Battery cables

ja_cain

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Thinking about getting my own crimper and making my own cables. Thinking 3/0 on the battery to starter cable and 2/0 on everything else or just 2/0 for everything. On the other hand I could get all new oem cables for ~$150. This is the crimper I was thinking about getting along with these military terminals. I think 10 ft of cable should be plenty. As usual, thanks for any advice provided.

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mandkole

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I've got a Hobart brand hammer crimper. Just made some 2/0 cables and it worked great. Get some big shrink tube also.
 

TyCorr

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I went to John deere and got 2/0 copper braided cable, cadmium tinned-cast copper terminals that were put on with a huge hydraulic press, the terminals were put on and then sealed with heavy gauge glue impregnated heat shrink. Doing this leaves you with totally sealed cables other than the endgrains of the cable. You have the guy stop the cable short enough that you can either solder the end closed or use hard epoxy. Literally impervious. A whopping 90 $ too as opposed to 300 from ford for a five year turd.
 

ncollins64

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I went to John deere and got 2/0 copper braided cable, cadmium tinned-cast copper terminals that were put on with a huge hydraulic press, the terminals were put on and then sealed with heavy gauge glue impregnated heat shrink. Doing this leaves you with totally sealed cables other than the endgrains of the cable. You have the guy stop the cable short enough that you can either solder the end closed or use hard epoxy. Literally impervious. A whopping 90 $ too as opposed to 300 from ford for a five year turd.
Think I may have to do something like this when I install the new engine.
 

TyCorr

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I had photos of mine on here somewhere but they aren't in my photo bucket anymore.
 

TyCorr

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Nvm. I found them

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One shows the old cast lead garbage terminal comoared to my tinned copper ones.
 

hucorey

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You can also get the military cable ends with the solder already in the sockets.

On the eyelet ends, I just use a 3/4" cold chisel that I ground to a nice round profile, and the whack the chit out it with a 2lb engineers hammer.

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TARM

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I am relocating my batteries to the spare tire inset in the back of my excursion to allow for reloaction of some other parts. Terminal posts up front to run to. Not looking forward to the cost of that run. At leas the bat to bat run is inches not feet. I am guessing its a 10-12' run?? going down along the frame rail and up thru the floor board. Have to measure with some rope first.
 

gnxtc2

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Get the welding cable from an electrical supply house. If you know a commercial electrician, have him crimp the ends. I have my manual and hydraulic crimpers.

Not a fan of the hammer type. After you run the cable, you have to remove it and bring it to bench to make the crimp.....double work.

For the battery stuff, I use my manual crimper instead of the hydraulic. I make the crimp right by the battery.

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Billy T.
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hucorey

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I am relocating my batteries to the spare tire inset in the back of my excursion to allow for reloaction of some other parts. Terminal posts up front to run to. Not looking forward to the cost of that run. At leas the bat to bat run is inches not feet. I am guessing its a 10-12' run?? going down along the frame rail and up thru the floor board. Have to measure with some rope first.
Don't forget to run a remote post for jump starting.

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DieselDC

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The crimper that's on Amazon - get that one. I use to make mine with solder and it was good and all but chit - took forever! I chanced on that same crimper and never looked back. The crimps are good as any solder ones - SOLID! They will not come apart!


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ja_cain

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Thanks for all of the info guys. I think I'm going to get the crimper from amazon. Just not real sure about using welding wire instead of actual battery cable, but I think it will still be better than what I've got now and I can go ahead and do both of the tractors too.

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ja_cain

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The crimper that's on Amazon - get that one. I use to make mine with solder and it was good and all but chit - took forever! I chanced on that same crimper and never looked back. The crimps are good as any solder ones - SOLID! They will not come apart!


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I think I'm going to get that one and it looks like they have rings that are only open on one end too. The shrink should keep them pretty sealed up.

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