Battery cables
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From: Boston
Battery cables
Does any body know how thick, or thr gauge of our batt cables. I'ts time for new ones and i'm thinking about making them myself, so i can add all the extra wires i have for my accessories right into the cable instead of clamp mounted. I might put a remote mount possitive stud off the battery! but I need to know what gauge the battery wires are thanks
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From: New Hampshire
Originally Posted by earnies2
Does any body know how thick, or thr gauge of our batt cables. I'ts time for new ones and i'm thinking about making them myself, so i can add all the extra wires i have for my accessories right into the cable instead of clamp mounted. I might put a remote mount possitive stud off the battery! but I need to know what gauge the battery wires are thanks
Home Depot will carry this wire too.
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From: North Carolina
I know I've seen the battery wire gauge size, just can't remember it or where I saw it. I think it was 6 gauge but don't quote me on that. PSNUT is right if you took a cable to a electric supply place they could probably identify the size. I've also read that the Ford battery cables are spec'd to meet minimums and a larger cable never hurts. You might be able to get comparable cable at Home Depot if you went with a direct burial type cable. Here's a suggestion I found on Steve Baz site:
"Visit you local welding supply house and have then make up some cables for you using welding cable. This is way cheaper than Ford's fix plus it flows juice much better."
I would just say one word of caution if you're thinking of making the cables yourself. Those terminals are machined pressed on the cable and making them by "hand" will not get the same pressure applied to get really secure connections. Assuming you use a crimp type connection. A clamp type should be OK.
"Visit you local welding supply house and have then make up some cables for you using welding cable. This is way cheaper than Ford's fix plus it flows juice much better."
I would just say one word of caution if you're thinking of making the cables yourself. Those terminals are machined pressed on the cable and making them by "hand" will not get the same pressure applied to get really secure connections. Assuming you use a crimp type connection. A clamp type should be OK.
Last edited by stroker2; Dec 27, 2005 at 11:46 PM.
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I plan on soldering them and heat shrinking them to. I think i'm going to use 2/0 cable that should work now i only have to deceide weather to use welding cable or truck battery cable?????
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IMO I would use welding cable.It is a little more flexable and like (stroker2) said the juice will flow better.
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From: New Hampshire
Originally Posted by piotrsko
UHHHH Home depot has House wire of the correct gauge, BUT the insulation on automotive wire is way thicker and tougher because of the vibration factor.
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From: New Hampshire
Originally Posted by stroker2
"Visit you local welding supply house and have then make up some cables for you using welding cable. This is way cheaper than Ford's fix plus it flows juice much better.".
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Welding cable uses MUCH finer individual strands and many more of them. Not only will the cables be more flexible and vibration resistant, they will actually carry more current due to the phenomena known as "skin effect". There is actually more surface area (or skin) with finer strands for the same guage wire, and it's been determined that the skin is where most of the electrons flow in a wire strand.
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I make battery cables all the time for marine use. Yes you can use welding cable, but welding cable is not tinned and will easily corrode in any moisture laden enviroment. I would be especially concerned about the one down to the starter.
As for soldering, it is good for stationary applications, but it brittles out the connection. In fact in marine and aviation use, crimp is the accepted methodolgy to prevent the connection from breaking at the terminal due to embrittlement.
My suggestion is to get some good marine grade wire, like 2/0 etc. Marine wire is AWG so it is a little larger that SAE you get in the auto stores. Each strand is also tinned so it will not corrode. After CRIMPING on the connectors use heat shrink with the "goo" inside. It's also available at marine stores and even comes in red. When you heat it, the goo melts and as it shrinks the goo runs out. Makes a nice waterproof seal.
As for soldering, it is good for stationary applications, but it brittles out the connection. In fact in marine and aviation use, crimp is the accepted methodolgy to prevent the connection from breaking at the terminal due to embrittlement.
My suggestion is to get some good marine grade wire, like 2/0 etc. Marine wire is AWG so it is a little larger that SAE you get in the auto stores. Each strand is also tinned so it will not corrode. After CRIMPING on the connectors use heat shrink with the "goo" inside. It's also available at marine stores and even comes in red. When you heat it, the goo melts and as it shrinks the goo runs out. Makes a nice waterproof seal.
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Originally Posted by DALPILOT
I make battery cables all the time for marine use. Yes you can use welding cable, but welding cable is not tinned and will easily corrode in any moisture laden enviroment. I would be especially concerned about the one down to the starter.
As for soldering, it is good for stationary applications, but it brittles out the connection. In fact in marine and aviation use, crimp is the accepted methodolgy to prevent the connection from breaking at the terminal due to embrittlement.
My suggestion is to get some good marine grade wire, like 2/0 etc. Marine wire is AWG so it is a little larger that SAE you get in the auto stores. Each strand is also tinned so it will not corrode. After CRIMPING on the connectors use heat shrink with the "goo" inside. It's also available at marine stores and even comes in red. When you heat it, the goo melts and as it shrinks the goo runs out. Makes a nice waterproof seal.
As for soldering, it is good for stationary applications, but it brittles out the connection. In fact in marine and aviation use, crimp is the accepted methodolgy to prevent the connection from breaking at the terminal due to embrittlement.
My suggestion is to get some good marine grade wire, like 2/0 etc. Marine wire is AWG so it is a little larger that SAE you get in the auto stores. Each strand is also tinned so it will not corrode. After CRIMPING on the connectors use heat shrink with the "goo" inside. It's also available at marine stores and even comes in red. When you heat it, the goo melts and as it shrinks the goo runs out. Makes a nice waterproof seal.
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From: New Hampshire
Originally Posted by DALPILOT
I make battery cables all the time for marine use. Yes you can use welding cable, but welding cable is not tinned and will easily corrode in any moisture laden enviroment. I would be especially concerned about the one down to the starter.
As for soldering, it is good for stationary applications, but it brittles out the connection. In fact in marine and aviation use, crimp is the accepted methodolgy to prevent the connection from breaking at the terminal due to embrittlement.
My suggestion is to get some good marine grade wire, like 2/0 etc. Marine wire is AWG so it is a little larger that SAE you get in the auto stores. Each strand is also tinned so it will not corrode. After CRIMPING on the connectors use heat shrink with the "goo" inside. It's also available at marine stores and even comes in red. When you heat it, the goo melts and as it shrinks the goo runs out. Makes a nice waterproof seal.
As for soldering, it is good for stationary applications, but it brittles out the connection. In fact in marine and aviation use, crimp is the accepted methodolgy to prevent the connection from breaking at the terminal due to embrittlement.
My suggestion is to get some good marine grade wire, like 2/0 etc. Marine wire is AWG so it is a little larger that SAE you get in the auto stores. Each strand is also tinned so it will not corrode. After CRIMPING on the connectors use heat shrink with the "goo" inside. It's also available at marine stores and even comes in red. When you heat it, the goo melts and as it shrinks the goo runs out. Makes a nice waterproof seal.
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