a thank you for lessons on how to make cables- before and after

[yurtle]

Here's what I did:

I first stripped the cable then measured the exact amount of insulation to remove. I then cleaned the inside of my lug with emory cloth. I then measured and marked the exact length of solder as determined by my "test". Then I applied Radio Shack pure rosin flux to the cable and the inside of the lug. Be careful not to "disrupt" the strands in the bare cable. Heat the lug, add the solder, add the cable, then don't move for a minute or two. Once cooled inspect, wipe off any stray flux, then heat-shrink.

On my first connection, I sacrificed about 1/2" of cable, to make sure I had the cleanest copper possible.

Be careful that any flux you use is for electrical and not plumbing, as many fluxes are corrosive.

I ran my buggy HARD and then checked each and every connection for heat. Though I've done a lot of soldering in my day, I've never soldered anything this big, or with such a high strand count.

One final note, I learned that you can tell by the color of the copper when it's ready to accept the solder. I also applied heat just a little while after adding the cable, to be sure the strands got hot before the solder cooled.

[yurtle]

One final thought. If you are unsure about your technique, buy some extra lugs and do several tests. After you're done, cut the cable flush with the top of the lug and make sure the solder has penetrated every strand.

If your doubtful, buy the cables from ScottyB. Better safe than sorry, as I suspect it's possible with the ampacity of a battery pack, for a bad connection to heat up enough to melt the solder and turn really bad.

[csport]

I had put the 2 g caqbles on the farm ezgo and it could be my imagination, it sure seemed to run a bit longer and it was nicer not having to smell burning wires, the old ones WERE OLD

I think its worth it

[yurtle]

If you were smelling anything, the improved performance isn't your imagination. You were wasting power, heating up the bad connections and cables.

[csport]

Would you get any benefit going to a 02 gauge?
thanks guys

[shaffer88]

Originally Posted by csport

Would you get any benefit going to a 02 gauge?
thanks guys

You referring to 2/0? As in larger than regular 2 ga awg

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by csport

Would you get any benefit going to a 02 gauge?
thanks guys

It depends on the application.
The larger the cable, the less the power loss, but there is a point of diminishing return.

If you are not running many amps through the cables, the benefit from larger cables will be slight.
If you are running a lot of amps through the cables, the benefit from larger cables will be greater.

Going from AWG-2 to AWG-00 (aka 2/0) will half the power loss, but you probably won't notice much difference except on the steepest hills and then it becomes a question as to whether your motor can handle all those the Watts without a meltdown.

Attached is a chart of power losses at different amp flows for various AWG cables.

I used 25' for the total length of the high current cables and the total length of high current cables in your cart will probably be a few feet less than that, but the ratios will be the same.

[csport]

the cart this is on, is a Bad Boy/ezgo buggy 48 volt, with 2 15 hp motors-
I am going to run new cables to the motor from the controler.

I ahve to run to the front motor and then the rear motor, Should I keep all cables 2G or Move up to a 00 or 02? any thoughts my Son said he sees it is pretty simple looking to install those cables?

Thanks to all and JohnieB for the Charts

and hopefully I will be able to sell the old 1989 Ezgo this sunday and we can get a gas cart for the Place in the country- they might not know how to chargge a battery, they should be able to put gas in it LOLOLOL

[kymudder]

any recommendation on where to get the terminals and how much are you paying for them