Battery Cable Opinion Request

[hitmanharleyk]

Originally Posted by dereckbc

Thought I would make a couple of comments you may find useful. I am a telecom engineer who designs a lot of battery plants and thought I would share some trade secrets and observations from your pictures and descriptions.

Extra-Flex cable (fine stranded or high strand count) is a wonderful thing for working with. Let’s face it; it is easier to work with. However it has a negative you may not be aware of:

•It takes special long barrel terminals and compression tools to terminate properly to achieve a low resistance bond to the cable. In your picture it appears you are using a short barrel terminal made for standard class B stranding.

Thomas & Betts, and Burndy make some excellent terminals and compression tools that meet all UL and NEMA specifications and listings.

The compression tool is very important. The good ones use special dies that completely encircle the terminal and apply up to 15 Tons PSI to form a homogeneous bond between the wire and terminal. Better than solder if matched and used correctly. Something like a TBM6 Shure Stake in combination with T&B Color Keyed Compression Terminals is excellent and is large enough to accommodate up to 2/0 cable. The TBM6S tool and die set are a bit pricey but available used on EBay for around $200 to $250.

As for corrosion heat shrink is a OK but really only a secondary backup. The key is to use a oxidation inhibitor, and the best is a product called NO-OX-ID A-Special Electrical made by SANCHEM. It is cheap and if used properly will prevent any and all corrosion. In the telecom industry it is required, and we have battery installations over 50 years old and not one spec of corrosion. To use it after you skin the cable, you apply a light coat to the skinner, and then crimp the connector on. Once done there is no way air or moisture can penetrate. To expand to users and battery terminal apply a light coat to the compression terminals and battery post and you are protected. Finally the use of NO-OX is not limited to the battery, you can use it on all terminals and connections. We require it for all power connections in the Telecom sector.

I appreciate your reply and to be honest with you, you are talking over my head But I do have a question for you, is the one I have in the picture better than the stock cables ? or will they cause issues for carts running them ?

Thanks,
HKH

[dereckbc]

Originally Posted by hitmanharleyk

But I do have a question for you, is the one I have in the picture better than the stock cables ? or will they cause issues for carts running them

They will work just fine. My point was if you want to make and sell cart cables, you need to have a value added product by being a fews steps ahead of the factory cables or competition. If I were to buy I would look for 1/0 MTW cable with UL compression terminals compressed with a die stamp.

If you come away with anything here get you a $3 canister of No-Ox-Id-A and use it. As for the crimpers and connectors, most manufactures use the high-end stuff already but not the best.

[hitmanharleyk]

It was just a idea, being a rep for the company that makes all the above components I have kind of taken the approach to sell to the aftermarket cart
shops that are popping up everywhere and I'm having a little luck doing it.
I'm getting great feedback on forums and from these shops on the cable, the lugs have been kind of so-so. Of the 3 I went into this past week, 2 bought the cable even though it was higher than what they were paying for 4 ga. cable currently. I think they are going to take a good (stock) - better (4 ga.) - best (my 4 ga) approach with their customers.

If I can get in the door with one product, it should open it up for others.
Along with the cable and related products, I also sell about 5 or 6 different battery terminal cleaners and protectants, all of the wiring products, fuses, rust protectants, penetrating oils, ect.

[scottyb]

Glad we could help U with your business. Perhaps you will reciprocate with a hefty discount to any BGW member who wishes to purchase the product we all helped to develope

I 4 one will stick with my old fashion soldered copper ends on welder cable. I'm sure Mr telecom is giving it to us straight but That equiptment cost too much for the average Joe or Merl. Besides, who here hasn't had the cable go out in the middle of a playoff game?

[hitmanharleyk]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Glad we could help U with your business. Perhaps you will reciprocate with a hefty discount to any BGW member who wishes to purchase the product we all helped to develope

I 4 one will stick with my old fashion soldered copper ends on welder cable. I'm sure Mr telecom is giving it to us straight but That equiptment cost too much for the average Joe or Merl. Besides, who here hasn't had the cable go out in the middle of a playoff game?

my best price would still be higher than what most already pay ! I haven't tried to sell one thing here and until my last post I didn't tip my hand that I sold these products for a living, but I did want the opinion of the experts here in case I did want to sell them on Ebay or to shop owners. To me this made good sense, it would allow me to kind of know what was going on in the shops before visiting and what others are buying.
I've had a number of folks PM me about pricing and I told everyone of them I was still in the testing mode of the cables, I never tried to sell them.

[roady89]

Your like the 3000th person to get on this forum and have grandios dreams of making battery cables or some other sub par golf cart product and try to peddle it. PLEASE keep your day job and stay on ebay.

Just like all the rest....you have a cart for a few weeks and start thinking your some kind of expert and want to get into "The biz". puuulllease!