• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,125
9,385
113
Location
Mason, TN
That's not right, you need to work hours with the wire brush, LOL I tried that on a small scale and it worked pretty good. Good luck.
I have an old timer that has a big huge cow/horse troth full of molasses and water. just drop em off with him and leave em a week and its rust and paint free when you get it back. It is amazing.
 

NovacaineFix

Member
662
1
18
Location
San Diego, California
Drove Fluffy (my M818 on a 500+ mile one-way trip to her new temporary home without a hitch. Truck ran great, my butt is sore, need better seats.

The one portion of the trip I was worried about, or at least partially concerned, was the 13 mile 6% grade, wound up not even being a thing. I know 6% is not a big slope, but in a 47 year old truck, partially loaded, carrying a trailer and the "slope" digging at you, makes you think it's a thing.

Entire trip took about 9 1/2 hours, non-stop, only stopping to refuel once.
Used somewhere in abouts 120 gallons of fuel to equal about an average of a little more than 4 miles per gallon. The good thing was that the further East I travelled, the cheaper fuel got. Casa Grande Pilot Truck Stop, fuel was $2.459/gallon, better then in San Diego where it was about an average of $2.759/gallon.

https://youtu.be/8Kp94RnwiH0
 
Last edited:

Mos68x

Active member
827
36
28
Location
Seligman,AZ
Took the truck for the first real drive since turning up the fuel and the gov springs. It's awesome to be able to drive at least 70mph finally. Does pretty good on grades too, though it does confuse me a teeny bit. It will slow down on grades even with the pedal floored until it hits 55mph or so and then it's smokes and accelerates. I thought it might've been the fuel rack since I wasn't able to adjust it because of the anti-tamper screw. But if it was that I would guess that I wouldn't have any acceleration at the higher RPMs.
 

Wagoneer

Member
99
4
8
Location
Keystone Heights, Fl
It is a flush mount switch but I cut a hole out of the battery box and just put the front housing through to minimize visibility. I will tape it off and paint it to match the box and hopefully it will almost disappear. Also with it being through the cut hole it allows outside access to the keyed part and keeps the battery connections inside the battery box.
Battery Switch 1.JPGBattery Switch.jpg

I found it on the Bay, It is a 250/350 amp and does not seem to affect the starting at all. There is no voltage drop through the switch, static or load.
 

74M35A2

Well-known member
4,145
330
83
Location
Livonia, MI
You have any info on that selector? Looks pretty slick!
That is a very common marine battery bank switch, made by Perko.

On a stock mil alternator, be sure not to switch the batteries off while the engine is running. The alternator will lose its reference voltage, and go to full voltage output. Usually wipes out PCB, ABS, and CTIS modules. Any civilian alternator upgrade is protected against this.
 
Last edited:

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,664
2,207
113
Location
Sunman Indiana
Yep, once I did a search I see how common these are. I cant believe Ive never run across one before. Also thinking of putting one on my Powerstroke, so I can use one of the batteries to back up my house battery on the camper.
 

TechnoWeenie

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,654
1,669
113
Location
Nova Laboratories, WA
It is a flush mount switch but I cut a hole out of the battery box and just put the front housing through to minimize visibility. I will tape it off and paint it to match the box and hopefully it will almost disappear. Also with it being through the cut hole it allows outside access to the keyed part and keeps the battery connections inside the battery box.
View attachment 697183View attachment 697184

I found it on the Bay, It is a 250/350 amp and does not seem to affect the starting at all. There is no voltage drop through the switch, static or load.
350A isn't enough..... I got a 1500A batt switch and I still question if it's big enough.... Link
 
Last edited:

Jakelc15

Active member
718
37
28
Location
Hanover Pa
350A isn't enough..... I got a 1500A batt switch and I still question if it's big enough.... Link
I've been using a 1000 amp intermittent switch for 10 years on my trucks without any problems. If your starter draws more than 1000 amps at 24v then you have a problem. The lead post will probably melt!
Caterpillar 7N0718 is the part that I use. Keyed but it's the same key for all Cat equipment.
 

Wagoneer

Member
99
4
8
Location
Keystone Heights, Fl
My CAT Dozer draws 60 amps on a long crank with 2/0 cables
I cannot get a reading on the 8.3 as it fires right up as soon as the starter engages. Apparently the high/low setting on meter is not working.
If you are drawing enough to worry about burning out a switch you need to look at your starting system. I have seen a 2/0 cable so bad that you could touch the opposite post of a battery with it and not get anything
Wire-Amp Chart.JPG
 

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,075
4,448
113
Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
My CAT Dozer draws 60 amps on a long crank with 2/0 cables
I cannot get a reading on the 8.3 as it fires right up as soon as the starter engages. Apparently the high/low setting on meter is not working.
If you are drawing enough to worry about burning out a switch you need to look at your starting system. I have seen a 2/0 cable so bad that you could touch the opposite post of a battery with it and not get anything
View attachment 697601
That ampacity chart is for continuous duty.

For brief periods 2/0 can carry much more than that. Cranking the NH250 will pull 600-1000amps and heat up 2/0 slave cables to a very pronounced degree. To the point that you have to stop and let them cool.

I question your 60amp number. Is that a typo, intended to be 600?

If I'm missing something let me know...
 
Last edited:

TechnoWeenie

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,654
1,669
113
Location
Nova Laboratories, WA
My CAT Dozer draws 60 amps on a long crank with 2/0 cables
I cannot get a reading on the 8.3 as it fires right up as soon as the starter engages. Apparently the high/low setting on meter is not working.
If you are drawing enough to worry about burning out a switch you need to look at your starting system. I have seen a 2/0 cable so bad that you could touch the opposite post of a battery with it and not get anything
View attachment 697601
That chart looks to be for AC, not DC, as it includes THHN, which is house wiring.. I'd bet that's for 120/240VAC
 

TechnoWeenie

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,654
1,669
113
Location
Nova Laboratories, WA
That ampacity chart is for continuous duty.

For brief periods 2/0 can carry much more than that. Cranking the NH250 will pull 600-1000amps and heat up 2/0 slave cables to a very pronounced degree. To the point that you have to stop and let them cool.

I question your 60amp number. Is that a typo, intended to be 600?

If I'm missing something let me know...
I used 2/0 for my slave cables and I can attest to the 'getting warm' part...

If starting only used 200A it wouldn't need a 1200CCA battery....

I read somewhere that the starter drew 500A.... I wanted to make sure I didn't draw too much on my switch
 
Last edited:

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,075
4,448
113
Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
I used 2/0 for my slave cables and I can attest to the 'getting warm' part...

If starting only used 200A it wouldn't need a 1200CCA battery....

I read somewhere that the starter drew 500A.... I wanted to make sure I didn't draw too much on my switch
The OEM military slave cables are 2/0. The slave plugs are rated 500 amps. And yes, they all heat up. The TM gives instructions of so many 15 second cranks, then you have to let them cool.

My primary welding leads are 2/0. Stick welding at 140 amps doesn't get them warm, welding as fast as you can change rods.

Typical military battery set up is 4 batteries 12v 550cranking amps, connected in series and parallel. That gives 1100 cold cranking amps at 24v.

Edit - the starter pulling 500amps strikes me as correct.
 
Last edited:
Top