Bad Battery Cable End

Hobo,NC · Nov 10, 2018

This is the second time I have seen a cable end fail like this I have been wrenching for 45 years... It had a bad connection inside the crimp...

I stopped by a parts store BS'N with the owner a guy comes in looking for a cable they did not have a cable and did not want to make one up for him there shop is not open on Saturdays. His cable looked good to me till he turned it over and I seen where it was burning thru :shock: I ask the owner to sell him the parts I would make the cable up for him.

He came to the shop I crimped him up a nice new cable... Before Y'all crimp haters blow a gasket this is a extremely rare failure most all crimp connections will live as long are longer than a solder connection...

I would wager this crimp is 35/40 years old a poor crimp at that on a old ford tractor... I wounder why they would tie the end of the copper strands with a steel wire...

one more pix were the cable enter the clamp. I am a little fudgie I guess I don't install the cable insulator inside the crimp that's what hear shrink tub'B is for...

grizz02 · Nov 10, 2018

when I start having starting issues as in slow cranking the first thing I do is pull the coil wire and crank the engine about 30 secs. then get out and feel the cables and batt cable ends, if there hot somewhere I replace them. more often I find its the problem as opposed to the battery or starter

SVcummins · Nov 10, 2018

Local fiat dealer used to make cables buy crimping
them with the hydraulic hose machine those are
dang nice cables

matthies · Nov 10, 2018

I crimp them first, solder them, and then heat shrink. No problems yet. The solder fills the voids and keeps the corrosion from wicking up the cable.

John B. · Nov 10, 2018

That's the way I do it also and for the same reason. Never had a problem in over 35 yrs.
Now on the side post automotive batteries you have to keep them tight and also disconnect the cables from the batteries once in a while to check for corrosion. Corrosion can't be seen on these unless you take the cable off at the battery and this corrosion will eat up the bolt holding the cable to the battery. When the side post batteries first came out they said it was suppose to prevent this corrosion but it still happens.

Geo-TH,In · Nov 11, 2018

Hobo,NC,
I don't know the solution to electrolysis. Two
dissimilar metals will always cause electrolysis.

I've found I'm less likely to have connection issues
using sealed batteries, AGM's

I had a short in my dump trailer cable. Wire got
shorter after connection failed.

DoubleO7 · Nov 11, 2018

(quoted from post at 22:43:25 11/10/18)

I wounder why they would tie the end of the copper strands with a steel wire...

My guess that steel wire/hog ring rusted and that lead to a poorer connection/more resistance.
Is that a lead terminal or brass/bronze/copper of some sort?

Nice of the shop owner to have the parts and equipment but refuse to make them up.

rustyfarmall · Nov 11, 2018

I think the real key to stopping the internal corrosion problems is to use heat shrink.

Hobo,NC · Nov 11, 2018

Lead I cut it open with a razor knife I was just curious as to why it burnt a hole in the cable end... He had plenty of cables made up none with a 7/16 hole in the lug end all were probably 2/4 ga. that were to small.

When you are in another guys businesses its touchy to steal his show so he did get to sale the parts... I have seen him miss battery sales because of him using a battery conductance tester that reminds me to post this link.... Page 20

http://edition.pagesuite-profession...529a28-c29f-4c9a-b8b4-9037b9888b24&pnum=1

Bad Battery Cable End

Hobo,NC

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grizz02

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SVcummins

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matthies

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John B.

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Geo-TH,In

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DoubleO7

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rustyfarmall

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Hobo,NC

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