Custom battery cables-DIY

[Inf]

I'll fully admit that I recently bought an Optima battery for my car and while carefully installing it wanted to tighten the battery clamp just a little bit more and ended up finding out what a great conductor my socket wrench is. Fortunately the handle of the wrench touched the opposing clamp and not the post itself because it left a nice dent in the clamp itself when it arced. I may well want to replace my cables and clamps as mentioned in this post.

Did the same thing when I installed my Optima Red Top (going on 7 years now...).

One of my open ended wrenches has a spot where a 2mm deep pit of material was blasted off with a terrifying bang and spray of sparks.

It was a good demonstration of the ridiculous amount of current a car battery is capable of dumping out.

[TomoHawk]

Do they have the different-sized ends to properly fit the battery terminals, or do they just use a universal-type end? Also, will those ends break after a few times of loosening & tightening? Mine keep cracking after a few times.

[Gary in NJ]

I am curious about why you chose a battery that puts the positive terminal under the fender. Did it just work out that way, or was there a plan?

(It would keep me up at night is the reason I ask...)

Walt,

I assume you directed that at me since I brought it up. Mike hit the nail on the head. I think the original configuration is just dangerous. I'd like to turn my battery 180 degrees. IN doing so I will have to change the cables.

I ran my last 240 this way. It brought me great piece of mind.

[Arne]

The positive terminal under the fender is the original configuration. I know people have expressed concern about this but it seems to me that a) the battery should be properly held down and hopefully you've got paint on the bottom of the inspection lid. Anyone using a bungee cord for a tie down and visible rust on the bottom of the lid may wish to go the other way.

In addition, the original positive cable had a rubber cover that insulated the the entire terminal. It's a bit of a pain to have to pry the cover back if you want to service the connection.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

This is a wonderful idea... thanks for bringing this up. I am still looking for a good way to hold my optima down...it sits in a plastic box that is held down by a stupid nylon strap. PO was not too big on fixing this..

It is time to make it right.

[Arne]

Do they have the different-sized ends to properly fit the battery terminals, or do they just use a universal-type end?

If you had followed the link to the site in the first post and actually looked at the listings there, you would have seen that for each style and each wire gauge, there are both positive and negative part numbers.

[Arne]

In addition, the original positive cable had a rubber cover that insulated the the entire terminal. It's a bit of a pain to have to pry the cover back if you want to service the connection.

From the same site as the terminals:

http://www.remybattery.com/Departments/Cable--Accessories/Terminal-Protectors--Boots.aspx

[MikeW]

This is a wonderful idea... thanks for bringing this up. I am still looking for a good way to hold my optima down...it sits in a plastic box that is held down by a stupid nylon strap. PO was not too big on fixing this..

It is time to make it right.

I don't recall my specific optima model number but it came with a plastic cover that could be snapped to the bottom of the battery bringing it up to the standard height. I was then able to use the OEM battery hold-down frame as designed. If you don't have that you really just need some sort of spacer beneath the battery. What is the purpose of the plastic box? If anything an optima should be far less susceptible to acid leaking than even a normal maintenance free battery.

[Travel'n Man]

Excellent thread! Thanks for sharing.

[TomoHawk]

There was no mention of battery post size.

Edited May 26, 2010 by TomoHawk

[Arne]

There was no mention of battery post size.

[Zed Head]

There was no mention of battery post size.

Click through the choices in the link. You will get to a page that shows a positive and a negative option for the style and size chosen.

I second (third, fourth?) the thanks for putting this out there. Much better than what is typically found in the auto parts store.