Building Battery / Alternator / Starter Cables for CUCV

[tim292stro]

What's the construction/type of the cable? I'd probably be in for my own 100ft roll... shoot me a PM.

 

[number9er]

My 24v glow plug system is indeed working. And that totally makes sense that when the engine is running, the alts keep the batteries charged/equal, and while when not running, 12v sources rob cranking power from the front battery.

I'm zeroing in on my best option here. Between the cost of the copper strap, reconfiguring the trays, and two new group 31 batteries, I may have to nix that system for now. In fact, I think I'll opt for a NOS interconnect/12v assembly (the only cable noticably damaged cable), some contact cleaner, and dielectric grease. I'll go through all of my grounding points and reseat them. Then I'll keep my eyes peeled for a good deal on a good crimping tool and pick this thread up when I can afford to replace the cables myself.

 

[number9er]

Anyone for a group buy on 4/0 BATTERY CABLE?

I could be convinced to take 10 feet of red and 10 feet of black. At least.

 

[number9er]

Actually, if I'm also rewiring my slave port, I'd need more than that.

 

[tim292stro]

clintogf has NOS slave ports pre-terminated with 1/0 cable. I bought a few from her about a month ago. Probably cheaper/easier than doing the work .

 

[number9er]

Those cables don't look quite long enough to make it to the bus bars. I could be wrong (often am). Have you tried one on a CUCV? I notice she doesn't list them with the compatible vehicles.

 

[tim292stro]

I recall the cables being about 2' (24") long, I can measure tonight, or you can shoot clitogf a PM. Should be enough to go to the batteries, but I don't think it'll make it to the bus bars.

 

[Bunkerbuilder]

ETA: Nothing to see here.

 

[tim292stro]

If it's not tinned copper, and oil/water/temperature rated, I'll pass. I'm dead set on UL 1426 Marine Primary or Type-W Mining wire for my automotive projects.

 

[Csm Davis]

Okay guy's love some of the ideas not all, but hey different strokes for different folks. Cheapest and best performance I have found is to use the cables out of 5 tons they are 1/0 and can be rearranged to fit most of the ways you want the military battery terminals are beefy and covers can be had in red or black and heat shrink is used on the lugs to show hot or ground. I will run my NATO plug directly to the batteries not the buss on the firewall because you should always let the batteries charge before trying to start a dead vehicle and I want my batteries to see as much juice as possible. Now if that system is not quite as strong as you want for my ultimate cables I use a compression type lug that is aluminum coated copper made by Quick Cable
http://www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=75
With 4/0 welding cables, and would up grade as much as possible of the high amperage wires, mark the wires in other ways than just color of the actual wire. Most other military vehicles have all black wires with number tags, there are many ways to mark them so that they can be identified.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

With compression type fittings, you have an ingress for corrosive gases to get in where the cable meets the fitting. If you're using those, use a sealing heat-shrink tubing over the fittings, and if you get some red and some black tubing, you have your marking problem solved.

 

[Csm Davis]

Yeah I use the liquid electrical tape then while that is wet heat shrink it with whatever color I need, never had a failure and drove 30 miles one time with the battery hanging by my cables, tray broke off in a jeep.

 

[tim292stro]

It should also be noted that you aren't guaranteed a good contact with the entire cross-section of the cable with a nut-compression fitting.

I have trouble shot many car stereos in my day, and most of the cars that have or had compression/camp-on fittings had bad heat marks around the connection, and tons of corrosion.

...drove 30 miles one time with the battery hanging by my cables...

Obviously it goes without saying that doing anything to prevent the battery from hanging by the cables (duct tape, bungee cord, a pair of pants...).

 

[tim292stro]

clintogf has NOS slave ports pre-terminated with 1/0 cable. I bought a few from her about a month ago. Probably cheaper/easier than doing the work .

Those cables don't look quite long enough to make it to the bus bars. I could be wrong (often am). Have you tried one on a CUCV? I notice she doesn't list them with the compatible vehicles.

I measured this morning, the holes in the ends are about 3' (36") from the back of the slave port. Again, probably enough to go to the batteries, but not enough to go to the bus on the firewall (not that I'd recommend that anyway).

 

[shepherm]

Last week I started making new cables for my M1008. I crimp and solder the connections then shrink tube them. I use the cheap crimpers from ebay and they seem to work really good. The lugs are tinned 2/0 and the shrink tube is the type with glue to seal the connection.

Process I use:
Strip wire
Put flux on wire and inside lug
Cut little pieces of solder and put inside lug
Put wire inside lug and crimp
Heat lug (solder with melt inside)
Install shrink tube

I may try to post pictures later of the process if someone is interested.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I measured this morning, the holes in the ends are about 3' (36") from the back of the slave port. Again, probably enough to go to the batteries, but not enough to go to the bus on the firewall (not that I'd recommend that anyway).

I'm skeptical of 36" getting you to the rear battery with good routing. Anybody tried it?

 

[number9er]

Yeah mine takes about a foot just to get out of the grill the way it's routed now.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Yup. I think you'd need more like 5 or 6 feet to do a good job to the rear battery.

 

[Csm Davis]

It should also be noted that you aren't guaranteed a good contact with the entire cross-section of the cable with a nut-compression fitting.
I have trouble shot many car stereos in my day, and most of the cars that have or had compression/camp-on fittings had bad heat marks around the connection, and tons of corrosion.

Afraid I will have to disagree with your assessment of the compression cable terminations, never had one go bad.

Now the clamp on terminals are junk, think that's what you meant by camp-on.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Top, I had never seen that type until you posted that link, so I sure won't disagree with your assessment of them. But I will say this: I don't think there's any possibility that a compression fit can be as good a connection as a properly done crimp or soldered connection.

Of course, even with that being true, it's quite possible that those are "good enough", meaning, if we could put a number on the quality of the connection required for good, reliable service for a lifetime, and that number were, say... 50, it might that your compression type come in at a comfortable 70 while the crimp or soldered connections come in at 90 and 100. (And the auto parts store clamp types would probably come in at a solid 10 or 15!)


So, crimp and solder are better, but maybe the compression type is plenty good enough.

Just speculating here.