Guitar Dude 33

My positive battery terminal is getting a bit corroded, and I noticed the rubber jacket around the cable is exposed. It seems the PO also took out some aggression on it with a hammer. See the first picture. This is the stock battery cable, and the two copper cables are embedded into the connector that hooks up to the battery post. My plan was to replace the connector with some quick disconnect type. Picture 2. But the problem I noticed is that there appears to be room for only one cable in this new connector. Picture 3.

My question is can I shove both of the battery cables (2 gauge?) into this new connector, or would that be a problem. I just want to know if anyone has done this, if it worked and all before I cut off the cables and give it a shot. Or is there a better way? For now I just cleaned up the battery posts with some baking soda/water and called it good, but I want to change out the connectors pretty soon.

Asphalt Cowboy

You can put both cables in the same term. Also use some baking soda and water to neturlize the acid. Or pour a coke a cola on it. ALso those .99 pads they sell at the parts store work.

Klaatu55

I have a set of quick disconnects I made years ago with bicycle brake clamps,but I think I like yours better. How are they? do they clamp tight? out of the way of the frame? One day when you get the inclination,invest in changing whole primary wiring set along with military battery clamps. Not hard and will make life a lot easier later.The hold down for the wires in the type you have always stripped and gave me problems. But if you to change IMHO you'd be headed in the right direction. Thanks

Klaatu55

This Dielectric grease couldn't hurt. For electrical in general and hose to metal,for some reason.

Guitar Dude 33

Awesome everyone, thanks for the fast replies. i have some dielectric grease i'll throw on to prevent corrosion. For the cables, can i cram both of them into the one open space, or would it be better to crimp an extra clip onto the terminal like Klaatu55 did?

5-90

Dielectric grease is an insulator, and will contaminate your connection.

The stuff you want is "corrosion inhibitor" - it's a purpose-made product for electrical, and you can find it at the hardware store in the electrical section (the stuff I usually use is Ox-Gard, by Gardner-Bender, but other brands are out there.)

The difference is that corrosion inhibitor is conductive, and will therefore not contaminate or degrade your connection.

Until you can replace your mains cables with properly sealed parts, I'd suggest getting silly with the corrosion inhibitor where the cable enters the jacket.

The OEM mains are 6AWG, the screws on the clamps you've pictured are 1/4"-20 SAE. With that in mind, you can eliminate that strap and crimp on a cheap-O 1/4" ring, then put the ring over the screw. That will likely give you a better connection as well, and you should be able to find the rings you need near the corrosion inhibitor at the hardware store.

Klaatu55

I would tend to agree with 5-90 about the corrosion inhibitor.Dielectric does sound like more of a quasi-insulator. I think I'm going to redo my connections. I have a lot of connections to redo. I tried to get every plug connection.

GAPANDA

Replace those crappy factory cables. Buy/make your own.

I make all mine using parts from here
http://www.rjminjectiontech.com/coll...ry-cable-parts

5-90

Quasi-nothing - it is an insulator, and will corrupt electrical connections even more than WD-40 (I've made too much money over the years because people think WD-40 is a "miracle in a can." It ain't. I'll only use it to protect shop stock from rusting - what it was originally designed for - and as a cutting lubricant - when I don't have anything else.)

Willys55

dielectric! (die-electrical) current killer.....don't use it for connections of any kind, it should only be used to keep water out of accessory plugs on outside applications such as snowplow hook ups, tailgate sander/salter and the like.

copper coat on the battery connections...., light bearing grease[on the outside of the battery connector, not the contact point] BG products has a good battery terminal protector kit as well.

There are actual products on the market for this.......some good, some useless.

salad

Handy list: http://www.k1ttt.net/technote/antiox.html I get Sanchem NO-OX-ID through work but I also use GB OX-GARD at home when I can't find the other

As stated dielectric grease is an insulator, it should be considered an edge sealant on connectors. A great use for it is the shrouds of any modular connector, such as spark plug boots or fuel injector connectors. Consider it a caulking that never dries.

Klaatu55

You are so right. Upon second thought. I know what dielectric means. and the way in was used in everything I read was as a protective coating/sealant. I just totally misused it. I coated every electrical contact I could reach with the stuff. It would help if someone could enlighten me with the solvent for cleaning off the dielectric grease. Give me something to do whiles I'm waiting for the Ox Gard. I must remember "Reading is Fundamental" Edge sealant,outside connector sealant,not for contact points. Got It. And thanks for the correction 5-90,Willys55 and Salad

salad

Hope you don't feel like we were jumping on you! It's easy to get wrapped up in things...

I've had luck with standard degreaser like the Engine Brite if there's caked goo, and then electrical contact cleaner (heptane or hexane) afterwards.

5-90

No worries. I try not to be too intense about it, but I've made far too much money over the years because of simple mistakes like that - using the wrong compound, screws things up, they bring it to me. I open it up, swat the owner with a wrench, then get to cleaning the crud out of the contacts that they'd put in there - that screwed it all up and made their problem worse in the first place!

Honestly, WD-40 is the worst offender. "WD" stands for "Water Displacer," and its primary component is fish oil. It was developed for keeping shop stock from rusting -that's what I use it for. It's not a "lock lube" or a "hinge lube" - graphite works better for those. Garage door tracks? White lithium grease. Parts cleaner? Tricholorethane, heptane, hexane, acetone, denatured alcohol, mineral spirit, ether - depends on what I'm cleaning off of what. Electrical contact cleaner? Don't make me laugh - seriously. Remember the "fish oil" I mentioned? The whole point of the rest of everything in the can is to get that fish oil onto the surface and leave it there. Just how conductive do you think the stuff is? If you answered "not very to not at all," you win One Internets.

I'm being seriously. Next time someone brings me an electrical system crapped up with WD-40, I shall insert a large can nasally, with the assistance of one of my large hammers (I have an assortment - from 4 ounces to ten pounds.) I enjoy fixing things and making them work better, but I hate fixing preventable user mistakes generally caused by a lack of brain engagement or listening to marketing people (who have NO IDEA what they're talking about!)

Klaatu55

Trying to get the erroneous advice removed. Thanks again.