Battery Cables

[aldive]

I agree ^^^^^ Welding cables are best, but they will cost you more than factory-type cables. I use welding cable, because I have a roll of it. Otherwise, it is some high $$$ stuff.

What size do you use? Also, what connectors do you use?

Thanks ....

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

you guys are going to LOVE these pictures.
i see the cable you're talking about going from the positive end of the battery to the solenoid, but THEN!, there's a regular cable goign to the starter. and when i replaced my starter, there was a thick positive cable, a thin positive cable, and a thick black cable.

this is what i'm thinking, you have the big cable supplying the power, and the thinner one telling the starter to fire, adn of course the ground wire.

as you can see, i pulled the wire "up" from the positive terminal, to the solenoid. and then you can see the wire on the right going down to the start. i'm pretty sure this is normal, and it's just the main power source for the starter.


these are the new terminals i'm going to be using. i think they may be for marine use? but they were 6 dollars, and i like the way they have the butterfly nuts on them, so if i need to add an accessory, like an amp, or for lights, it'll be extremely easy to. package said they were polarized? who knows.

i'm quoting myself... i'm wondering about these polarized battery terminals... they were in the marine section of a sports store, and i picked them up cause i liked the way they were made, wing nuts and all... just looks easier if i ever have to hook up something else, like an amp or offroad lights. anyone have anything to say about them? i figure they'll work cause isn't a boats power about the same? thanks for the input.

 

[Mic_]

i'm quoting myself... i'm wondering about these polarized battery terminals... they were in the marine section of a sports store, and i picked them up cause i liked the way they were made, wing nuts and all... just looks easier if i ever have to hook up something else, like an amp or offroad lights. anyone have anything to say about them? i figure they'll work cause isn't a boats power about the same? thanks for the input.

Watch out for those polarized terminals!!

BE VERY CAREFUL around the north and south poles when driving!

 

[Willard]

They look like normal battery terminals.

The polarized part is probably the fact that the positive and negative connections are different sized posts on the battery, so you can't connect them backwards.

 

[glfredrick]

What size do you use? Also, what connectors do you use?

Thanks ....

OO, and I use heavy-duty truck lugs and ends from NAPA.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Cool, i like the way they look... that was my main reason for getting them... along with the fact my buddy's father installed one just like it on my positive post, just easy to hook something else to it. not have to get the wrenches and all out. thanks for the input though everybody, i'm going to start researching into cables in a few days.

 

[ricco750]

Dude do yourself a favor and just get the factory cables. They are well-made, stout, have all the right connectors, ....

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

appreciate it, but as i've stated, cost. i will research into cost, and go from there.

 

[Maniak]

Making your own cables isn't hard. I'm using 4 gauge wire for the two large power wires. I'm using the marine style connector on the battery and Ground Lugs that are normally used in a circuit breaker box in the house to hold the wires. I also used ground lugs where the wire connects to the solenoid on the fender but on the ends that go to the starter and the alternator have ring connectors.

For the ground wires I'm using the same system (4 gauge) but I have the ground wires going from the battery to the frame and engine (directly from the battery to each). That way I know I'm getting a good ground.

I got the wire from a local electronics store (the cables are high thread count very flexible wire).

Here's a pic of the positive side of the batter right after I did the cables (I used plasti dip on the cable end to keep it sealed.. turns out it isn't needed).

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Making your own cables isn't hard. I'm using 4 gauge wire for the two large power wires. I'm using the marine style connector on the battery and Ground Lugs that are normally used in a circuit breaker box in the house to hold the wires. I also used ground lugs where the wire connects to the solenoid on the fender but on the ends that go to the starter and the alternator have ring connectors.

For the ground wires I'm using the same system (4 gauge) but I have the ground wires going from the battery to the frame and engine (directly from the battery to each). That way I know I'm getting a good ground.

I got the wire from a local electronics store (the cables are high thread count very flexible wire).

Here's a pic of the positive side of the batter right after I did the cables (I used plasti dip on the cable end to keep it sealed.. turns out it isn't needed).

thanks dude! yeah, i'm really only interested in replacing the 4 gauge wires for now, and eventually teh smaller ones as time goes by.