I'm going to have to run new cables, custom lengths, for this conversion. The batteries are going to both be on the driver's side, in the front corner. For power I'm going to have to connect the two batteries, run one cable across and over to the alternator & starter, and another straight back to a power distribution block I'm getting for my 12V accessory stuff. Ground will have both connected together, then cables to the engine, body, and frame. Trying to do this cleanly is what I'm struggling with, since the factory connectors are all molded together.

I was thinking of using some marine battery terminals and just running cables with lugs on them from that. These are what the terminals look like:





However, my concern and question is whether the lugs and those terminals will be able to send enough power over to the starter and back from the alternator? With the factory ones having the wires molded into the lead, I know there's plenty of contact there, but don't know how cable lugs do.

I have thought about using and splicing the stock connectors, and I haven't ruled that out, but I am expoloring some alternative options right now just in case that won't work out how I want.

So, what do you all think/know? Lugs going to be ok? Thanks all.

 

I have seen kits with a big bolt cutter like crimper and special purpose lugs for heavy current cables like this. I think the lugs would be ok, but it would depend some on the gauge of the cable. I have never tried to solder cables that big... but that would be a way to extend the existing cables. solder it and shrink wrap it at the joints. Remember that longer cables should increase a gauge, not sure how much longer your new cables are going to have to be.

 

Go to closest Interstate battery warehouse (not your normal retail location), and they will be happy to make you up some cables. The ones I had made from them were heavy duty lugs that were crimped, and then sealed with heat shrink. After a year the shrink is starting to come loose, but the crimp is holding tight. I am going to take the shrink off and hit the connections with liquid electrical tape.

 

Jeremy, Those will work just fine. I would replace the wing nuts with regular nuts and use a star washer. A little Noalox to help stop corrosion and your good to go.

I have a set of crimpers that will do up to 4/0 cable. If you want to make your own and would like to borrow them I'll send them to you.

 

Those types of lugs are supposed to be strictly for temporary repairs is what I have always been told.

 

I do some electrical work on some of the bigger boat here and have used them with no problems at all. If they are a true marine grade the stud is SS and so is the wing nut.

 

Jt, are those high dollar terminals? In my experience with the 4 batteries in my motor home I've found that every colored terminal I've ever bought turned out to be junk. Maybe I've never found any real good ones, but I have purchased them at marine supply house and not been happy with them. That's just my 2 cents worth.

 

If I do it this way, which I probably will, I'll have the lugs crimped and then I'll also solder them when I get back home.

Jim, good call on the star washer and regular nut. I appreciate the offer for the crimping tool. I'm thinking the guys at the welding shop where I would get the cable and lugs would have what's necessary, but if not, I will let you know.

I checked on the specs for the welding cable, and I can actually get away with a smaller cable than stock that still carries plenty of amperage. A 2 gauge welding cable will safely carry 250 amps over a distance of 20 feet. I don't have that much amperage, nor will my cables be that long. The welding cable is made of a lot more and much finer strands of copper than the stock battery cables, so the guys at the welding shop tell me the smaller cable will be plenty. A 1/0 welding cable carries 350 amps for 50 feet, so that may just be overkill, and twice as expensive as 2 gauge wire.

Mark, I don't have any of the connectors yet. Those are just some images I googled quickly to make sure we were all on the same page with what I was talking about.

 

If they crimp it with a multisided crimp then you really don't have to solder them. It won't hurt though. Use If you don't solder use Noalox on the wires before you crimp. It will lessen the chance of corrosion forming.

Let me know about the crimpers. If you need them they will be on the way.

 

Thanks Jim. I just feel better about solder, with the slightly more contact area you get between the connector and wire. Whether it helps or not, I don't know. It makes me feel better about the connection though.

 

We use the marine type (unpainted) on our company truck and equipment with 12/24 volt hi amp starting and charging systems. We have no problems with load carrying as long as the connections are clean and tight. We crimp our cables with a 6 sided crimp with no solder. We generally use 2/0 cable for our applications.

 

Why not ditch the lead terminals all together and get stud terminal batteries? I don't know how well they would fit in a SD but these are what I have in my OBS (group 31 1125CCA)


They are taller and longer but they fit in the OBS trucks

 

Just remember, the lug will be the actual rating/conducting spec of the cable if you follow what I mean. IOW, the actual contact size is all the surface area you have regardless of the cable size. It has to move through that lug, twice, through both ends. As for amps, it is DC, add up the specs for both your batteries. This is only at 12 volts.

I would think welding cables are more than up to the task as they use less amperage but push much higher voltage, 240 in most instances. That is a lot more juice.

 

I use only solid brass connectors and welding cable when I have to make up a cable.Brandon suggested it already, go to the nearest Interstate Battery and they will make the cables that you need with whatever wire gauge you want.Lead connectors work ok, but brass is the best.Crimp, then solder, then heat shrink.

 

I have been using those exact terminals for the past 4 years with ZERO issues. As for my cables, on two projects (my truck and my TT 5.0 Lincoln), I have made my own cables (using welding cable) using the copper crimp style connectors as well as heat shrink tubing, again with ZERO issues.

Just my $.02