Welding Cables Discussion

[phaxtris]

Those cables you posted should easily boost your 6.7, and everything but the largest tractors (like a d8) my experience growing up in Manitoba (Winnipeg, roblin, the pas) with -20 being the average warm winter temperature , it's usually the the connection between your clamp and the terminal, all of that current trying to go through a tiny little surface area, if you really want a reliable boost install these on whattever vehicles/equipment you have the most problems with.

You don't grow up in a place with winters like Manitoba without knowing how to boost a car/truck/tractor

 

[Susquatch]

it's usually the the connection between your clamp and the terminal,

That's exactly my experience too. It's the connector not the cable. And the cable to connector junction as well as the battery junction. Hence my search for good connectors. That's where I started on this thread.

We used to have good ones when we did cold weather testing in Thompson Manitoba at - 60. But that was 40 years ago and I've never seen ones like those since.

The parrot clamps that @Chicken lights showed are the closest I have seen. I found some rated at 900 amps.

Booster Cable - 1/0 Gauge - 20' Long - 900 Amp Parrot Clamp - 602370-001

Shop now for Booster Cables - 1/0 Gauge - 20' Long - 900 Amp Parrot Clamp. Shipping and Pick-up Available

www.batteryspecialist.ca

Don't know if they will really perform like Dave's Clamps or like the manufacturer claims. But it's a place to start.

I love your jumper studs. Prolly make an excellent jumper cable clamp connection, but I suspect the small lug on the battery side would become the weak link. You posted a screen shot. Can you post a link? What are they rated for?

 

[phaxtris]

That's exactly my experience too. It's the connector not the cable. And the cable to connector junction as well as the battery junction. Hence my search for good connectors. That's where I started on this thread.

We used to have good ones when we did cold weather testing in Thompson Manitoba at - 60. But that was 40 years ago and I've never seen ones like those since.

The parrot clamps that @Chicken lights showed are the closest I have seen. I found some rated at 900 amps.

Booster Cable - 1/0 Gauge - 20' Long - 900 Amp Parrot Clamp - 602370-001

Shop now for Booster Cables - 1/0 Gauge - 20' Long - 900 Amp Parrot Clamp. Shipping and Pick-up Available

www.batteryspecialist.ca

Don't know if they will really perform like Dave's Clamps or like the manufacturer claims. But it's a place to start.

I love your jumper studs. Prolly make an excellent jumper cable clamp connection, but I suspect the small lug on the battery side would become the weak link. You posted a screen shot. Can you post a link? What are they rated for?

I hope you know I ment that you already have really nice cables, I just think if your having problems with thoses you may need to look elsewhere in the chain

The small lug that is firmly bolted to the battery lug will still provide a better connection than the booster clamp ever will, the tiny teeth on all ground clamps don't get much bite into the battery terminal, at least with the studs you get more of the teeth in firm contact

Also don't forget the starter is only supplied with a 2g but probabaly 4g wire on something like a 6.7

Poor connection of the power cable at the starter solenoid was a pretty common problem back home as well, -30 morning you need everything you can get

When I lived in the pas (300k south of Thompson) it was -52 for two weeks (without windchill), yea, that's fun, the only thing that works for sure at that temperature are your legs

Here is the link, they are just the first studs that came up, I'm sure there are better ones out there

Allstar Performance ALL76139 Battery Charger Post, (Pack of 2) https://a.co/d/hDvxhCI

 

[Susquatch]

Btw, @phaxtris - did you ever see the ravens in Thompson? Those crows are as big as a turkey! Absolutely amazing birds!

I also recall carrying propane around in a pail. Didn't need a pressure vessel at those temps!

Transmission oil poured from a warmed up can looked like rope.

I have very fond memories of winter test trips to Thompson.

 

[Chicken lights]

@Susquatch that’s a pen in comparison to one of the boosting lugs Phaxtris is talking about. I don’t know the amp rating, but it’s got 2/O cable going to it.

You could always crimp your terminals onto the cable, then solder. In “theory” it provides more direct copper to copper, then the solder makes it solid/weather resistant

Yes, the big horse has been boosted using my cables an embarrassing number of times.

 

[phaxtris]

Btw, @phaxtris - did you ever see the ravens in Thompson? Those crows are as big as a turkey! Absolutely amazing birds!

I also recall carrying propane around in a pail. Didn't need a pressure vessel at those temps!

Transmission oil poured from a warmed up can looked like rope.

I have very fond memories of winter test trips to Thompson.

I never quite made it up to Thompson, an hour north of the pas for an ice fishing outing....during one of the -52 weeks...was the furthest I made it....I'll mark that one up to the poor decision's you make as a 20 year old

I actually do have some good memories from there, 20, semi-poor, not working, in college, and away from home, it was fun.....ate a lot of fish from the river....like weeks worth...yea don't do that, it eventually just goes right though you

I don't recall seeing many birds when I was in there, although I was only there through the fall/winter/spring months of one year, probabaly all hiding from the cold, what I do remember are moose damn near big enough you could just about drive a pickup under! Don't hit one of those that's for sure

 

[Susquatch]

View attachment 29383View attachment 29384@Susquatch that’s a pen in comparison to one of the boosting lugs Phaxtris is talking about. I don’t know the amp rating, but it’s got 2/O cable going to it.

You could always crimp your terminals onto the cable, then solder. In “theory” it provides more direct copper to copper, then the solder makes it solid/weather resistant

Yes, the big horse has been boosted using my cables an embarrassing number of times.

Not sure I follow you Dave. What is the pen reference?

I have two of those big huge lugs under the steps on my big tractor. They are both about 1.5" in diameter. They are there for jumping in or out and also to connect big accessories as needed. I don't know how big the batteries in that beast are. They are both Caterpillar batteries. In fact, I have one big cat battery in my loader tractor too. I use the lugs most often to run the fuel transfer pump in my diesel farm tank. Hand pumping that much fuel sucks.....

I would think that lug of yours is similar.

So what are those two benchmark tools all about? Separating the battery post clamp?

If so, I made a puller tool for that. It grabs the cable clamp from below and presses down on the post. Very effective - does not damage anything. This isn't mine but it gives the idea.

PROTO PULLER BATTERY CABLE/SMALL BEARING - Pullers - PRT4041 | J4041 - Grainger, Canada

Find your PROTO PULLER BATTERY CABLE/SMALL BEARING at Grainger Canada, formerly Acklands-Grainger. We have been Canada's premiere industrial supplier for over 125 years with superior service and quality.

www.grainger.ca

 

[DavidR8]

Not sure I follow you Dave. What is the pen reference?

I have two of those big huge lugs under the steps on my big tractor. They are both about 1.5" in diameter. They are there for jumping in or out and also to connect big accessories as needed. I don't know how big the batteries in that beast are. They are both Caterpillar batteries. In fact, I have one big cat battery in my loader tractor too. I use the lugs most often to run the fuel transfer pump in my diesel farm tank. Hand pumping that much fuel sucks.....

I would think that lug of yours is similar.

So what are those two benchmark tools all about? Separating the battery post clamp?

If so, I made a puller tool for that. It grabs the cable clamp from below and presses down on the post. Very effective - does not damage anything. This isn't mine but it gives the idea.

PROTO PULLER BATTERY CABLE/SMALL BEARING - Pullers - PRT4041 | J4041 - Grainger, Canada

Find your PROTO PULLER BATTERY CABLE/SMALL BEARING at Grainger Canada, formerly Acklands-Grainger. We have been Canada's premiere industrial supplier for over 125 years with superior service and quality.

www.grainger.ca

In the first pic he's holding a pen in his hand for scale.

 

[Susquatch]

I don't recall seeing many birds when I was in there, although I was only there through the fall/winter/spring months of one year, probabaly all hiding from the cold, what I do remember are moose damn near big enough you could just about drive a pickup under! Don't hit one of those that's for sure

Those ravens seemed to love the cold. Same with the big owls that didn't seem to care if it was dark out or not. Oddly, the ravens and owls got along with each other. Here the crows and owls take turns torturing each other.

Ya, the moose driving north toward Thompson were huge. I don't remember seeing any as far north as Thompson though.

 

[phaxtris]

Those ravens seemed to love the cold. Same with the big owls that didn't seem to care if it was dark out or not. Oddly, the ravens and owls got along with each other. Here the crows and owls take turns torturing each other.

Ya, the moose driving north toward Thompson were huge. I don't remember seeing any as far north as Thompson though.

There's a good chance i just don't remember them, thats comming up on 20 years ago....think I just aged myself there...it was top secret

Moose are definitely up in the Thompson area, some of the guys I went to school with there were hunters and from Thompson, but those guys for their size it's amazing how they can disappear in the forrest, heck they can be running full bore through brush you can't even walk through, stop, and seemingly disappear


Those terminal posts, have you not tried to boost the tractor from them ?

 

[Chicken lights]

Not sure I follow you Dave. What is the pen reference?

I have two of those big huge lugs under the steps on my big tractor. They are both about 1.5" in diameter. They are there for jumping in or out and also to connect big accessories as needed. I don't know how big the batteries in that beast are. They are both Caterpillar batteries. In fact, I have one big cat battery in my loader tractor too. I use the lugs most often to run the fuel transfer pump in my diesel farm tank. Hand pumping that much fuel sucks.....

I would think that lug of yours is similar.

So what are those two benchmark tools all about? Separating the battery post clamp?

If so, I made a puller tool for that. It grabs the cable clamp from below and presses down on the post. Very effective - does not damage anything. This isn't mine but it gives the idea.

PROTO PULLER BATTERY CABLE/SMALL BEARING - Pullers - PRT4041 | J4041 - Grainger, Canada

Find your PROTO PULLER BATTERY CABLE/SMALL BEARING at Grainger Canada, formerly Acklands-Grainger. We have been Canada's premiere industrial supplier for over 125 years with superior service and quality.

www.grainger.ca

As @David_R8 said, just to show scale with a pen vs a boosting lug, you were asking about them, but it seems you have some already

That’s a benchmark soldering gun, the two tools sitting on the case are two different tools for crimping terminal ends

Edit- all my batteries are threaded terminals, not the lead post style

 

[Susquatch]

Those terminal posts, have you not tried to boost the tractor from them ?

That right there is the whole issue in a nut shell.

Simple answer - yes. Unsuccessfully. The only successful way to boost the tractor is to plug in a 60Amp battery charger and leave it for a few hours.

The problem isn't the big lugs. It's the cable Clamps. I don't remember the numbers anymore, but I believe I lose about 4V across those Clamps. As you so aptly already pointed out. The problem is the poor connection those Clamps make. I also tried using a screw clamp to improve the connection. It works but not well enough. That was the day I decided I needed better Clamps like the ones we used to use in, Thompson. Hence the whole point of my posts from the beginning.

@Chicken lights clamps are prolly 3x better than mine. I'll prolly order the 1000amp version of his. Then I'll modify them to improve the contact area.

The other option is to make something. This is a totally viable approach too. Moreover, it appeals to me!

I'm gunna reach out to my brother too. He was the equipment maintenance manager at quite a few different mines in the Yukon. I remember him calling me about this very same problem with their big earth movers. I recall suggesting that he go solid semi permanent connections. He was going to make something in the machine shop. But I don't remember him letting me know how it worked out.

 

[phaxtris]

geeze the clamps in your post honestly look really high quality, and the cables look brand new, as do the clamps, i defiantly wouldn't look to be replacing those

have you only ever tried to boost it from those lugs ?

what is the tractor your having problems with?

 

[Susquatch]

geeze the clamps in your post honestly look really high quality, and the cables look brand new, as do the clamps, i defiantly wouldn't look to be replacing those

have you only ever tried to boost it from those lugs ?

what is the tractor your having problems with?

The cables are actually ancient. Prolly 20 years old. But I keep them in a cloth zippered bag under my back seat.

Perhaps I've not provided the best info. I'm not really having trouble with the tractor. It only gets used in the fall to plow and the spring to plant. It sits the rest of the time. If I forget to charge it, sometimes the batteries get low. It's my own damn fault. When I bought it, it had a short that the dealer couldn't find. Gave me a deal on it if I could fix it. The short was in the main bulkhead caused by putting a bigger fuse in it than specified. There was also a wiring drawing error in the service manual. I ended up tracing every wire to fix it.

Anyway, my real problem is my truck not my tractor. I use the tractor to jump the truck. When the truck is dead, the tractor posts can't handle it. Neither can the battery posts in the truck. Too much drop on both ends of the cable. I know cuz I measured it.

I can simply charge the tractor when it's a problem. But I need the truck when I need the truck! No time for charging! Bad enough I have to go get the tractor.

The clamps on my cables might look good, but they really are pure junk. Almost impossible to get a good connection. I like the way @Chicken lights clamps look. They are not the same as what we used in Thompson but WAAAAY better than mine.

I heard back from my brother. They never did figure out anything. In the end, they just left everything running all winter or hauled them into a big heated maintenance shed to work on.

I have it in my mind to make something like I had suggested to my brother if those parrot head clamps of Dave's don't work.

 

[phaxtris]

The cables are actually ancient. Prolly 20 years old. But I keep them in a cloth zippered bag under my back seat.

Perhaps I've not provided the best info. I'm not really having trouble with the tractor. It only gets used in the fall to plow and the spring to plant. It sits the rest of the time. If I forget to charge it, sometimes the batteries get low. It's my own damn fault. When I bought it, it had a short that the dealer couldn't find. Gave me a deal on it if I could fix it. The short was in the main bulkhead caused by putting a bigger fuse in it than specified. There was also a wiring drawing error in the service manual. I ended up tracing every wire to fix it.

Anyway, my real problem is my truck not my tractor. I use the tractor to jump the truck. When the truck is dead, the tractor posts can't handle it. Neither can the battery posts in the truck. Too much drop on both ends of the cable. I know cuz I measured it.

I can simply charge the tractor when it's a problem. But I need the truck when I need the truck! No time for charging! Bad enough I have to go get the tractor.

The clamps on my cables might look good, but they really are pure junk. Almost impossible to get a good connection. I like the way @Chicken lights clamps look. They are not the same as what we used in Thompson but WAAAAY better than mine.

I heard back from my brother. They never did figure out anything. In the end, they just left everything running all winter or hauled them into a big heated maintenance shed to work on.

I have it in my mind to make something like I had suggested to my brother if those parrot head clamps of Dave's don't work.

what year is your cummins ? does it not drive regularly ? there is something going on there, you should not have to be boosting the thing all the time

I only say that because i have experience with ctd trucks, i have owned both a 5.9 and 6.7, and have ran 3 different 6.7's (back when i was an employee), none had problems like you are having, and both of my trucks did jobs in the winter in edmonton, without being plugged in

 

[phaxtris]

you're basically in Detroit aren't you ? with averages like this i might expect to boost a vehicle after maybe sitting for 6mths

 

[Susquatch]

you're basically in Detroit aren't you ? with averages like this i might expect to boost a vehicle after maybe sitting for 6mths

Ya, 6 mths is about right. It sits most of the time. With diesel fuel the way it is I drive the wife's car when I can.

It's a 2007 6.7 L.

You are prolly overthinking this. I understand that. It's the way I'm built too. And I really do appreciate the effort.

But I am old, my truck is old, its batteries are old, and I hardly ever drive it. But when I do drive it, I need it to start. My cables are 1-0. They should handle a thousand amps with a 2V drop for the cable. But if you add big drops for each clamp, it doesn't work anymore. All I want is some high quality booster cable Clamps. Say something that will only drop the voltage 1/4 volt at each end (1V total). I accept the fact that my old truck is only a little better than I am.

 

[phaxtris]

Ya, 6 mths is about right. It sits most of the time. With diesel fuel the way it is I drive the wife's car when I can.

It's a 2007 6.7 L.

You are prolly overthinking this. I understand that. It's the way I'm built too. And I really do appreciate the effort.

But I am old, my truck is old, its batteries are old, and I hardly ever drive it. But when I do drive it, I need it to start. My cables are 1-0. They should handle a thousand amps with a 2V drop for the cable. But if you add big drops for each clamp, it doesn't work anymore. All I want is some high quality booster cable Clamps. Say something that will only drop the voltage 1/4 volt at each end (1V total). I accept the fact that my old truck is only a little better than I am.

Maybe I am

I still think something up with your truck, a weak starter, maybe a dead cell, bad starter power cable any of those will over draw ..... And it really sounds like it may be ....PREPARE THE PARTS CANNON! Haha

And hey 07 isn't really that old, hell my current welding truck is a 98, I know a few guys that still run cranes from that vintage as well, it's not cheap, but it's cheaper than buying new

You could probabaly also buy a 20$ trickle charger and just leave it plugged in 24/7, that might even bandaide the problem by keeping the battery's topped up, seeing as it sits most of the time

 

[Susquatch]

I still think something up with your truck, a weak starter, maybe a dead cell, bad starter power cable any of those will over draw ..... And it really sounds like it may be ....PREPARE THE PARTS CANNON! Haha

Any of those are possibilities. 7 Yr old batteries are a strong possibility.

It almost got fed to the parts cannon this past summer.

And hey 07 isn't really that old, hell my current welding truck is a 98, I know a few guys that still run cranes from that vintage as well, it's not cheap, but it's cheaper than buying new

Amen. But sitting isn't good for it.

I priced a new truck this past summer when the left front wheel bearing let go. A new truck like mine is over 100k. Not happening. The bearing cost a lot less.

You could probabaly also buy a 20$ trickle charger and just leave it plugged in 24/7, that might even bandaide the problem by keeping the battery's topped up, seeing as it sits most of the time

I have one already. But the truck is parked too far from a convenient outlet and the bride hates my extension cords strung across the yard.

A better jumper cable clamp is a no brainer for me cuz then I have them for everything else too. Bigger better clamps than needed will never be a problem.

Maybe I'll take the time to debug the truck, maybe I won't. New batteries (most likely issue) will be at least $500. WAY MORE FUN to make new cable clamps.

 

[phaxtris]

Yea trucks sure have gone through the roof in the last few years! I don't want to know what a new truck will be in in a few years from now, I'm over that game anyways, 6-8 years of substantial payments, recalls, bugs that the mfg never worked out before sending them out the door, no thanks, been there, done that

Im with you on buying batteries, especially 2 at a time! That's the thing I hate most spending money on

Have you thought about one of those solar trickle chargers that you can toss on your dash ? I have thought about them for the 2 vehicles I park accross the street to keep the batteries topped up, but im not sure if they really put out enough, I wonder if anyone in here has tried one for like there boat or something