22 replies to this topic

[Steffe]

I have bought quick connectors for my car battery and was trying to get the pieces together in a nice way, but all the ground cables just became a mess when I tried to attach them to the connector.
Does anyone have a solution for this?
This picture explains the problem:


Best regards
Stephan

[Steffe]

I shall also add that this connectors are a swedish invention (patented) that works like a latch lock. You just pull up the plastic piece to release the connector, no tools needed.

[peteslag]

The temptation is to twist the conductors to make it neat, this is not advisable.  The only way I know of is to strip the conductors all to the exact same length, pull all of the cables together with a cable tie,  unscrew the clamp so all the conductors will fit in, make sure they are nice and straight then put them in. Do up the connector a bit at a time making sure all of the conductors stay within the curved part of the clamp.  Cut the cable tie off.

 

[slindborg]

I would terminate them into a multiway block and then run a single fat cable to the clamp.

[peteslag]

So long as the multiway block is rated to cope with the full system current (about 40 amperes I would imagine, aircraft are more my area of expertise so I'm guessing a bit here) this could be a viable solution.  It is always a good idea to avoid introducing extra connections if possible.

[slindborg]

40amps...... Remind me to never let you spec my car electrics 120A is a nice place to start but the more the merrier. You can get these blocks from in car entertainment shops/sites which cope with silly currents. Extra connections are fine so long as they are correctly carried out. Eg I'd sooner have a properly crimped cable with 20 connections down it than a single soldered joint. Or 4 fat cables into a terminal block and then one fatter cable into the clamp as opposed to ramming the 4 in and hoping they hold (one won't that's for sure)

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

Could you not just have an eyelet on each one (which I assume you have just cut off) with the bolts from the wire clamp going through them? 3 on each side and leave the intended wire trap unused.

Edited by -Dab-of-Oppo-, 07 September 2013 - 05:50 PM.

[ghand]

I can't see a problem with twisting them together as long as you don't go to mad with the pliers and start snapping individual strands off. It will help to keep them central in the clamp. I would lightly twist together.

[slindborg]

http://www.halfords....tegoryId_265889

First thing that google chucked up.... More out there

[Hark]

I would terminate them into a multiway block and then run a single fat cable to the clamp.

 

[Steelic]

They would be best soldered in to a large Lug and bolted to the quick release clamp.

[RabnaKS]

I would try soldering 1 at a time with a minimum amount of solder? Catch's all the fraying strands.

[slindborg]

Criminal animals

[myles]

Crimped eyelets. Avoid trying to solder, it'll just drag the heat down the cable and eat the sheath up. Proper crimping tool of course, not a set of pliers/wire cutters!!

[peteslag]

Truth be told I don't like the look of those battery terminals, they look a bit flimsy.  I'd go for something like this, cheap, simple, proven and effective:

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item257407c12f

 

It will be difficult to make all those cables fit into the clamp of the terminal you have chosen but here goes.

 

Twist cables together -bad idea in areas of high vibration

Solder - bad idea with a clamped termnal

Crimped eyelet - not compatible with a clamped terminal, terminal posts are much beefier than the clamp bolts on your terminal

Multiway block - all you will be doing is split the 5 cables up just to reintegrate them into one big cable.  The CSA of the big cable must be equal to or greater than the sum of your 5 small cables so I can't see what you gain from doing this.

 

Tightly loom the 5 cables together with a cable tie (tape will do) at the point where the insulation meets the bare conductors, this will effectively give you one big cable.  Ensure the conductors are all the same length, insert into the clamp ensuring about 2mm pokes out the other side,  do clamp up.  In my original post I said to remove the cable tie, this is because you need to do a tug test on each individual cable to ensure they are all seated correctly. It may be a good idea to stick a few cable ties on the loom just to tidy things up after.  If the conductors don't fit into the clamp then the terminal is not fit for purpose.

 

Failing that.......................glue!

[ghand]

FFS , twist them together and clamp them, only been doing it for 40 fcuking years in industrial situations on vehicle drawing a lot more current thank a VX. It's not a bloody space shuttle. and will be fine for ever twisted together. Soldering or crimping the things will be better but its not the end of the world if you cannot and will be fine twisted an clamped. My only question is why the hell do you have so many ground cables of such a size. Ok one 150 amp for the starter motor current and then a few small cables for the rest of the electrical equipment. What are all the others ? We don't have that many on our 26 ton FLT s never mind a little plastic car . OTT springs to mind .

[Cookies220]

Aside from how to attach the cables, I really like the idea of those connectors.  Much neater and easier

 

Just seen them on flebay for a fiver.  My only concern is whether the flip up part would foul on the raised section of the battery.

Edited by Cookies220, 08 September 2013 - 07:56 AM.

[Steffe]

Hello! Thanks for all the answers. The picture give the cables false proportions. It is one quite fat cable (probably chassi ground) and six smaller cables, perhaps 6mm2 each. Perhaps I was a bit fast with the wire cutter :-( I am thinking about perhaps stacking the smaller cables together first and connect them to one larger cable, having only to cables going to the terminal. I shall also look for some big crimp terminal that could handle the cable and then attach the that terminal to the battery connector. Soldering is an option, but it could be difficult as its such big copper areas, and the wires have a bit oxid on them, would almost need a gas torch...

[peteslag]

FFS , twist them together and clamp them, only been doing it for 40 fcuking years in industrial situations on vehicle drawing a lot more current thank a VX. It's not a bloody space shuttle. and will be fine for ever twisted together. Soldering or crimping the things will be better but its not the end of the world if you cannot and will be fine twisted an clamped. My only question is why the hell do you have so many ground cables of such a size. Ok one 150 amp for the starter motor current and then a few small cables for the rest of the electrical equipment. What are all the others ? We don't have that many on our 26 ton FLT s never mind a little plastic car . OTT springs to mind .

 

40 years ago? I didn't realise electrics had been invented that long a go 

Edited by peteslag, 08 September 2013 - 08:32 AM.

[ghand]

FFS , twist them together and clamp them, only been doing it for 40 fcuking years in industrial situations on vehicle drawing a lot more current thank a VX. It's not a bloody space shuttle. and will be fine for ever twisted together. Soldering or crimping the things will be better but its not the end of the world if you cannot and will be fine twisted an clamped. My only question is why the hell do you have so many ground cables of such a size. Ok one 150 amp for the starter motor current and then a few small cables for the rest of the electrical equipment. What are all the others ? We don't have that many on our 26 ton FLT s never mind a little plastic car . OTT springs to mind .

  40 years ago? I didn't realise electrics had been invented that long a go 

Take it you won't remember Selenium ark rectifiers oh and no health and safety, the good old days when you could just do your job.