Extending battery cables.

[valrene9600]

On diagram 1 in http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.hhhtml

 

Link not working. It's the diagram where +/- enter bank at opposite ends of bat. bank.

 

My + cable only reached to the second battery. I wish to extend it so + and - are at opposite ends of the battery bank.

Can i, using suitable thickness cable with crimped terminals bolt them together. This seems an easy way as this cable disappears via bulkhead inside boat and I think possibly to inverter so I'm thinking my way might save some hassle. Any comments please.

[WotEver]

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

 

Yes you can, but it's poor practice. It introduces another connection just where you don't want one.

 

Tony

[valrene9600]

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

Yes you can, but it's poor practice. It introduces another connection just where you don't want one.

Tony

Is it bad enough practice that it should be avoided or can I get away with it.

Also I guess using a, bus bar?, Would be same as bolting just neater.

[WotEver]

Yes you could do it and yes, a busbar would be the best way.

[valrene9600]

Yes you could do it and yes, a busbar would be the best way.

This puzzles me. Bus bar will be holding cables together via a bolt so what is different or are we talking neat and safer.

Edited October 17, 2016 by valrene9600

[WotEver]

Safety first which usually stems from neatness. Joined-up battery wires would have to be insulated somehow and insulating tape ain't the way to do it

[Guest]

I will confess to joining a battery cable with lugs and bolts but only as a temporary measure. Not ideal. I slid some flexible waste pipe over the join to stop any possible shorts. A fixed busbar is better, a new cable is ideal.

[cuthound]

When I was working in used to put in every specification I wrote that it was forbidden to join cables.

 

My logic was not only is it removing a source of volt drop a d unreliability, but in the future those who knew it was there may have moved on, making fault finding more difficult.

[Guest]

When I was working in used to put in every specification I wrote that it was forbidden to join cables.

 

My logic was not only is it removing a source of volt drop a d unreliability, but in the future those who knew it was there may have moved on, making fault finding more difficult.

Many years since I worked in the leccy job, but cable jointing was frowned upon, unless unavoidable.