4wheeldevil

so as we all know there isnt a really good source for battery cables for our trucks unless you want to pay out the ****.(if there is one you know of then pipe up) so i plan to build my own.

The problem:
Right now i cant run my A/C and lights at the same time. My battery and Alternator check out okay. I have had problems with the cables in the past and did quick fixes to keep going. so now i believe that is where the problem lies once again. possibly a ground. So this time i plan to replace the cables the best way possible.

The fix:
So keeping in mind that i plan to upgrade the Alternator at some point as well as going to a dual battery setup, i want the best cables and terminals i can find.

so far i have found Welding cable at Tractor Supply for 5 dollar per foot for 2 gauge and 4 dollars a foot for 4 gauge. both say they are 600v cable. i am looking at this over battery cable because of the better flexibility, finer strands, and better insulation. Any thoughts?

i have also found Quick Connect battery Terminals and Lugs at NAPA. Though they only have the compression style. what i want is the Fusion style. but i am trying to find the parts all locally.

so if anyone who has done this have any advice please post. i need to know what size of cable most of all.

i will post my progress on this what i learn and what my final cost end up being.

Oh and my truck is a 94 302 v8 extended cab 4x4

Crowder

Unless you're going to be running serious electrical.. I can't see what you'd need anything over 4 guage

Scraptor

I use 2 gauge because I have a spool of 2 gauge wire , I use the crimp on terminals but solder them on with a propane torch. I clamp the terminal in the bench vice, and coat my stripprd wire end with solder flux , then i heat the terminal while feeding in solder until I have It full of molten solder, then slam in the wire, and using my third hand or monkey like tail, I wind the vise tight, to squash the terminal. For the battery terminals themselves I get ones that bolt on like these

fordtrucknut

i'm running 2/0 cables they are as big as my thumb, but they are about 6-7+ bucks a foot. but the truck fires off like no other.

you can also cut up and use jumper cables. they are pretty cheap, and come with about 12-15ft of cable.

fordtrucknut

you can see the jumper cable wire that I had on there before,

5Rangers

http://www.rjminjectiontech.com/coll...ry-cable-parts

4wheeldevil

never thought of cutting up jumper cables.

thanks for the link 5rangers.

the reason why i am thinking of better cables is that not only do i want to fix the current problems but i dont want to have to do things twice as far as up grading the cable again when i install future mods such off road lighting, winches and stereo amps.

i was thinking of using the 2 gauge for the battery cables and the 4 gauge for the grounds. what i am trying to figure out is all the talk of 2/0 and 2 gauge. are some just referring to the same cable differently or is that 2 sizes.

also welding cable vs. battery cable. is welding cable overkill? does anybody have any experience with this?

Warlockk

Electricity only travels over the surface of the conductor. So more wires in the cable will equal greater surface area and lower resistance. However any 2 gauge cable is more than enough for a 12v system.

mcurrier79

I believe you are referring to AC. AC current PRIMARILY travels on the surface of a wire do to the "skin effect" of AC. The skin depth varies depending on the frequency. Lower frequency creates a "thick skin" whereas higher frequency creates a "thin skin".

DC voltage is evenly distributed across the diameter of the wire due to the fact that it has no frequency.

Sorry for hijacking, I was looking to replace my Batt/alt/starter cables and thought I'd add my $0.02 to Warlockks post...

Aktech

Not all jumper cable are worth using.