question about battery cables

[am4blue]

Invest in some good heat shrink (the kind with sealer/glue in it) and heat shrink from the eyelet crimp onto the wire insulation. Make sure it doesn't interfere with the eyelet face. I also dip solder my eyelets (I have a dip solder pot, not necessary. So just spot solder them. If water gets into the copper it will wick down the inside of the wire and cause issues. I've seen water get drawn way down a wire harness and even into other harnesses through inline connections.

Also, if possible, point the terminal downward at the battery and block ground points to create a drip loop. This will help keep water away from the contact points. Just make sure you don't cause any rub or chafe issue.

D

 

[G_Body_Enthusiast]

I had a similar problem years ago with slow cranking. By accident, I found the body ground wire was quite warm. I replaced the neg. cable with a heavier truck cable, and bolted it directly to the front of the block. All mounting surfaces were clean, and I used a serrated washer with some silicone grease. End of problem, and it looks much better with the cable mounted down low. Don't even think about those crappy bolt-on battery terminal ends. Buy a complete cable in your desired length.

Bill

bolt on battery terminal ends = epic fail. i've seen so many go bad. OEM type side terminal cables or nothing. i dont like top terminal batteries.

 

[Gina]

I'm having a similar issue with my battery. It's a brand new Interstate- but twice now in two weeks, the negative ground on the battery has literally melted off- proceeded by lagging starts and black smoke.

Is this is a more serious issue, or is does it mean I need to replace the battery wires? (Similar to above )

Thank you! 🙂