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Battery Cables

doughboy18718

doughboy18718

Diesel Retard!
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The Burg, VA
What is the best gauge wire for the battery cables. Mine are not the best and i want to replace them, but want to do it the right way the first time. Also, what are the best connectors for the battery terminals and grounds?

Thanks!

ETA: The batteries are a matched set (about 5-6months old, and have both top and side mount posts. I prefer to use the side mounts for the battery cables, as the top mounts are used for my winch and jumper cables. (thanks for bringing that up Acesneights1)
 
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First off make sure the batteries are matched. There will be arguments either way of Top post vs side. I like top but it's really more Preference than anything. I used 1 ga(IIRC). Heavier the better. The factory cable are not heavy enough IMO. Also clean all grounds.
Hope that helps.
 
I had custom cables made out of 1/0 cable. I connected the top posts together and have a seperate cable from the side post to the starter. Starts much better when spinning faster.
 
I cut all that extra rubber and lead spacers right off, cleaned factories up good w/dremel and did the bolt @ nut mod.

Everything seems great, starts perfectly at any temp (even unplugged at 8df on 7 cylinders earlier this winter).

This on a matched set of 12/04 Interstates.
I'll find a link to batt mod.
 
http://www.dieseltowingresource.com/showthread.php?t=4368&highlight=terminal

Good info there for those who havn't done batt post mod. You know who you are, this is for those reading that have had the side post terminals loosen up on you regularly.

Note. This mod also works if you've stripped out the threads in the battery!

Never have to tighten those again. Unless you remove them yourself.

People actually really like side post batteries once this mod is done.
 
I agree on the battery mod, it was the first mod I did on my truck. It made a night and day difference on how much easier my truck started.

I will have to do a search for that welding cable.
 
Doesn't really matter. With the ground issues on these trucks I'd think the more the better.

On mine the battery ground has large cable going to intake and about a 10g wire going to the inner finder on both batteries.
 
I made my own cables for mine out of welding cable.
Ok, what you'll need:

Large guage welding cable
Lugs, sized to the cable to solder on the ends for side mounts(I never use top mount just personal pref)
Heat shrink tubing with glue (you can get it in black and red here http://www.wiringproducts.com/)
solder
propane torch for heating
3/8thsX16 studs or cut off bolt heads.
Time and a good place out of the wind to do this.

Take the cable and strip off about 4 inchs of the insulation, clamp a lug into a vice and insert the cable in. Heat the lug and solder the cable in. Set it aside and let it cool and repeat for other end. Continue until you have made all your cables. I included 12 guage ground wires with ring terminals to the body in my negitive cables and you can also include the alt hot wire in one if you like.

After the cables have cooled you can install the heat srink to seal them up and then install them using a 3/8thsX16 stud or bolt with the head cut off.

Best part about this is you can route the cables where you want. Also you can find a great connector on that site to make a great set of jumper cables so you don't even have to open the hood to jump someone. The bumper hole works great for a place to put the connector!:thumbsup:

The heat shrink with glue works best as it seals the cable ends to prevent corrosion from entering it and ruining the cable. And the larger the cable the better to a point....you dont need Class eight truck sized cables on your 6.5!! Not cost effective.
 
I went with 1/0 copper battery cable from an auto supply house. I replaced the 2 main grounds and the positive crossover, and also added the stud and nuts to the side terminal batteries. The increase in cranking speed really surprised me, I hadn't thought it would be that noticable but it really spins much faster, starts a couple of revolutions sooner.

I think 1/0 is a great size for this, still easy to route where it needs to go, more than enough size for the application. For the $10-$15 bucks you'd save with #2 or #1 cable it just makes sense to me to go up to the 1/0.

Hope this helps!
 
Thanks for all the great infor guys! I am limited to only the auto part stores for my cables, as i don't have access to welding cable to ther other amenities mentioned. I was thinking about getting the 2 gauge wires, would that suffice?
 
I'm guessing you are seeing the 2 gauge as a pre-packaged cable on a rack in an auto parts chain store. Go to a local auto supply house, the kind with a counter that caters to local repair shops. Ask for 1/0 battery cable and they'll likely have a roll of it, will pre-cut it to length if you want, should have black or red to choose from. They may even add the ends if you're lucky, if not a local repair guy can do that in 5 minutes. You want lugs for 3/8" studs.

To answer your question the 2 gauge will be better, but I really think its worth a few stops to get the larger cable. Just my opinion, good luck!
 
I found 75' 2/0 welding cable on ebay - don't remember the price, it's been a while but I figured with what's left I could make some nice jumper cables.
 
Doughboy where in VA are you?

If you go to NAPA ask to see their battery cable PRINTED catalog. You can find the bulk large gauge cable there. I believe the largest premade cable they carry is a 1gauge. And the person working the counter may not know how to look it up on the computer.
 
Dave01 said:
I'm guessing you are seeing the 2 gauge as a pre-packaged cable on a rack in an auto parts chain store. Go to a local auto supply house, the kind with a counter that caters to local repair shops. Ask for 1/0 battery cable and they'll likely have a roll of it, will pre-cut it to length if you want, should have black or red to choose from. They may even add the ends if you're lucky, if not a local repair guy can do that in 5 minutes. You want lugs for 3/8" studs.

To answer your question the 2 gauge will be better, but I really think its worth a few stops to get the larger cable. Just my opinion, good luck!
Click to expand...

Yes, those are the ones i am talking about. I just clicked on the website that has been mentioned in some post above, and i'm thinking i'll just order from them
 
packratt said:
Doughboy where in VA are you?

If you go to NAPA ask to see their battery cable PRINTED catalog. You can find the bulk large gauge cable there. I believe the largest premade cable they carry is a 1gauge. And the person working the counter may not know how to look it up on the computer.
Click to expand...

I'm in Fredericksburg
 
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