electrical eyelets for batt cable

[rc51kid]

My Pos batt cable clamp has seen better days. Ideally i would like the batt cable kit from 4runner or Urban Land Cruiser. But cash is tight right now. I would like to upgrade my cables to mil spec terminals on both pos and neg terminals. I think between that and some new fuse links i will be good. If i get milspec links i could solder some brass eyelets onto my Pos and Neg cable. Does anyone know what size eyelet i need for the factory Pos and Neg cable? Also what size does the hole need to be to fit the bolt on a milspec terminal? Anyone have a source for these kind of electrical eyelets for batt cables? Should i use any special type of flux and solder?

 

[LFD2037]

I just bought some gold colored eyelets for 2ga. wire because I'm replacing my POS & NEG terminals as well. I bought some beefy marine terminals w/studs on them for the eyelets. I'm curious as well to the size I need for the battery cables to fit in. I hope the 2ga is right! Can't help you on the eyelet size, sorry.

 

[western flyer]

I am going to recommend against soldered-only lugs on batt cables. If you have a relatively minor electrical short the soldered lug-cable connection can get warm enough to melt the solder and let the cable release from the lug. You want a crimped lug on the end of your batt cables. Others can weigh in if it is OK or beneficial to solder it in addition to it being crimped. I make my own cables for all my rigs...since you are tight on cash, it might not work for you at this point to buy the tool to make your own cables. I use Ancor-brand marine tinned-copper cable and lugs. Here is the DIY tool I use to crimp:
http://www.jmsonline.net/hd-lug-crimper-lb6-4-o.htm

 

[rc51kid]

I am going to recommend against soldered-only lugs on batt cables. If you have a relatively minor electrical short the soldered lug-cable connection can get warm enough to melt the solder and let the cable release from the lug. You want a crimped lug on the end of your batt cables. Others can weigh in if it is OK or beneficial to solder it in addition to it being crimped. I make my own cables for all my rigs...since you are tight on cash, it might not work for you at this point to buy the tool to make your own cables. I use Ancor-brand marine tinned-copper cable and lugs. Here is the DIY tool I use to crimp:
http://www.jmsonline.net/hd-lug-crimper-lb6-4-o.htm

The marine company that you linked has some premade batt cables. I would need to measure and see what length i need. Do you think 0/1 is needed or will something like 4 ga work just fine? Any idea what factory is?

 

[englaneato]

you should search for finnyfam he was selling mil spec terminals and covers. they were really sweet and totally modular.

 

[TYM4FUN]

Eyelets are 3/8" and 5/16".

 

[LFD2037]

Just swapped mine & what an asswhoop!!!!! The factory main POS & NEG are 2ga. wire. The eyelets on the factory POS & fusible links are smaller than I thought & I had to drill out the eye holes larger to fit on my new terminals. I didn't replace them w/the new gold ones I bought because 1) the factory POS eyelet seems to be real beefy & 2) I didn't want to mess w/ALL those damn fusible links!

 

[TYM4FUN]

Just swapped mine & what an asswhoop!!!!! The factory main POS & NEG are 2ga. wire. The eyelets on the factory POS & fusible links are smaller than I thought & I had to drill out the eye holes larger to fit on my new terminals. I didn't replace them w/the new gold ones I bought because 1) the factory POS eyelet seems to be real beefy & 2) I didn't want to mess w/ALL those damn fusible links!

That's odd, my factory pos. and neg. wires were no where near 2 awg.

 

[LFD2037]

Well I could be wrong but the eyelets I used said they were for 2ga. & the + & - just barely squeezed in it.

 

[69rambler]

I use welding cable and crimp, solder and heat shrink tube the ends. I use 2/0 and 4/0 cable with the proper ends. For 80 series what I have done for the positive cable is use 2/0 for the starter and a second 4-6 gauge cable both inside a 4/0 battery lug end. Crimp, solder and shrink. I run the smaller cable outside the battery box and connect the vehicle power and accessories there with a lug.

2/0 welding cable may be overkill for a 1FZ, but oversize cable has never caused an issue for me. 4/0 is huge and definitely oversize for this application.

I buy welding cable from a locally owned welding supply store I buy all our welding consumables from. I buy the copper battery terminal ends from a local auto parts wholesaler and get quality lug ends and the thick shrink tube with the sealing snot from a local electrical supply house. The cost isn't bad at all and it's great peace of mind.

 

[Cruzerman]

I totally agree that the ends should be crimped and not soldered. And I think that the marine cable is the way to go, not welding cable. I don't think welding cable is designed for wet / harsh environments.

 

[Stevesnj]

Go to a marine supply and they have bulk cable on spools and the lug ends.

 

[LFD2037]

That's odd, my factory pos. and neg. wires were no where near 2 awg.

I found the package. It says for 2 gauge wire & it fit perfect. Also the eyelet was 5/8".

 

[69rambler]

Premium welding cable is a higher quality cable than cable marketed as marine battery cable I have seen. Welding cable has finer strands and a higher quality cover. Electrons do not flow inside the wire, they flow around it. The more strands a cable has, the more current it can pass because the electrons flow around the circumference of each strand.

I have purchased a lot of welding equipment in my life and have kept the majority of the leads when welders have moved on. I have some 4/0 leads from the 1940's shipyards that are still in fair condition.

I have been involved in the manufacture of heavy logging and marine equipment and we have always used welding cable, not cable sold from marine distributors. In harsh environments we would sheath the welding cable with hydraulic hose sheath so they couldn't abrade.

Been making battery cables with welding cable for 15+ years and the first ones I made, I still have, and are still as nice as the day I made them.

Also, the impregnated felt anti-corrosion battery post washers are awesome for keeping terminals nice.

 

[CruiseOrlando]

Lemme tell you something... if your connections are getting hot enough to melt a soldered joint, you've got bigger problems. The amount of heat it takes to get a large gauge cable hot enough to melt solder is more than you think it is if you think an overheating connector can do it.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

I totally agree that the ends should be crimped and not soldered. And I think that the marine cable is the way to go, not welding cable. I don't think welding cable is designed for wet / harsh environments.

What could possibly be wrong with crimping and soldering?

A crimped connection will have a better initial contact than soldered, but a soldered connection is gas-tight and does not degrade over time anywhere near as fast as crimped only.

 

[LFD2037]

They say the wire will break, where the solder ends, from movement/vibration.