Battery Cable Temperature

[barsss]

I attached a picture of the batteries on my cart. Have never had any corrosion on post or wires that I can see. Not sure if any under shrink wrap. When I clean my cart I blow out the compartment with air. Then hose it off and set in sun to dry.

JohnnieB
I will take wires loose tonight and see if studs are loose. Should I use a torque wrench when tightening nuts on wires. Also looking at a set of 2 gauge wires. Links below what do you think of them.

http://www.evdrives.com/product_p/wk2g-dcs-pds.htm

yurtle
As you can see from the picture keep batteries clean. You leaning toward new set of wires. Check link and see what you think of wire set.

sms-shop
thanks for information on wire and lugs. Greenville is about 30 minutes from me, but my brother lives. What do you think of wire set. Would rather buy a set than make my own. That way I know they are done right.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by barsss

.................
JohnnieB
I will take wires loose tonight and see if studs are loose. Should I use a torque wrench when tightening nuts on wires. Also looking at a set of 2 gauge wires. Links below what do you think of them.
.................

Torque wrenches tend to be big and cumbersome, and might be dangerous in a battery compartment since they are likely to be long enough to short between battery posts if dropped.

You might try covering the other posts with an insulator of some kind and use a torque wrench to get a feel of what 8.75 ft/lb actually feels like.
It isn't much, so think in terms of wing-nut tightness rather than hex-head tightness.

What I use is the screwdriver handle out of a Jensen 1/4 drive socket set, similar to the one shown here:
http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com...spx?pn=354-105
Mine set is much older and the screwdriver handle is a lot thinner.
I don't have a 1/4" drive socket that fits the nuts on the battery studs, so I use a 1/4" to 3/8" adapter and use a 3/8" drive socket.

As for the cables you linked to, I think they are closed ended lugs, but I can't tell for sure due to the small picture size.
Here is what I used, (Kit # 11): http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Batter..._Upgrades.html

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by yurtle

Run a short distance then see if you can tell whether the cables are hotter at the lugs. Copper's a pretty good conductor of heat, so I guess it's possible for the whole cable to eventually get hot, but I'd start with the lugs.

Do you keep the battery terminals and lugs clean and protected? Have they ever gotten green before? Could have corrosion under the heat shrink.

Originally Posted by barsss

I attached a picture of the batteries on my cart. Have never had any corrosion on post or wires that I can see. Not sure if any under shrink wrap. When I clean my cart I blow out the compartment with air. Then hose it off and set in sun to dry.

yurtle
As you can see from the picture keep batteries clean. You leaning toward new set of wires. Check link and see what you think of wire set.

Looks like you have kept them clean. Did you try to run a short distance to see if the lugs get hot first, or whether the whole cable gets hot?

[barsss]

Took it down to end of road and back full speed. Battery post were cool. Wires close to controller side were hot. The one on top right of picture I posted of batteries was the hottest. The end on that wire is crimped and I could see a small of corrosion at end of wire sticking out of crimp. I think I am going to order a complete set of wires. Trying to decide between ScottyB's 2 gauge or 4 gauge silver soldered cable set. Just a little more for 2 gauge, should I spend extra money.

Appreciate all the help from everyone, Bryan

[gornoman]

From your sig and avatar info, 4g would be fine. If you are planning a lift and big tires in the future, go with the 2g. My .02

[barsss]

Thanks Gornoman, that is what I though but wanted conformation will be placing order for a 4 gauge set today.

After all the talk about corrosion on wire I dug in the trash can and found the wire that I replaced after the battery meltdown. Cut it open and found corrosion under the shrink wrap and wire covering. Attached some pictures.

What is everyones feelings on washing the batteries off with hose? Would this cause the corrosion. Would not spraying the post with protective spray cause this?

[JohnnieB]

That is a nasty looking cable end.
I'm not sure if it is all heat damage or if there might be some corrosion embedded in the strands, but the pictures do illustrate how vulnerable the stranded conductor is to acid laden air seeping into it unless the lug is closed on the ring terminal end and the gap between the lug and insulation is sealed air tight.

The batteries produce Hydrogen and Oxygen while charging and molecules of sulfuric acid clings to the gas molecules as they bubble up through the electrolyte (which is called gassing) and escape through the vent holes, so the atmosphere under the seat is corrosive and can be explosive.

Battery cleaning:
Make sure all caps are in place so no cleaning solution or rinse water gets into cells.
Neutrialize acid with backing soda solution. (I dissolve a 1/4 cup of baking soda in a pint of lukewarm distilled water and spray it on with a re-purposed Windex bottle.)
Brush battery top and terminals with scrub brush. (I use a couple different sizes that are typically used for dishes or pot & pans.)
Rinse thoroughly with hose or several buckets of tap water. (Avoiding the vent holes as much as possible.)
Air or blow dry.
Coat terminals and cable lugs with protectorate. (Vaseline works and there are spray on products as well as some that are grease like.)

[yurtle]

And buy your new cables from ScottyB. From the looks of other photos, I'm not sure they used the best heat-shrink. All heat-shrink is not made the same. Some do a much better job of sealing out harmful gasses.

[Gonkulor]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Too tight maybe?
snip
Trojan's tightness spec on that type terminal is only 95 - 105 lb/in, which is less than 9 ft/lb.

I can attest to over tightening. Once you over tighten a thread you have started to roll the thread and it has lost it's integrity. I'm in aviation and I was amazed to find out all the aircraft you fly in are assembled in inch pounds. After time you learn the "wrist" torque, but I require all mechs to use a torque wrench. The point is, yes over torque is bad. It will feel tight but if you have to disassemble and reassemble something, it will fail if over torqued.

Originally Posted by yurtle

And buy your new cables from ScottyB. *snip* heat-shrink. All heat-shrink is not made the same. *snip* .

The good heat shrink has a glue resin epoxy that coats everything once it is shrunk.

[JohnnieB]

[QUOTE=Gonkulor;785610]I can attest to over tightening. Once you over tighten a thread you have started to roll the thread and it has lost it's integrity. I'm in aviation and I was amazed to find out all the aircraft you fly in are assembled in inch pounds. After time you learn the "wrist" torque, but I require all mechs to use a torque wrench. The point is, yes over torque is bad. It will feel tight but if you have to disassemble and reassemble something, it will fail if over torqued.

Since more people are able walk away from golf carts whose propulsion systems fail than from aircraft whose propulsion systems fail, we enter a realm known as Risk Management.