TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

need to make up a battery cable

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

mudstuck

01-24-2004 15:01:56

Report to Moderator

i need to make up a 8 1/2 foot battery cable. it runs through a crawler frame from the battery box to the starter. got the shakes and nose bleed when a feller at the parts store told me what they'd get for one.

i was hoping y'all would share a trick or two on making one up. i figured i'd be soldering the ends on, i don't like them crimped up ends the supply house has on their pricey jobs.

the old cable we yanked out looked to be the size of my thumb, can't find no markings on it but i'm guessing it to be 3 or 4 gauge cable.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Wayne

01-24-2004 19:29:25

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

Hey Mudstuck, I make up cables all the time on heavy equipment. If it was the size of your thumb, I'd say it was at least a 0 or 00 since a #4 isn't but about 5/16"+or- in diameter. Some of the machines I make cables for run two 8D batteries, and that's alot more cranking amps than your machine will ever see. Like most of the posts say, a good quality welding cable is gonna be your best bet as far as flexibility,price, etc go. Like Jason said, you do need a heavy duty style cable that's gonna be gas and oil resistant, otherwise the coating will bubble up and get soft, and start disentegrating as soon as it gets something on it. We use it all the time and have never had any problems. The main difference is a welding cable will have say 1000 small strands where a comparable guage battery cable will have say 500 larger strands. If you do decide to solder the lugs on the ends, definately use silver solder as regular lead solder will melt out if you get too much juice flowing through it and it gets hot. Another thing we always do that makes for a nice job is to put a piece of heavy heat shrink on the cable before you solder the lug on. After you get it soldered on slide the shrink over the joint to where it just touches where the lug steps down to the flat and shrink it. This not only makes it look professional, it also limits the amount of bare conductor to just the minimum needed for the connection. Just my .02

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RWK in WI

01-25-2004 06:20:59

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to Wayne, 01-24-2004 19:29:25

On some of my tractors and snow plows we have found 00 welding cable to work well. We have been putting the cable through a length of old garden hose before installing it on the machines. I gives extra protection from rubbing through and if the ends are sealed (we use silicone sealent) it protects from gas, oil, and greease.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ron

01-24-2004 19:00:34

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

If you are going to solder the ends...use Silver Solder....it is a better electrical conductor, and withstands higher temps....!! Doesent cost all that much, for what it's worth.!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

r4etired

01-24-2004 17:53:29

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

I use welding cable a lot. Take a piece of I/2in copper pipe, preferable K copper AS it is the thickest wall. smash one end flat. solder the cable inside the other end, drill your hole and your home free.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Tim

01-24-2004 17:47:38

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

Don't know what crawler you have, but when I worked in the truck shop, We used "OO" cable for the big rigs. That is closer to being the size of your thumb, and will come closer to handling the load. Tim

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

mike

01-24-2004 17:47:25

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

i use welding cable holds up better stands more heat and is quite a bit cheaper here besides last time i went to the battery shop for cable to make up some it said right on the side it was welding cable just my .02 mike

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ray,IN

01-24-2004 17:15:55

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

The cable("size of my thumb") is likely "O" gauge. Undersized cable will cause you grief by insufficient current getting to the starter which in turn will cause slow cranking=harder starting and reduced starter life. The last long cable I had my local battery shop make ("O" ga) cost $3 per ft + ends. For comparison, the linking battery cable for my Dodge CTD (6ft) costs $59 from Dodge.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Richard

01-24-2004 18:15:37

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to Ray,IN, 01-24-2004 17:15:55

use The Welding Cable & Buy The solder on ends At Your Auto Supply, & go to work. Simple

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jason

01-24-2004 15:09:58

Report to Moderator

Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to mudstuck, 01-24-2004 15:01:56

Go instead to your local welding supply house. You will be pleasantly surprised by the price of heavy duty welding cable compared to heavy duty battery cable.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Rod (NH)

01-24-2004 17:56:13

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to Jason, 01-24-2004 15:09:58

Hi Jason,

I fully agree. I have used double runs of 2/0 welding cable on my Oliver 77 diesel for many years successfully. I used double runs because I use two 12v batteries in parallel. Total cold cranking amps is about 1100. The maximum line run is about three feet. It works great. The welding cable is very flexible and is easy to route through congested areas. I have never had a problem with the rubber cover being attacked by diesel fuel drips. I did have a problem once with battery acid attack though :o).

There are some really very nice compression style ends avaialble that make such an installation a snap. See this link. They are a little pricey but work nicely.

Rod

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

marlowe

01-24-2004 16:46:50

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to Jason, 01-24-2004 15:09:58

jason is right on the price but the welding cables are most of the time rubber coated and the coating don't like oil real well and if they are 8ft. long i'm real sure they will get in some oil some where along the way. i sure would spend the money for the vinyl coated seeing that this is a hot cable cheep ins.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

ha ha

01-24-2004 15:21:34

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to Jason, 01-24-2004 15:09:58

now Jason, how much will that cable weigh after i hook 2 of them group 31 battries to it? they are 1000 cranking amps, and heavy enough just on their own!

had to poke some fun your way. couldn't help myself. mudstuck

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jason

01-24-2004 17:09:16

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to ha ha , 01-24-2004 15:21:34

I do not understand. Why you laugh?

Did a search, entered welding cable battery cable into Google.

First hit:>Link

From>Link their site: "Welding Cable Spooled Wire & Cable
Used as a battery cable alternative because of its flexibility. A heavy duty welding cable that is resistant to flame, oil, abrasives, tar and grease. Temperature range: -40�C to 90�C. Rated at 600 volts with a paper separator. Meets or exceeds ASTMB-172 specifications and conforms to ICEA/NEMA welding cable requirements."

They show sizes available from 6GA to 4/0.

Welding cable can be as large or small as you want, as flexible or as stiff as you want, with any of various coverings for the harshest environment you can imagine, and almost always less expensive than so called "battery cables".

Do a search on Google, you will find thousands of hits, have a ball spending the entire evening reading.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Sid

01-24-2004 19:01:05

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: need to make up a battery cable in reply to Jason, 01-24-2004 17:09:16

Jason please go to your post below this one. If you are going to do a little leg pulling you gotta be able to take having yours pulled as well.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jason

01-24-2004 19:12:57

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: need to make up a battery cabl in reply to Sid , 01-24-2004 19:01:05

Sid, I apologize, leg pullin' is one thing, but, I overreacted to Mudstuck's reply.

Mr. Mudstuck, sir, I apologize to you.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

shucks-

01-24-2004 19:34:08

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: need to make up a battery in reply to Jason, 01-24-2004 19:12:57

it ain't no problem.

i went out lookin at that site. wonder if any of them folks sell it be the foot instead of by the spool. them spools got to be heavy whether they got electricity in them or not! (now see, it does a body good to laugh)

y'all stay warm. here it's colder then the well drillers arse.

mudstuck

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jason

01-24-2004 19:46:39

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: need to make up a batt in reply to shucks-, 01-24-2004 19:34:08

Thanks, Mudstuck. I went back and re-read my post after I read Sid's and I was obviously too sharp with my reply to you.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy