Large battery cable ends needed

IOWA NORTHEAST · May 11, 2010

I ran across some (free) salvage battery cables that are brand new and very large in diameter. I need to put ends on some, and have no clue where to purchasr either end.

I will be able to come up with the size a little later on.

Thanks everyone.

Haywood · May 11, 2010

A Truck Shop will most likely have them.
or Napa is a place to check.

Brad Gyde · May 11, 2010

I get mine from my local NAPA store.. They actually even crimped on the last ones I bought for me.

Brad

Mike (WA) · May 11, 2010

I always assumed, I guess, that the best method of connection on battery cables was to solder the ends on. But I seem to remember somewhere that crimping is actually better. Anyone know?

Crem · May 11, 2010

Mike,
When repairing the 2/0 and 4/0 welding cables at work we always crimped them first and then soldered them. I believe that was an ASME requirement. Welding cable connections were always problems if they were not kept tight.

IOWA NORTHEAST · May 11, 2010

Thanks everyone for the ideas, These things are sure going to look stupid on my old tractors, but the price is right, and seldom does the tractors get new items. Most are about two to three ft long, and the first batch there was about fifty or so.

vjd · May 11, 2010

take a copper pipe that fits the cable flatten one end put sodder in round off the other end and put a hole in it

schmibm · May 11, 2010

Cleaning out PEC?

IOWA NORTHEAST · May 11, 2010

Thanks again for the new ideas.

schmibm, I'm sorry I didn't catch on, nor do I have a clue.

I got these from a equipment recall / ordeal, and they were headed for the dumpster at the factory. My son was allowed to have them, and he was headed for the scrap yard when I got wind of what was a going down.

I told my son if they were ever found in the scrap yard, he would have problems loading the next load with my boot in his rear.

JD Seller · May 11, 2010

I live in north-east Iowa too. I get my new ends crimped on at the local JD Dealer. They have the dies to use in their hydraulic hose crimper that crimp cable ends. Put new ends and shrink tube them they will be just like factory.

Anonymous-0 · May 12, 2010

I don't think there is any ASME requirements for welding cable ends but welding cable ends can be put on large battery cables. I like the hammer on ones. They are a lot beefier than the solder on ones and they don't come loose after they're hammered on. Dave

guido · May 12, 2010

Hello IOWA NORTHEAST,
Here is what you do, once you get the right terminals:
Steap 1==========crimp the terminal.
Steap 2========== solder the terminal.
Steap 3 =========shrink wrap the terminal.
DONE!.....................Guido.

Crem · May 12, 2010

135 Fan,
This was back in the seventies and eighties. It may or may not have been an ASME requirement but they had a lot of rules for the ASME welding. We had to calibrate all of the welding machines at certain intervals and keep records of everything in case they wanted to look at the books. It seemed like things got more lax in the later years or maybe there were different requirements.

Crem · May 12, 2010

Here is a picture of a hand crimping tool. You clamp the die in a vise, get the cable end in position and hammer it down in the center. If you are going to solder it after that be sure to coat the inside of the connector and the bare wire with flux first. I have installed hundreds of ends with a tool like that. You could make a tool out of a slit piece of pipe and a blunt chisel.

Here is a link to just soldering an end on. There are a few comments at the end.

Link

IOWA NORTHEAST · May 12, 2010

Thanks again folks, lot of nice ideas. A lot of helpful folks on this site, It's a great place to hang out.

Large battery cable ends needed

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