Post by quikduk on Feb 9, 2008 12:58:53 GMT -5
I was looking at my battery cables and saw corrosion moving down into the interior of the strands...not good. I decided to do what I have done to other vehicles and replace both cables with high quality electrolytic copper, fine strand welding cable.
The stuff I use is #2GA Flex-O-Prene heavy duty welding cable rated at 600V and with a temp. range from -50 C to +105 C. It is made in the good ole USofA, is extremely flexible and has a HD outer silicone jacket. The Interstate battery shop near my work makes them up and will use, if you ask...and I do, a HD adhesive heat-shrink tubing over the crimps. I also use the HD crimped pre-tinned lugs.
The cool thing about this cable is it has less resistance due to the many many fine strands of pure copper wire so there is less load on the starter, battery etc. when cranking. I am also being a bit a-retentive here, however the last time I did an upgrade like this, the difference was like night and day.
I ordered the pos. cable 1' longer to better route it and the neg. cable 3" shorter since the original appeared too long. I will see if the new neg. one is long enough since although the cable is more flexible, the crimped ends are a bit stiffer due to the extra thick lugs and heat-shrink. I was going to get 90 degree ends for the battery posts, however they were out so I will have to modify these.
Unfortunately, cable costs have doubled in the last month, along with all metal and aggregate based products so it cost $25 and change for the cables. I now just have to put my special clamps together, modify them to fit and assemble. I still need to get the proper delrin clamps for a sano install but for now the zip ties will do. I also coated the connections with NoCo battery terminal grease for anti-corrosion proofing. They definitely work better as the tractor seems to spin the starter faster.
The stuff I use is #2GA Flex-O-Prene heavy duty welding cable rated at 600V and with a temp. range from -50 C to +105 C. It is made in the good ole USofA, is extremely flexible and has a HD outer silicone jacket. The Interstate battery shop near my work makes them up and will use, if you ask...and I do, a HD adhesive heat-shrink tubing over the crimps. I also use the HD crimped pre-tinned lugs.
The cool thing about this cable is it has less resistance due to the many many fine strands of pure copper wire so there is less load on the starter, battery etc. when cranking. I am also being a bit a-retentive here, however the last time I did an upgrade like this, the difference was like night and day.
I ordered the pos. cable 1' longer to better route it and the neg. cable 3" shorter since the original appeared too long. I will see if the new neg. one is long enough since although the cable is more flexible, the crimped ends are a bit stiffer due to the extra thick lugs and heat-shrink. I was going to get 90 degree ends for the battery posts, however they were out so I will have to modify these.
Unfortunately, cable costs have doubled in the last month, along with all metal and aggregate based products so it cost $25 and change for the cables. I now just have to put my special clamps together, modify them to fit and assemble. I still need to get the proper delrin clamps for a sano install but for now the zip ties will do. I also coated the connections with NoCo battery terminal grease for anti-corrosion proofing. They definitely work better as the tractor seems to spin the starter faster.