"Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

[sarabande]

I don't want to drift the battery cable soldering thread.

I have another set of batteries to install before spring. All of them standard conical post terminals.

There are a number of clamp types available for battery posts, e.g. https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/battery-terminal-clamps.html

The screw-in type looks to be pretty damaging to the cable; the 'pinch bolt' type ditto; both of these use cable with a bare end, which is a small time and money advantage. That leaves the battery terminal types with vertical stud.

Given that I am happy making my own cable terminals from short lengths of copper tube, flattening and drilling one end and crimping the other to the cable, is there any reason why I should not standardise on battery terminals with vertical studs ?

 

[matthewriches]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

On boats that still have “standard” batteries with posts, I fit the battery clamps with a threaded M10 or M8 vertical post with rubber cover. This gives a good connection. Please consider buying decent quality lugs as opposed to making them!

When renewing batteries, on a lot of the boats I look after, I am converting to AGM’s as and when which have flat tab terminals with a bolt hole. This negates the “2nd connection” (clamp on a post, cable on a stud). Although many SLA’s and suchlike also incorporate a stud connection alongside the traditional post.

Never use the connections that you mention where they screw down on the core. These are not good unless you have the means of applying a ferrule properly.

 

[Poignard]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I don't want to drift the battery cable soldering thread.

I have another set of batteries to install before spring. All of them standard conical post terminals.

There are a number of clamp types available for battery posts, e.g. https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/battery-terminal-clamps.html

The screw-in type looks to be pretty damaging to the cable; the 'pinch bolt' type ditto; both of these use cable with a bare end, which is a small time and money advantage. That leaves the battery terminal types with vertical stud.

Given that I am happy making my own cable terminals from short lengths of copper tube, flattening and drilling one end and crimping the other to the cable, is there any reason why I should not standardise on battery terminals with vertical studs ?

I used type P00611(positive) and P00612(negative) terminal clamps with M10 stud and nut from 12vPlanet on my new battery installation four years ago. https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/positive-vertical-m10-stud-and-nut.html

I bought the ring cable crimp lugs from Conrad Electronic Ltd because I needed some angled ones and 12vPlanet didn't have them. They were so cheap I never considered making my own. https://www.conrad-electronic.co.uk/ce/en/overview/0225013/Ring-Cable-Lugs

 

[JumbleDuck]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

IGiven that I am happy making my own cable terminals from short lengths of copper tube, flattening and drilling one end and crimping the other to the cable, is there any reason why I should not standardise on battery terminals with vertical studs ?

That's what I used on mine. Simple, effective, what's not to like?

In ye olde days, when I made up high current cables for work, we soldered them, but you need a hell of a lot of heat to do that on a battery cable, as it disappears down the copper.

 

[doug748]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I use the first on the list for £3.73, they work fine, can always be remade when you alter things and it is easy to add wires. However, I am very limited for vertical room.
If you have the space, and means of adding a reliable ferrule, there is nothing wrong with what you suggest. But mine are just easy.
As matthewriches has said, the screw down type are shockers.

 

[superheat6k]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

On boats that still have “standard” batteries with posts, I fit the battery clamps with a threaded M10 or M8 vertical post with rubber cover. This gives a good connection. Please consider buying decent quality lugs ...

... Never use the connections that you mention where they screw down on the core. These are not good unless you have the means of applying a ferrule properly.

Tim I have just bought these for my 12v distribution rewire project. They arrived on Friday and are very chunky with M10 posts.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-Of-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

As MR has remarked those using clamp screws are awful. I had fitted one as a temporary following a prior debacle with my stbd engine starting and forgot to replace it later. During the most recent investigation the screw down connector had become hot enough to burn my fingers.

 

[CLB]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

Given that I am happy making my own cable terminals from short lengths of copper tube, flattening and drilling one end and crimping the other to the cable, is there any reason why I should not standardise on battery terminals with vertical studs ?

That sounds pretty bodgy to me. Imagine going to view a boat for sale with this arrangement. I would wonder what else had been bodged on the boat and probably walk away or make a very low offer.

I know the BSS is for inland boats, but it is a useful reference for a good way of doing things. They will not allow connectors where the cable is fixed by screws. I would either go for teh vertical post terminals and crimp a suitable round terminal onto the battery cable or would just get the crimp terminals and crimp straight onto the battery cables. The bits required to do it properly will cost peanuts. So I don't see why you would need to look any further.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

This is how I connected my batteries together.

Using this type of terminal clamp

 

[PaulRainbow]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

The terminals with vertical studs are the way to go, with proper lugs, correctly crimped on. Those screw terminal ones are terrible, the just chew the cables. The clamp ones are not much better, they just roughly squash the cable, whereas a properly crimped lug will make the cable as good as solid. If it isn't solidly crimped air/moisture will get between the strands. Properly crimped lugs can be covered with heat shrink, 30-40 mm along the cable and covering the crimped portion of the lug, this helps keep moisture out and adds support to the connection.

The lugs on Ebay, linked in post #6, are good quality and the supplier is reputable.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

This is how I connected my batteries together.

Using this type of terminal clamp

You have a clamped connection on the battery post, then a poorly clamped cable connection at the other end of the clamp. The batteries have vertical, threaded terminals, why didn't you just make cables up with crimped lugs, bolted directly to the batteries Roger ?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

You have a clamped connection on the battery post, then a poorly clamped cable connection at the other end of the clamp. The batteries have vertical, threaded terminals, why didn't you just make cables up with crimped lugs, bolted directly to the batteries Roger ?

Because the first set of batteries I had only had tapered posts and I did not see the point of changing the battery cables just for the sake of it. This also reduces the connections thus the connection resistance.

If you look the cables to that set of batteries have no joints at the batteries yet the cables are connected in opposite directions to even out the cable resistance.

Many ways to skin the same cat and all have advantages and disadvantages.

That pic is just one set of four sets I have which is 12 domestic batteries in total so that's 24 terminals I would need to replace.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

Because the first set of batteries I had only had tapered posts and I did not see the point of changing the battery cables just for the sake of it.

Thought that might be the case, i often see this on customers boats, things evolve over the years, into something that we wouldn't necessarily do if we were starting from scratch.

This also reduces the connections thus the connection resistance.

If you look the cables to that set of batteries have no joints at the batteries yet the cables are connected in opposite directions to even out the cable resistance.

I see the cables are connected at opposite ends, as they should be. I'm not sure how there is a reduction in connections, each post still has two connection points, although there isn't an actual break in the cable. Crimped lugs would halve the "joints".

Many ways to skin the same cat and all have advantages and disadvantages.

Properly crimped and insulated (heat shrink) lugs have all of the advantages, i can't see a downside to using them.

That pic is just one set of four sets I have which is 12 domestic batteries in total so that's 24 terminals I would need to replace.

Of course, with an existing installation, where things might have evolved to something slightly less than ideal, it's perhaps difficult to justify changing it. On a new installation it should of course be different.

 

[lw395]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

The grubscrew type connecters are not great, but they work a lot better if you upgrade the little screws to something you can get properly tight.
I've just put crimp eyes on the cables and put it on the clamp bolt.
On my old boat I soldered the battery clamp connector to the cable, because I didn't have access to a crimper at the time. It worked fine for many years.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I see the cables are connected at opposite ends, as they should be. I'm not sure how there is a reduction in connections, each post still has two connection points, although there isn't an actual break in the cable. Crimped lugs would halve the "joints".

Where you have batteries in parallel the effective current flow from each battery would tend to be the same as the overall cable resistance at each battery terminal would average out equally.

This has been discussed on here before and the consensus has been to connect parallel batteries as above.

In my case at each battery terminal post there is a connection between the single cable and the clamp and a single connection between the clamp and the battery post.

In the case of crimp ring connectors there is 2 wire to rings and 2 rings to battery terminal screw post.

Properly crimped and insulated (heat shrink) lugs have all of the advantages, i can't see a downside to using them.

You say a proper crimp. You also indicate if I read you correct, that there is no gaps inside the crimp. Not sure what type of die you use in your crimp tool but to get a gap ferr crimp the only real way is to shrink the crimp outer in the same way the a roller swager connects wire rope to a swage connector. The difference is crimp v swage. Crimp tend to squash the crimp on to the wire that make a pressed connection .

In the old days of wiring up electronic panels was to wire wrap somid around square posts that did a cold weld at the sharp corners which was gas tight. Crimping does not in my view make a gas tight joint unlike a swage joint.

Yes a heat shrink sleeve is mush better that PVC tape but cannot be used on a unregulator joint like a battery terminal but self amalgamating can then covered with coloured PVC tape to identify the polarity of the terminal.

What type of Die do you use to make 80mm sq cable crimps and what type of cable do you use. I use welding cable that has very fine stranded so when squashed in the battery post clamp I use it spreads out and gives a larger contact area.

As I said advantages and disadvantages. And whats right for the goose in not always right fro the gander.

The fact that you don't see any disadvantages does not mean there are non.

Lets not fight lets just agree to differ.

 

[Poignard]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

This is how my two batteries are connected to the main switch using the terminations mentioned in Post#3. (nb before anyone criticises it, the untidy loose wiring has since been properly clipped up )

 

[PaulRainbow]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

Where you have batteries in parallel the effective current flow from each battery would tend to be the same as the overall cable resistance at each battery terminal would average out equally.

This has been discussed on here before and the consensus has been to connect parallel batteries as above.

This is how i connect batteries in parallel.

You say a proper crimp. You also indicate if I read you correct, that there is no gaps inside the crimp. Not sure what type of die you use in your crimp tool but to get a gap ferr crimp the only real way is to shrink the crimp outer in the same way the a roller swager connects wire rope to a swage connector. The difference is crimp v swage. Crimp tend to squash the crimp on to the wire that make a pressed connection .

I use hex dies in a 8 ton hydraulic crimper. Cutting one in half, the copper wire looks solid.

Yes a heat shrink sleeve is mush better that PVC tape but cannot be used on a unregulator joint like a battery terminal but self amalgamating can then covered with coloured PVC tape to identify the polarity of the terminal.

That's one of the points of using crimped lugs, they can be covered with heat shrink, which helps keep moisture from the joint and offers a little extra support where the crimp begins, so the cable doisn't flex at the point alone.

What type of Die do you use to make 80mm sq cable crimps and what type of cable do you use. I use welding cable that has very fine stranded so when squashed in the battery post clamp I use it spreads out and gives a larger contact area.

As above, hex dies in a hydraulic crimper. I use a variety of cable sizes, but all are fine strand, very flexible cables. When crimped, each strand is in contact for its entire circumference with either an adjacent strand, or the lug itself. Spreading the strands out and clamping them doesn't give a better contact.

As I said advantages and disadvantages. And whats right for the goose in not always right fro the gander.

The fact that you don't see any disadvantages does not mean there are non.

You are, of course, at liberty to use whatever methods you choose, but crimped lugs are pretty much industry standard, everywhere, and have been for many years. I know of no mainstream boat builder that uses anything else.

Lets not fight lets just agree to differ.

It's called a discussion Roger, not a fight :encouragement:

 

[VicS]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I use these

I want some more. Anyone any idea where I can get more of the same type ?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I use these

I want some more. Anyone any idea where I can get more of the same type ?

 

[RichardS]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I use these

I want some more. Anyone any idea where I can get more of the same type ?

I much prefer the sort where the clamp is sheathed in plastic so it's much harder to accidentally short things out.

Richard

 

[Poignard]

Re: "Best" connector for battery cable to round (conical) battery terminal ?

I much prefer the sort where the clamp is sheathed in plastic so it's much harder to accidentally short things out.

Richard

This sort of thing?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077QZK...t=&hvlocphy=9045869&hvtargid=pla-497725858924