How to connect battery cables??????

[nickfabbri]

Can anyone please advise the best way to connect 2 lengths of 16mm battery cable together? Is there a type of large junction box available for this sort of thing or should i use lugs and bolts ( which i dont really want to do )

many thanks

 

[Tekkie]

I would personally advise against joining them as this is introducing a potential point of failure which could have devasating conciquences and IMHO is a false economy> I would want to run a one piece solution.

 

[nickfabbri]

Unfortunately I can't use one piece. I have 16mm cables wired into a windlass, these Are only 50cm long and I need a 3 m run from the windlass to the solenoid. So I have to join the cables from he windlass to another length

 

[mikefleetwood]

In that case, heavy-duty "chocolate block" is probably the way to go. It is available in a range of current ratings or cable sizes. Take a length of the cable to your nearest CEF or other electrical wholesaler. Should have a hole for a fixing screw so you can mount the joint to a bulkead or similar. Put it somewhere dry!

I am assuming the cables aren't terminated so you could just bolt them together. In any case you would then have the problem of mounting the joints so they don't flap about and short!

 

[bigwow]

http://www.premierwiring.co.uk/our-products/battery-accessories

BATTERY CABLE CONNECTOR BOX

 

[Silent Lady]

Cable Joiner

You can buy a crimp on cable joiner . The idea is you crimp both and put some heat shrink over the join . You can with care use a small blow torch to heat them and then put solder in the hole in the middle and the end . Makes a far neater job . Here .. They do them in a number on different sizes

 

[Plevier]

You can buy a crimp on cable joiner . The idea is you crimp both and put some heat shrink over the join . You can with care use a small blow torch to heat them and then put solder in the hole in the middle and the end . Makes a far neater job . Here .. They do them in a number on different sizes

Definitely the best way and easy to get from any electrical wholesaler. Use some non-corrosive flux such as Fluxite before heating, don't just rely on cored solder.

 

[cimo]

please ignore me if I'm stating the obvious here nick - but have you considered moving the solenoid closer?

 

[pvb]

please ignore me if I'm stating the obvious here nick - but have you considered moving the solenoid closer?

In a previous post, he said the cables were 7m long...

 

[nickfabbri]

Unfortunately I can't move the solenoid closer either. It needs to be mounted inside the boat and the 50cm of cable provided just clear the anchor locker

 

[cimo]

...bummer. so its refit new cable to the windlass or extend current cables by any of the above suggestions. support and insulate the joints well is all I have to add. rgds.

 

[CPD]

My thoughts are that the cable connector box is introducing not 1 but 2 points of potential failure, whereas a bolt through both rings tightened and then greased would only introduce 1.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Copper tube into which the bare cable just fits, Bare both ends, push them in until they meet and crush to crimp. Wrap the lot (well) in insulating tape. Might not be a best solution, but one I have used to get round a similar issue of stupidly short cables fitted to a device needing longer heavy section cable to install the thing properly.

Make sure that the cable is well supported at both ends of the rigid bit, and in the middle, to avoid it moving relative to the flexible parts.

 

[pelissima]

16mm

Looks rather a slim cable for the job in the first place to me