Battery Cables |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Posted: June-11-2008 at 10:18am |
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I'm swapping out my battery cables because mine are heavily internally corroded. I've already fished the old ones out and pulled a "fish" of wire through with them to guide the new ones back in. The question is, where do I have new cables made? I called Napa and they said they only sell the cable by the foot and do not crimp on connectors. I called a local stereo shop (who thought I was from Mars asking them to make battery cables) and they said they could make them, but use 4g wire- this wire appears to be 2g wire. I need somebody to use the correct gauge wire and be able to crimp on the eye connector at one end and the top post clamp on the other end of each wire. Thoughts?
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2000 SN GT40 w/99 Graphics/Gel
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Joel,
If you plan on keeping the boat for some time then the way to go is marine grade cable. It will be tinned wire plus tinned copper lugs. You can go to West and get them or use their on line store but don't be shocked on the cost. 2ga if you want to go all the way. CQ asked me a couple weeks ago about new ends on his cables. I suggested the Antioch Napa and he did call them and found out they will crimp on new ends or make up new cables. |
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quinner
Grand Poobah Joined: October-12-2005 Location: Unknown Status: Offline Points: 5828 |
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Joel,
My problem is just the + terminal end at the battery, do not want to use a screw on type, Antioch Napa can crimp but the cable needs to be removed, have not taken mine out yet, still trying to find a shop who could possibly crimp it in the boat. |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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I fished mine out pretty easily although they do tuck both cables in along the edge of the bilge with lots of tie wraps and other wiring looms. Hopefully I can sneak the new ones back in OK. The PO left standing water in the bilge at some point so my wires are internally caked with corrosion. I may pop for the West Marine stuff- 7.00 a foot! |
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2016 SN 200 OB 5.3L DI https://forum.fifteenoff.com |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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Well I wouldn't use stuff that small I would use 1/0 cable for the main battery leads you need the larger gauge for longer runs
also check out these guys around $3/ft for 1/0 tinned, they also will custom make cables and with the longer runs these boats need your better off letting them make them instead of yourself. custom battery cables |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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79, great reference. Only problem is that the cables are already out of the boat and I'd like to ski this weekend!
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2000 SN GT40 w/99 Graphics/Gel
2016 SN 200 OB 5.3L DI https://forum.fifteenoff.com |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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oh well, It's going to rain though |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Quick update on this story- I ran over to West Marine at lunch. They had the tinned cable at about 7.00/foot. These cables are over 6' long so I'll pass on the tinned stuff. Since they didn't even used tinned cables from the factory I'll do the regular cable for 1/4th of the price and replace it 4 times down the road- that should last me until about 2040 AD! West Marine didn't have the regular cable OR the battery post clamps. The only thing they did have were the eyelets that go on the other end of the cables, marine grade plated copper. Oddly enough they only sell these in two-packs. I need one of each size- one 3/8 and one 1/2" eyelet. I bought the 2 pack of 3/8 and I'll drill the other one out to 1/2.
For kicks I hit a Pep Boys on the way back to the office. They did not sell bulk cable- only pre-made short cables. The guy initially directed me over to the booster cables... obviously a sharp guy. The eyelets on these stock cables are REALLY nicely crimped and shrink wrapped. Hopefully this custom audio place can do that and that they have #2 cable. More as it develops- I must be the only guy on earth who has replaced their battery cables based on what I've encountered so far in my search. |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Just called a Napa nearby work- "nope, we're not equipped to make battery cables and I'm not sure that any Napa is, thanks, click." Nice.
Called the audio shop back- they only use #4 cable. Called CarQuest- the guy said they don't officially make cables but he'd crimp them for me anyway. What a guy. And, he gets my business. |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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no your not I replaced mine when I did the motor and spent 20 bucks for the pair of custom length factory terminated cables not the cheap crimped ends either, soldered ring terminals with lead top post mount lugs, shrink wrapped and boots. Just told them the length and style of ends had them in less than a week. Didn't get the thin cables either 1/0 cable #2ga is realy pushing it for the length that they have to be and the style of starter used. |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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This project is complete. CarQuest charges almost 4.00 per foot of 1G cable. Imagine my surprise when I picked up the cables and the guy was like "That'll be 75.84". I almost passed out at the counter. "I'm sorry, perhaps I heard you wrong- did you say SEVENTY FIVE US DOLLARS??? SSSSANTA MARIA!!!!" Had I known it would have been that expensive, I would have delayed this project for years! Yep, each run of wire is over 8 feet. Oh, well. Got some shrink wrap for the eyelet ends and put that on just to tidy up the cables and fished them through. Of course, they fought me all the way as I tried to fish them through. Turns out the battery cable passage out of the battery box is just raw floatation foam- pretty lame. No pipes or anything.
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21169 |
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I find that very hard to believe- both my '90 and '78 had PVC pipes that spanned from the batt box to the bulkhead. $4/ft is a little high, but not outrageous. Did they terminate the ends for you? If so, thats a decent deal. |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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You're right, I try to make this stuff up for you guys The battery cable passage exits the starboard side of the battery box on this boat, not astern like the older boats. There is a grommet around the exit hole of the battery box and a tunnel of pure foam leading outside the box. Then the cables go who knows where and at some point take a hard right astern. Fishing them was a very nontrivial task- I wouldn't be surprised if they actually go through a maze of some sort down there . As far as I could feel into that tunnel, it was all foam. You can check it out at GL. As far as the price, I meant that it was shocking because I didn't even ask about the price- I just picked up the cables blindly and I wasn't expecting 75 bucks! But, the good thing is I went with the "big dog" cable. Now I just have to figure out where this extra 12g ground terminates so I can replace it too. I asked on PN.com and of course got no answers, most likely because it wasn't about which gel scheme I should get on my new 100K boat or which cool griffin graphic I want on my 2009 230. When I stripped the additional ground back to throw a ring terminal on it last night, the wire was actually jet black with corrosion. |
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eric lavine
Grand Poobah Joined: August-13-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13413 |
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what finishes off a job like your doing is if you silver solder the ends on once they are crimped or even pre-crimped. i can count the times that the wire has pulled from the crimp, plus it gives you 100% connection
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"the things you own will start to own you"
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Joel, The extra ground wire - does it go forward or aft? I'm sure you looked in the bilge at were the bat cables come through. I'm just wondering if it was added at one time because of the typical grounding problem. I'd start pulling on black wires in the bilge and see if you get any movement on the other end. You do see now why the marine wire is tinned. Too bad it's so damn expensive. Of coarse the copper is at a all time high as well. Glad you got the cables through the foam and it didn't turn into a major project like your drip less did!
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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This boat is a bit more electronically complex than some of the older boats. The dash actually controls a box of relays and breakers under the dash for every accessory in the boat. I'm guessing the ground goes directly to that box. I'll play around with it a bit and try to determine which way it goes. All of the wiring on the boat is neatly tucked into wire looms so it's very difficult to determine what goes where. Any electronic troubleshooting would be a complete nightmare on this boat- thank God every thing works perfectly on it. |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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WOW 75 bucks makes my twenty buck cables look like a steal. Just FYI I know you didn't have the time but the site I posted had much cheaper prices and is for a marine grade cable. Bought a 8' black and 10' red complete, shring wrapped both ends and boots, gotta love good friends when they hook you up with top quality parts at wholesale price.
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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79, this is not the first time that rushing a project has screwed me over in time and materials. It's also not the first time I've fixed something that wasn't broken! Oh well, it's still fun.
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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getting replacement cables was the hardest item to source when I redid mine several years ago. Luckely for me my neighbor and I where on good terms and he works for who he does because it saved me over a grand over the years for everything I bought from him.
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