What is the best way to attach battery cable ends??

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

I bought some good welding cable from a local place here to run from my hatch mounted battery. I need to run it from the battery, to the disconnect switch, then to the solenoid.

I bought some cable ends that look like this View attachment 382490

And im wondering what the best way to attach these things to the end of the battery cable is.

I have tried one method where you put the terminal in a vice, take a propane torch and start dripping solder into the terminal, then when its almost halfway full of solder, you shove the battery cable end into the terminal, and hold it until it dries. Is this the best method? Or is there another method that works better?

Strype · Jun 7, 2007

I crimped the hell out of mine with a hammer, but yes solder is the best way

BK_CAULEY · Jun 7, 2007

use yor teeth. and duct tape

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

BK_CAULEY said:
use yor teeth. and duct tape

Here, lay down, and put it between YOUR teeth, then let me kick the top of your head a few times

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

Strype said:
I crimped the hell out of mine with a hammer, but yes solder is the best way

My buddy did the hammer method as well, but i was looking for something a little better... the only thing i dont like about the solder method is what the end of the terminal looks like when youre done... i guess i could always wire wheel the end of it to clean it up when im done.

BK_CAULEY · Jun 7, 2007

FBD said:
Here, lay down, and put it between YOUR teeth, then let me kick the top of your head a few times

prolly be easier to kick my jaw

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

BK_CAULEY said:
prolly be easier to kick my jaw

Nah, that'll break too easy.. the skull on the other hand, that will take some beatings

Strype · Jun 7, 2007

FBD said:
My buddy did the hammer method as well, but i was looking for something a little better... the only thing i dont like about the solder method is what the end of the terminal looks like when youre done... i guess i could always wire wheel the end of it to clean it up when im done.

I can't remember if we soldered last time or not

I know for a fact the hammer method worked. I think we used a flat head screw driver to crimp with or a pair of channerl locks. We were putting a new engine ground on our cars. We MAY have soldered.

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

Strype said:
I can't remember if we soldered last time or not

I know for a fact the hammer method worked. I think we used a flat head screw driver to crimp with or a pair of channerl locks. We were putting a new engine ground on our cars. We MAY have soldered.

Hey, where did you do your engine ground at? i cant go from the back of my heads.... aluminum. i cant go from my bellhousing... aluminum... and the only other place i saw to do it was from the timing cover... aluminum

Strype · Jun 7, 2007

FBD said:
Hey, where did you do your engine ground at? i cant go from the back of my heads.... aluminum. i cant go from my bellhousing... aluminum... and the only other place i saw to do it was from the timing cover... aluminum

driver's side head

I'll have the same problem soon

BK_CAULEY · Jun 7, 2007

the headers, motor mount there is a bunch of places and that bolt thats hoding the head down, the bell housing on and the timing cover on isnt aluminum and it will carry the current just fine.

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

BK_CAULEY said:
the headers, motor mount there is a bunch of places and that bolt thats hoding the head down, the bell housing on and the timing cover on isnt aluminum and it will carry the current just fine.

I thought about that, but id like to have a straight ground from the block itself to the chasis without having to go through any aluminum, but it sounds like im not going to have much of a choice

BK_CAULEY · Jun 7, 2007

FBD said:
I thought about that, but id like to have a straight ground from the block itself to the chasis without having to go through any aluminum, but it sounds like im not going to have much of a choice

your cars charging system does not have enough voltage to affect the aluminum and its not going to conduct it (as you know) so the bolt should be a direct contact. it wont hurt anything. at least it hasnt on my car yet.

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

BK_CAULEY said:
your cars charging system does not have enough voltage to affect the aluminum and its not going to conduct it (as you know) so the bolt should be a direct contact. it wont hurt anything. at least it hasnt on my car yet.

Ok, well that makes me feel a little better. Do you have your battery in the trunk/hatch? Im trying to decide where to run the ground from the battery right to the frame.

GT_Rich · Jun 7, 2007

I'm confused - why not ground to aluminum? It's a great conductor.

Darkwriter77 · Jun 7, 2007

Damn. Beat me to it.

Aluminum (or al-yoo-mini-um, if you're British/Australian) is used to make electrical connectors all the time. Why a big huge chunk of aluminum like a cylinder head wouldn't be a good conductor for it is beyond me. Just run one from the back of the intake (also aluminum) to the firewall (be sure to sand it down to bare metal where it bolts to the firewall) at the stock locations, and then add another up front on the driver's side cylinder head behind where the A/C compressor is/was, and run it right on over to the frame. (I used the spot where the clutch cable bracket originally bolted down as my common ground location.)

As far as the connector, I just did the old Hammer Time method, then slobbered some solder all over it in a somewhat smooth manner, then wrapped some electrical tape around it to help keep moisture from getting in there - you could probably just use shrink tubing for the same thing but a cleaner look.

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

huh.. i thought that you wanted to ground to steel or iron etc... i didnt know you could do that or i wouldnt have posted this god forsaken thread

BK_CAULEY · Jun 7, 2007

its not a good conductor because of oxidation. it forms between the iron part and the aluminum and restiects contact area and current flow.

if you have aluminum pieces soldered to other metals it would work fine. but it has to be where no air or moisture can get to it.

Busted07 · Jun 7, 2007

BK_CAULEY said:
its not a good conductor because of oxidation. it forms between the iron part and the aluminum and restiects contact area and current flow.

if you have aluminum pieces soldered to other metals it would work fine. but it has to be where no air or moisture can get to it.

so in other words, i can go from my timing cover to the frame on the front, and ill just have to get creative on the rear ground.

BK_CAULEY · Jun 7, 2007

FBD said:
so in other words, i can go from my timing cover to the frame on the front, and ill just have to get creative on the rear mount

yes you can. and on the rear all i did on my previous car was ground it to the shock tower in my back hatch area. i just ran the wire inder the carpet and through the side panel. it was easy.

What is the best way to attach battery cable ends??

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