Club 80-90 Forums

am about to connect up the cables from sterling charger to batteries and alternator etc some are 16mm and others are 35mm2 insulated copper wire.

Does anyone have any recommendations about ways to do the connections.

I have seen screw down types, (like the principal of a 240v plug terminal) is screwing them to a ring terminal secure.
Can anyone recommend a crimp for large terminals?
Has anyone used solder and a blow lamp to do the terminals?

Any advice most welcome!

I use a hydraulic crimping tool. Just make sure the kit has the die sizes for the cable size you are working with. This one covers most of the sizes.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hydraulic-Cri ... SwFnFV7q0H" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

magic thanks, looks a good option.

that looks like a good bit of kit,never seen one like that before

I used one of these for the 35mm on my Sterling.

http://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/heavy-dut ... -tool.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It works great as its spring loaded and therefore you don't need three hands! I've lent it to several friends who've all been impressed.

12 Volt Planet is quite a useful resource for this kind of stuff tho not the cheapest.

I go into local battery centre and look pathetic.

Works for me

...with a pack of chocolate hobnobs for their teabreak!

Sent from my ZX81 with 16k RAM expansion pack

Haha Elvis, that is my kinda resourceful, i'm dab hand at looking pathetic mate!

Thanks for the tips, the springy thingy looks good.

I finally plumped for this thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and if it's cr@p I will send it back and try one of the others!

Hope it works because I have about 750 miles of wire circulating in my van that all needs a damn good crimping!

I prefer to solder or crimp and solder. For anyone who lacks the tools to crimp thick cable or doesn't want to spend money on a tool for perhaps one job, this works well too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMdlPsBxkc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Soldering does minimise corrosion within terminals so a mix of the two is a good way to go.

how much wire do you need to go from starter to main battery . looking for the most effective route .
does 3.5 m cover it ?

yes just about, and the only route is the one vw took it.....

brilliant thanks.

got 5m coming my way .

cheers CovKid

my mechanic said today that if the tool works then okay, but if not we will smash the terminals with a hammer and solder them instead!

One way or another we should finally get it done.

My leisure battery is under the R&R bed and the main battery is near the rear light on the O/S and the alternator is in the normal place for a JX.

I'm mounting the Sterling next to the leisure battery on the rear bulkhead, so I will need at least 4 35mm2 wires coming from the sterling.

Does anyone know the best way to route these large wires from under R&R bed to the engine compartment. I have 13mm diameter grommets so want to do it the tidiest and safest way. One wire will go to the ALT and one to the Starter BATT and another to ground, I also will have to feed the temp sensors through but will cable tie them to the larger wires I guess.

Comprehensive approach to crimping all kinds of connectors and potential pitfalls:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjSGCSwNuAg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I do hope no one minds a slight 'high jack' but when replacing cables would you go for same diameter but thinner 'threads' or strands, thicker cable or what?