# Battery Cable Splicing



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I would buy new cables of the correct length and do it the right way.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I would buy new cables of the correct length and do it the right way.


Tough to justify the extra couple hundred bucks at this time. The rewire turned into a much bigger job than I originally planned on (re-plumbing and fiberglass repair somehow snuck in there), and I gotta wrap it up.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

bryson said:


> Tough to justify the extra couple hundred bucks at this time. The rewire turned into a much bigger job than I originally planned on (re-plumbing and fiberglass repair somehow snuck in there), and I gotta wrap it up.


Whats the length of the run? Distance from engine to battery? It shouldn't cost you a couple hundred bucks for some 2 ga cable and tinned lugs. Whatever you do, DO NOT trim cable to fit in a connector...that's the definition of an electrical bottle neck and its how fires start. 

If you will give me some circuit lengths I'll check some prices.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

The problem I'm having is that I don't know the draw of the starter. It's a 2 stroke Yamaha V6 (150 VMAX), and the cable run is about 15' if I had to guess (batteries in the console). I'm starting to lean towards just coughing up the cash and running new cables, but now I need to figure out the size.

Best Boat Wire is what I was using to figure out the prices -- I was looking at 2/0 originally, but that might not be necessary. I would obviously rather err on the larger side, but I know there's a point of diminishing returns.

One good thing about running new cables is that I have probably 20' of tinned 2/0 cable in the boat I can repurpose into shorter cables, like between my trolling motor batteries or from the cranking batteries to the Perko switch.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Most 2 stroke starters will have a max draw of 90-100 amps. If your cables are appx. 15' from motor to battery, then you have a 30' circuit. Look at 12v wire ga charts, and you will see that 1 ga or 2 ga are recommended. So for cable and lugs you are looking at about $120 for tinned cable and lugs...take them somewhere and have them properly crimped.

OR, leave the cables how they are, install qty 2 blue seas power posts (5/16 should be fine), and join the wires with lugs at the posts in lieu of the bolted lugs.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Most 2 stroke starters will have a max draw of 90-100 amps. If your cables are appx. 15' from motor to battery, then you have a 30' circuit. Look at 12v wire ga charts, and you will see that 1 ga or 2 ga are recommended. So for cable and lugs you are looking at about $120 for tinned cable and lugs...take them somewhere and have them properly crimped.
> 
> OR, leave the cables how they are, install qty 2 blue seas power posts (5/16 should be fine), and join the wires with lugs at the posts in lieu of the bolted lugs.


http://www.pacergroup.net/battery-cables/


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