Battery cables...solder or crimp?

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by MarkM66

Hmmm... not sure if you're just kidding, or being an a-hole.

I'm thinking "both" of the above - Lat G just really isn't the website for "beating flat with a hammer" kind of work... ya think?

[JRouche]

Originally Posted by MarkM66

Hmmm... not sure if you're just kidding, or being an a-hole.

Well I am an (*), but I was tongue-in-cheek with my comment Just kidding.....

I think a guy should do whatever he can on his car to get the job done. There are so many "right and wrong" ways of doing things that its not for me to tell a guy if he is right or wrong. Just not my place. I think its good to get alot of opinions here. That way the guy doing the work can decide what is within his capabilities. And my BFH gets used often around here JR

[JRouche]

Originally Posted by elitecustombody

I wouldn't do either, I would buy a distribution block

But you still have to make or by a line with the lug on it. Say if your attaching to the battery. Or a stud on the frame for a ground. I love distribution blocks. But the type I use have a main stud that needs to have a lug on the wire to attach it. Some have slip in receivers for the wire end. Those are handy. No soldering or crimping. The clamp on the block makes the joint. But the majority of them have a stud that uses a ring terminal. JR

[elitecustombody]

Originally Posted by JRouche

But you still have to make or by a line with the lug on it. Say if your attaching to the battery. Or a stud on the frame for a ground. I love distribution blocks. But the type I use have a main stud that needs to have a lug on the wire to attach it. Some have slip in receivers for the wire end. Those are handy. No soldering or crimping. The clamp on the block makes the joint. But the majority of them have a stud that uses a ring terminal. JR

there is a big variety of nice aftermarket battery terminals,connectors that eliminate any crimping or soldering,but I guess cheap terminals ,hammer or a wise do the job too

[GregWeld]

I've found the best battery "terminals" in the CAR STEREO stores... They have them in a variety of styles - and some with additional capacity to add wires etc. They also have a variety of terminal blocks etc.

The pro wiring guys say DO NOT SOLDER... the reason for that is it can make the wire brittle when done improperly.

If you are going to solder (and I solder my battery cables only) I place the cable in the lug (if you don't have a crimper then just use a center punch or similar and tap the lug just enough to pinch it to hold it onto the wire) and hold the WIRE in the vise not the terminal - holding the terminal causes too much heat as the vise acts as a heat sink... Just hold the wire so the terminal is draped down so you can add heat to the lug - and then just add the solder. The minute the solder melts and is drawn (flows) into the cable - withdraw the heat. Too much heat is the cable killer.

Wish I'd have known you were going to do this - I'd have brought down my crimpers!

[GregWeld]

The other good source for one or two battery type parts - dist blocks etc - is your local West Marine. They have stuff for a variety of applications = such as cable bulk head fittings etc - for the boat world - which uses a ton of 12V big cable stuff... They also carry lots of STAINLESS STEEL dist blocks etc..

They're too expensive (M A R I N E) if you're going to buy more than one of something... then you can source the same or similar stuff elsewhere.

[AAW]

The attached link has an inexpensive battery crimping tool that you can use in a bench vice. It also lists complete cable kits and a side post build-a-battery kit. I do recommend solder in addition to a good crimp.

http://www.americanautowire.com/cata...ble&Access.pdf

Tim

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by AAW

The attached link has an inexpensive battery crimping tool that you can use in a bench vice. It also lists complete cable kits and a side post build-a-battery kit. I do recommend solder in addition to a good crimp.

http://www.americanautowire.com/cata...ble&Access.pdf

Tim

TIM --

I'll bet you get that soldering question a lot huh? I know I do. It's always a 'debate'. I solder my big lug battery stuff - but nothing else. The problem comes with soldering - IMHO - is the person doing the work.... if they overheat the copper it gets brittle. So far.. I've seen very few people that can solder correctly. It's like welding - yeah they can weld. Which means they can get two pieces of metal to stick together... but they really can't WELD... as in - get it to stay square - flat - have penetration - and pass a bend test....