Battery cables

ja_cain · Jan 9, 2017

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 · Jan 9, 2017

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

ja_cain · Jan 9, 2017

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

Cool. You got any picks?

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TyCorr · Jan 9, 2017

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 · Jan 9, 2017

TyCorr said:
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 · Jan 9, 2017

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

TyCorr · Jan 9, 2017

Nvm. I found them

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

ncollins64 · Jan 9, 2017

Guess I'm going to John Deere tomorrow or somewhere similar and get this started.

hucorey · Jan 9, 2017

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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TyCorr · Jan 9, 2017

ncollins64 said:
Guess I'm going to John Deere tomorrow or somewhere similar and get this started.

They look backyarded in the pics. But in hand they make the oem look like wires for a toy car.

mandkole · Jan 10, 2017

ja_cain said:
Cool. You got any picks?

This gives the idea, but it's just nice to be able to make them now.

TARM · Jan 10, 2017

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 · Jan 10, 2017

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.

Billy T.
[email protected]

hucorey · Jan 10, 2017

TARM said:
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 · Jan 10, 2017

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 · Jan 10, 2017

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 · Jan 10, 2017

DieselDC said:
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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