want to look for adhesive lined heat shirk - it's thicker and the adhesive seals everything up. Also, del city is a good vendor for electrical connectors, cables and the like if anyone else is looking to do this. Also a good source for trailer lights and connectors.

 

[riotwarrior]

Yes the adhesive line stuff rocks...however my supplier here did not have it I asked.

Here you can see adhesive weeping from edge
http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/solder11.jpg

Another note is that the best cable is the tinned Marine Grade stuff....even greater corrosion resistance.

This is what expensive stuff looks like lol
http://www.asap-marine.com/public/uploads/product/10578_1.JPG

 

[riotwarrior]

Just a small update.

Cable are all in I also have a small 4ga that just as the trip 000 goes + 2 + on batteries the 4 ga goes - 2 - this is along with the large 00 grounds to block.

There will be some more grounds added as well once I aquire more material.

Borrowed a friends spare starter and yup mine bad...spinds like a gas turbine now with no gp in...will be doing comp test soon.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Wvdirtroad]

Awesome article. I think when I do my cables I will be picking up a hydraulic crimper and doing my own as well. I like the military style terminal connectors/ setup. Im thinking 2/0 for battery to battery and battery to starter. Definitely want a heavier gauge for my battery to relay.

 

[madpogue]

Ring terminal, 3/8", 2/0 gauge, 90-degree (for the starter end): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CBKQGZA

 

[riotwarrior]

Awesome article. I think when I do my cables I will be picking up a hydraulic crimper and doing my own as well. I like the military style terminal connectors/ setup. Im thinking 2/0 for battery to battery and battery to starter. Definitely want a heavier gauge for my battery to relay.

Thank you

Stock wire from drivers side to pass side bat is 2/0 and then 3/0 to starter. My setup is 3/0 all around 2/0 to solenoid on fender and I will now run 2/0 direct to GP controller too.

Then some more grounds to chassis and body.

Thats two small a terminal the starter cable is three 000 not 2.

I had 2/0 90s and used one on bat to fender relay...look close.

More to come folks....more to come