Battery feed wire upsize question

[Remus Redbone]

I've upgraded all my battery strap wires and the positive lead from the batteries to the OBC, as well as the high current wire to the motor all to 2 ga wire. I haven't completed the negative side battery connection to the controller. I've seen several comments about wire size that fits through the hole in the OBC, but that doesn't appear to be as much trouble as getting the small jumpers reconnected to the terminal on the controller end of the wire.

I've seen multiple suggestions about leaving the stock wire through the OBC and adding a second wire just for the current carrying capacity increase.

The question; does the charger still work properly if there is a wire through the OBC and a wire (likely of larger gauge) bypassing the OBC? That appears to be the easiest solution, but I've found that easiest is not always best. I thought about just giving it a shot to see if it worked, but I'm sure many have tried this before me and can let me know there's nothing to worry about or let me know it creates headaches.

Thanks in advance,
Remus.

[Hecky50]

Read this...

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...-obc-stud.html

[Swan]

I tried going around the obc with 4 gauge wire and had some minor charging problems. I end up cutting the end off and pass though then soldiering on the end again . that seemed to fix my charging problems. I later jump up to 2ga and made a 5/16 brass thread rod with shrink tubing , nylon washers , brass washers and brass nuts and connected the 2 ga on either side. well worth it to do it with it ggoing though the obs . scottyb (http://www.cartsunlimited.net/)sells a bolt kit just for that purpose .

[teecro]

I'm going to come out and say this worked for me but if you try it be carefull....

I ever so gingerly enlarged the hole through the OBC till it was large enough to pass the new 2 gauge wire. The OBC is made of plastic and the hole was very easy to enlarge... I then soldered on the lug under the cart...

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by teecro

I'm going to come out and say this worked for me but if you try it be carefull....

I ever so gingerly enlarged the hole through the OBC till it was large enough to pass the new 2 gauge wire. The OBC is made of plastic and the hole was very easy to enlarge... I then soldered on the lug under the cart...

I heard this was a hit or miss idea, so I tried it.
It costed me an OBC so I went with the stud idea.
Some 2g welding lead will fit through with a little lube on it.

[teecro]

Originally Posted by scottyb

I heard this was a hit or miss idea, so I tried it.
It costed me an OBC so I went with the stud idea.
Some 2g welding lead will fit through with a little lube on it.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the stud idea at all; it is a very smart kit indeed... I had intended on fabbing one up when I was doing the wires and when I saw that it was only a little shy I decided to give it a go with a very sharp Uni-Bit....

Knew it was risky but so is my job!

[Remus Redbone]

Got it, and my suspicion is confirmed; there is a potential down side to bypassing the OBC with a second wire. That's all I needed to see. I can get back through the hole with something. I've got some old 2ga wire that has fairly thin insulation that I believe will fit through the hole with ease. If not, I can build the stud.

What is the most common method of attaching the two small leads on the controller end of the negative battery feed lead? I see that as more of a challenge than getting back through the hole in the OBC since it seems one of the two leads can't be disconnected. Is the best thing to cut the main wire off and retain the terminal with the two small leads attached? I've been soldering on all leads with a propane torch & it doesn't appear it will be easy to get those two small leads soldered into a terminal with the new 2ga wire.