Battery Cable

slimtim · 28 April 2006, 23:37

Can someone please advise me what battery cable I need? I would like some flexible stuff and my engine is 70hp tohatsu. I don't know the battery capacity off hand but its a normal sized jobby (will check it tomorrow).

Where is a good place to get the cable? I have found the following:

http://www.jgtech.com/Cable.htm

http://www.marine-hardware.co.uk/aca..._Cable_71.html

http://marinestore.co.uk/page/mrst/C...ery-cable-cut/

The prices on these links vary by a stupid amount from about £2 per metre to £15 a metre...why the big difference? I'm sure I'm missing something obvious but electrical stuff is not my forte!

Thanks.

Tim

marknj · 29 April 2006, 00:46

Hi, 25mm should be fine, look for welding cable, very flexable. £2/m tops.

Cheers,
Mark.

Poly · 29 April 2006, 08:28

.

Cookee · 29 April 2006, 10:07

www.merlinequipment.com

marknj · 29 April 2006, 12:42

Not 25mm Diameter!!

slimtim · 29 April 2006, 13:11

Thanks guys.

I'm going to have a shop around some local places and see what I get. My last rib had some really nice flexible cable and I want to try and find something similar but haven't been able to yet.

Anyone know why there is such a difference between the cable prices in those links I posted?

Tim

Hightower · 29 April 2006, 14:27

I could probably give you some, but you'll have to wait till I get back to work in about 2 weeks

jwalker · 29 April 2006, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimtim

Anyone know why there is such a difference between the cable prices in those links I posted?

Tim, you shoulda learned by now...If it's boaty, think of a number and double it. Welding cable is nice and flexible, available in lotsa sizes, has tinned cores and fuel resistand covering. What better could you want? If you're not concerned about it being tinned, a set of big, fat jump leads from Machine Mart. About 25 kwid.

slimtim · 29 April 2006, 18:06

They're all marine links though (i think)! Anyways, thanks for the tip jeff, there is a welding place near where I work so will go and ask them. Someone else suggested I get some jump leads and cut them up so will look into that as well.

Thanks all.

slimtim · 29 April 2006, 18:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

I could probably give you some, but you'll have to wait till I get back to work in about 2 weeks

Andy, Very kind of you and if I haven't got any in a couple of weeks, I'll take you up on that offer! Otherwise, I'm going to try and get some this week so I can fire up the engine.

Rogue Wave · 08 May 2006, 10:45

Aquafax

Ian Sharlot · 08 May 2006, 18:50

I use 25mm ( about the size of your little finger ) very flexible. cost me £30 for 10m and I have the tool to make it up

slimtim · 08 May 2006, 21:11

Thanks for the replies guys.

My local welding supplier has some nice flexible battery cable for about £2.80 a metre and the bloke said the RNLI use it for, I guess, the refits in cowes.

All I need now is about a mile of smaller cable for the other wiring!

Rogue Wave · 08 May 2006, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimtim

Thanks for the replies guys.

My local welding supplier has some nice flexible battery cable for about £2.80 a metre and the bloke said the RNLI use it for, I guess, the refits in cowes.

All I need now is about a mile of smaller cable for the other wiring!

Is it tinned?

slimtim · 06 June 2006, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Is it tinned?

Don't think the battery cable is actually. My other cable is.

Bringing this thread back up again because I have discovered that the battery cable I have bought is too thick to fit through the cable grommet thing on the outboard (I could get it through but some modification would be required).

So, is 25mm^2 being conservative? Will I be ok with something smaller and if so, what size? The engine is a 70hp tohatsu 2 stroke.

Cheers

Tim

Tim M · 06 June 2006, 11:31

Tim: this is a good place to get a cheap replacement: http://www.marine-hardware.co.uk/ I bought a 6.5m piece recently for about £12.Have you got a photo of the gromit? Do you mean the rubber bit on the front where the cable enter the engine. If I were you I'd just drill the holes out a bit to make the cables fit......

slimtim · 06 June 2006, 12:58

Tim, thanks for the reply.

Yeah I do mean that (expensive) rubber bit. I could drill some more holes but it won't be as neat! Its not possible to drill out the existing holes I don't think as they are too close to the adjacent ones.

I got all my screws and normal cable from sea screw (marine hardware.co.uk). What is their battery cable like? nice and flexible?

I've just been back to the welding supplier I bought my cable from and they have 16mm^2 but not sure if this would be thick enough?

Any help appreciated.

Tim

Matt · 06 June 2006, 13:38

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.c...es/cables.html
Near the bottom of the page.
6 sizes listed, (4 battery, 2 welding) including the outer diameter for you to measure up.
You could probably start your tohatsu with some bell wire and 8 AAA batteries, smallish 2 stroke outboards don't need much juice.

slimtim · 07 June 2006, 07:44

Thanks for that matt. So you reckon 16mm2 welding cable would be ok? On that link you posted its rated at about 110amps. That sounds like plenty to me.

Tim

Matt · 07 June 2006, 09:16

Reckon it'd be fine.