Battery cables

[KauaiSlash5]

Over the years I've made my own battery cables for my various projects using high quality welding cable. Sourcing solder pellets/slugs which are appropriately sized for your connectors will make the job even easier.

The process is pretty simple once you have the right stuff. Start by sliding a piece of high quality rubber (not PVC) shrink tubing over the cable end and along down it a ways, then strip back the appropriate amount of shielding equal to the depth of the connector, put the connector in a vise, drop in a solder pellet/slug and apply heat with a hand held torch until the solder melts. Then push the cable end into the connector until the solder cools, wait for it to cool some more, then slide the shrink tubing over the connector and cable end. If you time it right and the shrink tubing is of high quality, it will shrink to fit with the residual heat.

The welding wire can be sourced from a welding supply shop and I've had good luck getting solder pellets/slugs from NAPA.

[Chuey]

Gee, and all along I thought I had invented making cables using #4 Welding cable and #4 ring terminals, using heat shrink tubing on the ends.
Ken

Ken, I got the idea from something you wrote here. When I was at the welding shop, I asked and was surprised at the low price of the wahr. They also had a supply of the terminals.

Chuey

[moonbeamerll]

'84 R100

Thinking I should replace both ground and positive cables on my bike. OEM replacements seem to be available for not a lot of dough. The original ones have not given me any problems but I remember reading about how poor quality the original ones were. Probably a Duane rant.

Your thoughts gentlemen.

My 74 R90S is still wearing its first set of cables and I have had no electrical problems to speak of: some dash lights to replace but that's really not much.

[dougie]

Think "preventive maintenance".

[Zombie Master]

Think "preventive maintenance".

There is no end to preventive maintenance!

[dougie]

Think "preventive maintenance".

There is no end to preventive maintenance!

OK - think Honda.

[Roy Gavin]

Actually , the starting/charging components on a ageing Honda need more preventive maintenance than the BMWs.

There is not much surplus capacity built into the components of the Honda or any modern bike, and any slight drop off in performance anywhere can lead to failures elsewhere.

The small battery/ starting circuits must be perfect to jerk the sprag clutch into operation, and if it isnt properly home it destroys itself PDQ, the small starter with rare earth magnets gets real hot pretty quick and will overheat if used for too long, and the alternator/rectifier are so closely matched and the cables so neatly matched (read undersized) that any additional resistance in the circuitry results in a failure somewhere , hot cables/dry joints/burnt out components.
DAHIK

[Zombie Master]

Actually , the starting/charging components on a ageing Honda need more preventive maintenance than the BMWs.

There is not much surplus capacity built into the components of the Honda or any modern bike, and any slight drop off in performance anywhere can lead to failures elsewhere.

Two words. Bosch rotor.

[vanzen]

Think "preventive maintenance".

BINGO !

[vanzen]

...There is not much surplus capacity built into the components of the Honda or any modern bike, and any slight drop off in performance anywhere can lead to failures elsewhere...

Many modern MCs with electronic / computer components, BMW included –
will be designed to "shut down" the engine electrical system
if recorded voltage is even slightly "out of spec".
Without this feature, expensive electronics would self-destruct !