Making 4 Gauge Cables

[gornoman]

Originally Posted by sonicj

no need for solder if you crimp properly...

-sj

Here we go with THAT conversation AGAIN! LOL!

[scottyb]

Whatever


I wonder why they don't crimp circuit boards together, hmmmm?

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by derekbooth

Mmmmmmm. Cake.

Carrot cake
I searched Doug's links but couldn't find the $1 a ft #4 or a thread count on the cable offered.
In true welding cable you are looking for near 400 strands in 4g and 600 strands in 2g, Get the good stuff you are only buying a minimum of footage. I buy 500-1000 ft at a time and can't command $1 a ft on quality welding cable w/ neoprene shield.... so don't be fooled into thinking you can.
You should know how to solder before you try this...... We have seen some horrendous results with performance problems. Practice and then when you think you are ready try one ..... then test it with a m/ohm meter.

[crash12888]

Scotty is right, there is an art to soldering.
Do not melt solder into a lug and then cram the wire into it with out tinning the wire first or you will end up with a "cold" joint that will cause resistance and heat issue.
This is one area where you do not want to skrimp, you will melt a battery post or burn a motor insulator and possibly short a motor because of heat.

[dougmcp]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Carrot cake
I searched Doug's links but couldn't find the $1 a ft #4 or a thread count on the cable offered.
In true welding cable you are looking for near 400 strands in 4g and 600 strands in 2g, Get the good stuff you are only buying a minimum of footage. I buy 500-1000 ft at a time and can't command $1 a ft on quality welding cable w/ neoprene shield.... so don't be fooled into thinking you can.
You should know how to solder before you try this...... We have seen some horrendous results with performance problems. Practice and then when you think you are ready try one .....

My link took you to the 392 strand cable that is $1.13 ft for black and $1.03 for red.
The cable spec is as per their website:

Industry standard class K neoprene insulated welding cable. Made from 30-gauge soft-drawn copper strands for superior flexibility. Properties: 600v, -40 deg C. to +90 deg C., heavy duty/all purpose.

I personally prefer crimped cables but soldered work just as well, IMO both is overkill.
Soldering is not rocket science but it can be tricky.
Soldering paste on the stripped cable.
Insert the lug in a vice cup pointing up with the solder pellet in it put a propane torch to it and heat until the solder melts completely, insert the cable, apply more heat and then hold until it solidifies a little.
Put the shrink tube on the lug and apply heat from a heat gun.

[LakeNut]

Originally Posted by ForBruce

electricty travels ONLY on the surface of wire..hense multi strand is used for welding and battery cables......

Skin effect does apply to AC, but at 60Hz, about the first 8mm of conductor from the surface is in play.. Wait, that would be about all of 4Ga.. The depth of conduction for AC skin effect does drop with higher frequency, so this does become more of an issue at high frequency.

Stranded for welding is all about flexibility. Much of the way I clamp stuff up would not stay in place if the ground was solid wire, with spring tension on it. And I wouldn't be able to lay a good bead if I was fighting solid wire all the time.

The other place you get into surface conduction is high voltage, & static electricity, where all the charge is on the surface due to Faraday cage effect.

Now, to really put you to sleep...

For offsetting skin effect, there is some fancy wire called Litz wire. It does divide the wire up in to strands, but each strand is individually insulated, and the strands carefully alternate between being on the interior and exterior, to overcome the induction effects that cause the skin effect.

[scottyb]

30 ft of the the $1.13 cable is = $46 at check out
Silver solder is $25 a pound
Map gas cylinder is $13.
Propane torch capable of soldering lugs is $25
Lugs are what? $1 & you need how many? Will they be shipped?

I say do it. You will have fun and learn somethings.

[rib33024]

It aint tricky, It's down right hard to get 10 or more perfect solder joints right, with 4 or 2 ga cable, and I know for a fact, that your not going to heat up the lug with solder in it, and stick the cable in it, and have a good solder joint

[sonicj]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Whatever

I wonder why they don't crimp circuit boards together, hmmmm?

maybe because they're made of FR-4 fiberglass and have parts mounted to them

fyi, the preferred method for permanent, reliable termination of wires to a circuit board uses whats called a board-in connector. the wire is crimped, inserted into a housing and only the exposed solder tail is soldered to the board.
-sj

[sonicj]

Originally Posted by rib33024

It aint tricky, It's down right hard to get 10 or more perfect solder joints right, with 4 or 2 ga cable, and I know for a fact, that your not going to heat up the lug with solder in it, and stick the cable in it, and have a good solder joint

amen brotha! even small 20awg wire doesn't work with this technique... both surfaces have to be properly tinned prior to making the joint for repeatable reliable results.

on the other hand... my crimped connectors are all exactly the same. 14.6 tons of crimping force applied, the die leaving its size code embossed on the lug for verification, the finished cables are even UL and CSA listed (well the ones with the T&B and Brundy lugs are)
-sj