soldering battery cables or not

95clubcar

Some of the golf cart shops around here have different ideas some solder the battery cable ends before they crimp on the ends and some don't. They all recommend shrink rap P.S. I am using #2 welding cable

BGW

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shadowman

helps keeps moisture from crodding the connection so nothing at all wrong with soldering them and using a good quaility shrink tube.................

LakeNut

The theory behind no solder is mechanical. If you crimp only, then the connector reinforces further out than the crimp, and the strands can move some past where the strain is concentrated, and relieves some of the strain. If you solder, either to seal the strands, or completely to the connector, now your max strain is somewhere outside the connector right where the strands are last soldered together, by solder wicking up the cable. This focuses any flex, and leads to faster failure.

Me, unless I see reason to expect flex on the wire, I usually solder. For cart cables, I might try to be sure the leads to the pack are secured to the pack with wire ties to protect those junctions from flex, and use fully soldered connections.

scottyb

There should be zero movement between electrical components in a golf cart. With the exception of a poorly designed CC S1 and S2 connections at the F&R nothing is moving so I am not sure where all this flex is supposedly coming from?

gaminde

Scotty !!
the cart doesn't stand still (well some do) any bouncing will bounce the cables and they flex at the ends where there tied to the batteries. There thinking is that the rigidity will eventually cause wire fatigue. How soon it will take is anyone's guess 1year or 50years its all theory and what ever works for you is good.

I have large crimps up to 4/0 3 feet long (what a pain ), and I make my wires longer than needed, when a new end is necessary I cut the old one off and replace it, never had to do this yet but can.

sonicj

not just solder wicking... but flux as well! there is no way of controlling/knowing how far flux has wicked past the solder connection. the higher the activation, the more corrosive the flux. unfortunately, cleaning the inside of the cable after soldering isn't an option.
-sj

scottyb

Whatever 4/0 cables
Now that's theory

gornoman

If you solder it first, then crimp it, you will crush (RUIN) the solder joint and make a very poor cable.

scottyb

As usual the arguments in this thread all very silly ...... do whatever you like. Somebody here will be obliged to argue.

You have a solid connection somewhere whether you crimp or solder the nut at the post is solid. From there on on down the cable the "Flex" caused by road vibration is going to break the cable somewhere between today and 150 yrs from now.....

I have a friend who runs 6 T105 in his motor home.... he uses copper flat strap for Connectors... Of course it is suppose to break from road vibration but it doesn't know that and continues to work 7 yrs later, Stupid straps

gaminde

I agree with Scotty and would add no mater what you do someday it will break solder or no solder.