Joining 25mm 170 AMP Battery Cable

[silverzx]

So I've got my cable, circuit breaker, terminal clamps and cut off switch for the Datsun.

How can I join the existing live to my cable safely?

I kind of want a clamp like on the terminal clamp but just for joining wires.

I've typed a few things into eBay/Google but can't find what I'm looking for..

Heavy duty crimps?

Any suggestions?

[WiNgNuTz]

Electrical tape?

[Matt]

Twist together


Job jobbed

[Toms306]

Scotch lock and clingfilm....

[Grant]

Get appropriately sized crimps. Crush them with a vice (unless you have hands like the hulk ) and then slap some solder around the wire to the crimp. Belt and braces

[zx_volcane]

yeah solder the ends into big ass connectors and use a distribution block

[silverzx]

Distribution block was the words I was looking for.

[zx_volcane]

or bolt them together if you're feeling cheap and cover in electrical tape

[Eeyore]

Distribution block was the words I was looking for.

It took me a while to work out those words too! They seem to cost more than you would expect!

[silverzx]

Distribution block was the words I was looking for.

It took me a while to work out those words too! They seem to cost more than you would expect!

Proper job seem to do them dirt cheap.

And pocket size... If thats your thing...

[cully]

you need Copper Tube Butt Connectors for cable Size 25 mm² and a good crimper dont expect to do them with plyers

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copper-Tube-Bu...4cfbe8a5c7

[silverzx]

you need Copper Tube Butt Connectors for cable Size 25 mm² and a good crimper dont expect to do them with plyers

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copper-Tube-Bu...4cfbe8a5c7

Thanks Cully, best get some tape too, don't want those big chunks of metal being exposed!

Edit: Less and cheaper:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261060050738 x 6 £3.29



www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251101053397 x 10 £4.59



Or if you fancy a free torch...

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320997880550 x 25 £8.73

[Ruan]

Don't expect to do the ground with just connecting it to the chassis - seen it, tried it, never works, engine will crank insanely slow.

You *need* to run a +ve and -ve cable from my experience.

[silverzx]

Don't expect to do the ground with just connecting it to the chassis - seen it, tried it, never works, engine will crank insanely slow.

You *need* to run a +ve and -ve cable from my experience.

That's how it's been for the last year and not had a problem bro-ski.

[toseland]

and its almost guaranteed to be better if you have a dedicated negative connection from engine to battery

[silverzx]

and its almost guaranteed to be better if you have a dedicated negative connection from engine to battery

I'll have a looksie!

[toseland]

well, quickest test, grab a jump lead. clip it onto the starter mount, and 'tother end onto battery.. if it improves, you are onto a winner..

i have a 600amp cable running from negative terminal to the top of the alternator bracket (one that bolts on by the fuel pump)..

that, and tightened the dedicated one on the back of the engine and it starts like a boss now

[Sambarker]

Or maybe get one of these?

[attachment=17148]

And some decent crimp on ring terminals?

---

Don't expect to do the ground with just connecting it to the chassis - seen it, tried it, never works, engine will crank insanely slow.

You *need* to run a +ve and -ve cable from my experience.

But surely if battery has a good ground to chassis, and engine has a good ground to chassis then there should be no problem? Never had an issue tbh.

[Niall]

But surely if battery has a good ground to chassis, and engine has a good ground to chassis then there should be no problem? Never had an issue tbh.

Correct you are sir. People get slower cranking cars when they relocate the battery because of two reasons. Either their short earth strap is not on a clean enough surface (does need to be bare metal!) or the ring connector they have used isn't big enough or they haven't factored voltage drop when sizing their + cable.

[silverzx]

Or maybe get one of these?



And some decent crimp on ring terminals?

---

Don't expect to do the ground with just connecting it to the chassis - seen it, tried it, never works, engine will crank insanely slow.

You *need* to run a +ve and -ve cable from my experience.

But surely if battery has a good ground to chassis, and engine has a good ground to chassis then there should be no problem? Never had an issue tbh.

I already have one of those, plus a circuit breaker, plus cable.

[Sambarker]

Or maybe get one of these?



And some decent crimp on ring terminals?

---

Don't expect to do the ground with just connecting it to the chassis - seen it, tried it, never works, engine will crank insanely slow.

You *need* to run a +ve and -ve cable from my experience.

But surely if battery has a good ground to chassis, and engine has a good ground to chassis then there should be no problem? Never had an issue tbh.

I already have one of those, plus a circuit breaker, plus cable.

Well all that lot isn't going to help issues as it will all be adding resisitance

[silverzx]

I don't see why some people are so negative about it? It'll be fineeee!

It's just a simple relocate battery from behind passenger seat, where it currently has a cut of switch wired to the positive(+) and the negative(-) straight to the floor pan to the boot where it will have an added circuit breaker and another 1.5m of cable.

Happy dayssss!

[Poodle]

I hear Dum-dum's a huge fan of those copper butt connectors, snigger snigger....

[puglove]

Twist together


Job jobbed

Im going with this method

[silverzx]

So I have my 25mm cable, I have the big crimpy things, how do I join them together?

Crush them with a vice?

Do I need a beefy soldering iron? Any suggestions, links to eBay products etc all considered helpful.

Here's the connectors I bought:

[cully]

you need a heavy duty crimper for 25mm lugs
or you could solder the cables in

[attachment=18030]

this is cheap compared to what i paid for mine

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Duty-Cri...2a40ec325a

[silverzx]

you need a heavy duty crimper for 25mm lugs
or you could solder the cables in

this is cheap compared to what i paid for mine

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Duty-Cri...2a40ec325a

That looks bad - ass.

[Tom]

Hammer and a really blunt chisel

[Janne L]

A proper crimp tool like the one above is what's needed for a decent connection, avoid solder as much as possible, it can cause the cable to break due to vibration hardening. There are cheap tools available where you but the tube connector in a v shaped indentation and then force a wide punch into the tube, either via a vise or a Mallet.

/Former boat electricity guy :-)

[Piggy]

Interesting argument over crimp/soldering.

Some wont ever do any soldering in a car due to vibrations/heat etc...

Then others wont do anything BUT soldering!

With my experience of french electrics and crimped things coming apart....I always solder or where I can, both.