New Battery cables are here!!!

[Kashmir]

I can hardly contain my excitement!
TemCo 4 gauge welding cable (30' - 15' black / 15' red)
25 copper lugs with 5/16 hole
8' marine adhesive shrink tube (4' red / 4' black)

Also got a Harbor Freight 8 ton crimper with dies.

Had to sacrifice two lugs for testing.
Looked like the #4 dies would destroy the lug, so I used a #2 die first, then an #0 die second.
See pics below and let me know what you think.

The gear


Here is #2 die crimped. All the research I have done says that you do not want the "ears" after crimping as that will leave gaps for degradation and not as good current flow.


Here is the #2 die with the end cut off. Looks like a solid copper wire, no gaps at all.


Here is the #0 gauge die crimped. Looks really clean and solid. The heat shrink should work very well without the "ears"


Here is the #0 crimp with the end cut off. Still looks like solid copper and no gaps. I think I'm going to go with the #0 die as it seems to be as solid and tight as the #2 die and looks cleaner. What do you think??


Ends cut off of both

[Sergio]

It looks like the 1/0 die is still the best one for crimping 4ga lugs with the Harbour Freight crimper.

Here is another example of the 1/0 die used on 1/0, 2ga and 4ga lugs.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/attac...er_samples.jpg

[Kashmir]

Looks like my choice was correct then.
Really does make a nice clean crimp

[dundeebarnbuggy]

Ya gots da system! Gonna build to order? Why 4 gauge? Small tip. A thin smear of grease on the dies helps make a show quality crimp.

[Kashmir]

Went 4 gauge on purpose.
I can upgrade to 400 amp controller (when TahoeDawg talks me into it!)
But I would need 2 gauge to upgrade more....so in my simple mind, I am saving myself from going all out with the 500 amp by having the excuse that "my cables can't handle 500 amps!"
We'll see how well that works out for me.

[scottyb]

We used 650 amp controls for years with 4g cable sets ..... before we knew better

[Swan]

i went from stock cables to 4 ga for about a year , then 2 ga when i finally smartened up when running 700 amps

[caokgafamily]

Nice Kashmir,
I spent 1.5 days after my rebuild and redid all my wires with 1O welding cable. Hammer crimped with crimping tool and silver solder all the ends. I then installed the adhesive type heat shrink with a hot air gun. I ran a all thread bolt through the OBC hole. The cables I had before were not 1O. Let me tell you I was blown away how cold everything is now and the increased take off and top end. I think some of my old wires from the F&R and controller were not sufficient for my 700 amp controller.

[caokgafamily]

Pics of wires, I like your crimp tool Kashmir.

[badboyrcg70]

Why crimp instead of using the drop in solder lugs?