Battery cables ... buy or buy tool to make ?

[eknebel]

Somebody will probably tell me why this wrong, but I usually get a snug fit, then using a small torch I solder them much like you would solder copper tubing. Finish it off with a short section of heat shrink tubing. No extra expense or storage for a tool I would rarely use.

Don

Crimping is best but must be done with a proper crimper and the correct size of connector for the wire. Soldering is ok, but you should be aware of it's limitations. Marine wire is required to be stranded copper wire. By soldering you have now created a single conductor at the point of the solder. You have also created a "hard spot" in the wire. In engineering terms a hard spot is a point where stress is concentrated, and if a failure occurs it will more than likely occur at the hard spot. You see this most frequently in corners of fiberglass structures and in windows on boats that don't have rounded corners. The same occurs at solder connections in wires because the solder joint is less flexible and more susceptible to vibration. Additionally, some solders contain acids which can in a marine environment lead to corrosion. So make sure you use an acid free solder. A low temperature solder is best too because it causes less heat damage to the wire and there is less heat to damage the insulation.
Here's what the American Boat and Yacht Council says about solder and crimp connections.

11.16.3.7. Solder shall not be the sole means of
mechanical connection in any circuit. If soldered, the
connection shall be so located or supported as to
minimize flexing of the conductor where the solder
changes the flexible conductor into a solid conductor.
EXCEPTION: Battery lugs with a solder contact
length of not less than 1.5 times the diameter of the
conductor.
NOTE: When a stranded conductor is soldered, the
soldered portion of the conductor becomes a solid
strand conductor, and flexing can cause the
conductor to break at the end of the solder joint
unless adequate additional support is provided.

11.16.3.8. Solderless crimp on connectors shall
be attached with the type of crimping tools designed
for the connector used, and that will produce a
connection meeting the requirements of E-11.16.3.3. So if you want to solder the connection needs to be supported to minimize flexing. This can be achieved with heat shrink tubing or other type of covering, or by supporting the wire itself. <!-- attachments -->

 

[Sven]

Awesome !
...
Even the pruning shears were perfect !!

Can't believe it has been a couple of months already !!!

One small update: The anvil pruning sheers seem to dull (corrode ?) over time in the marina environment. They were great for every last cut in the initial installation but when we went to start the next set of cuts they were suddenly pretty useless.

So, don't tell your husband or wife that you borrowed them or you may be in trouble. We'll buy some new ones for the rest of the anchor windlass installation.



-Sven