Where can I find new terminals for this cable?

[jordanbigel]

I am replacing my inverter/charger with a new unit - the new one has the DC terminals on the other side of the box making the current battery cables too long and unmanageable to get into position to mate with the terminals. So I must cut the cable to make it shorter and attach new terminal ends. But, I have never worked with a cable of this girth before, nor can I identify it's size.

Here are photos of this monster cable. I cannot tell what size the cable is (every cable has a size right?) and I cannot figure out where to find new terminals to replace the ones on now. And, I don't know if this type of terminal requires a special swaging tool to install it - can anyone point me to some resource which shows how these work, preferably with pictures!

THANKS!

https://flic.kr/p/2em2925

https://flic.kr/p/2e44CMv

[meridian28]

Cable size is printed on the jacket. When you get the cable size you then know the end connections. The hole size is also required. You can order these online and have them in a few days.

[mlydon]

Marinehowto.com offers excellent info on all things cabling and crimping.

A crimped for battery cable looks like a pair of bolt cutters, and costs around 100 bucks. Worth it if you do a lot of cables, not so much if you don’t.

There is an excellent source of cable, crimps, heat shrink, etc. At genuinedealz.com.

They will make up new cables for you for the cost of the parts and nominal labour.shipping is free in the us (not affiliated, but I love these guys).

What size you need is a function of length and amps passing through the wire. Calculators for this abound, and there is one on genuinedealz.com as well.

A 2000 watt inverter could easily draw 170 amps (ampsxvolts=Watts, Watts/volts=amps). with a 5 ft length between battery and inverter, you could get away with a 2ga wire at 2.5% voltage drop, but I would use at least a 1/0, making the voltage drop only 1.5%.

Longer distances require thicker cable to minimise the voltage drop.

Matt

[jordanbigel]

So, I apologize, my post was incomplete - I should have added 2 things:

1) the writing on the cable, it says:
"MARINE SHIPBOARD CABLE 90C 1995 PC13115 ROYAL DLO 535.3 MCM (1325#24) 2000 VOLTS (UL)

2) Yes, I know the cable size is printed on the jacket, but, I cannot figure out what kind of cable this is, the writing is unfamiliar to me, it is way way way fatter than a 4/0 battery cable, or any sailboat or powerboat cable I have ever seen. The best I can find in searching is a reference to DLO which says it is railroad cable. And that doesn't sound right.

I do not need a marine how-to on general cable crimping, I got that. But I have no tool which can crimp anything larger than a normal battery cable (ie. a 2/0 or a 4/0 - this sucker is three times that width).

> What size you need is a function of length

This isn't a question about what size cable I need - I already have the cable.

The problem is its too long, I have to cut it shorter, and I cant figure out how to find the right lug terminal, but I figure if I can figure that out, I can figure out what kind of crimp tool I might need for something like this, which I don't have and probably don't want to buy.

> You can order these online and have them in a few days.

Uh, thanks. Maybe you can tutor me about how the internet works some other time. For now, I really need help identifying this specific cable and help in finding a part number or identifying name for the require lug which goes with it.

THANK YOU and sorry I did not make this more clear to begin with.

[smac999]

mcm is the cable size unit. once over 4/0 that is commonly used. (250 mcm is the next size above 4/0) but I have never had to use it. no idea where you find lugs or crimpers for that.

how long is the cable and what size is the inverter? just replace with standard 4/0 ?

looks like 535mcm would be about an 8/0awg

https://www.ihiconnectors.com/AWG%20wire%20sizes.htm

or put in 2 single power posts somewhere the existing cables get to, and extend with 4/0 to the inverter posts. then you just need 4/0 cable and lugs

[jordanbigel]

The cable is probably 6 or 7 feet, but to replace would be extremely difficult considering how it is run and what would have to be taken apart to get to it.

The original inverter was 3kw with a 130amp charger (Prosine 3.0) but I am replacing it with a 2kw inverter with a 100amp charger.

"...or put in 2 single power posts somewhere the existing cables get to, and extend with 4/0 to the inverter posts. then you just need 4/0 cable and lugs..."

This is a good fallback plan if I cannot find a way to shorten these cables. Thanks.

[jordanbigel]

Okay, progress! I focused my searches on the '535.3 MCM' and I found a source for the terminals for this size cable - I measured the existing terminal on the cable and based on the spec sheet below, it matches and looks just like it. Only $27 each.

https://www.platt.com/platt-electric...px?zpid=900564

Now the question is how to crimp them -- actually, I don't even know how to cut a cable this thick, I'm thinking hacksaw.

[jordanbigel]

Ok, at this point, I have concluded that crimp tools for this cable size are priced in the $600-$2000 range. Gulp. Cheapest one I found was this one for $629.

https://www.circuitspecialists.com/t...t-awg-mcm.html

I guess I am now looking for an electrical engineer in San Diego who can come down to my boat and do this for me. It's got to cost less than $600 if I can find someone. Should be possible considering all the ship repair work here. Open to suggestions if anyone knows someone like this in SD.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jordan.

[KRMS]

If the OP wasn’t too busy trying to be smart he might listen to the advice being given. No one is trying to teach you how the internet works, merely to say that even having a complete new cable made up may well be cheaper than the tools to make you own (or a visit from an engineer) and also be with you fairly promptly.

[Wulf]

It looks like you need an industrial electrical supplier for the terminals. They should also be able to lead you to one of their customers with proper equipment to make the crimp. Quick search for San Diego area brought up these guys. Looking at their product line it looks like they deal in what you need.
Main Electric Supply Co.
You could also contact a local diesel generation supplier, for instance Hawthorne Cat located in San Diego have a Power Systems division and deal in large & small installations. Their service guys should be able to help.
https://www.hawthornecat.com/power-s...-power-systems

No affiliation with either....

[TrentePieds]

Probably a fork lift supplier and servicing shop would be able to cut the existing cable, supply terminals and crimp them in place at a reasonable cost. This is the sort of size you see in electric forklifts.

The long way about is no doubt the quick way home. Removing the cable from the boat, having it conformed to requirements and then reinstalling it is probably better policy than buying the gear and the parts to do it yourself in situ.


Surely it can't be all that difficult to pull the cable?

TrentePieds

[JohnBlythe]

Take a look at compression lugs. Uses a set screw to lock on the wire.
I have used them for 30 years, No failure yet

https://crimpsupply.com/compressionl...onnectors.html

[Cheechako]

You used to be able to go into West Marine and buy the cable end and use their cutter and crimper to install a new one.

[cjdport]

Originally Posted by jordanbigel

I am replacing my inverter/charger with a new unit - the new one has the DC terminals on the other side of the box making the current battery cables too long and unmanageable to get into position to mate with the terminals. So I must cut the cable to make it shorter and attach new terminal ends. But, I have never worked with a cable of this girth before, nor can I identify it's size.

Here are photos of this monster cable. I cannot tell what size the cable is (every cable has a size right?) and I cannot figure out where to find new terminals to replace the ones on now. And, I don't know if this type of terminal requires a special swaging tool to install it - can anyone point me to some resource which shows how these work, preferably with pictures!

THANKS!

https://flic.kr/p/2em2925

https://flic.kr/p/2e44CMv

Hi - well done on seeking the right answer rather than just guessing and paying later. After a few minutes trying to get a cross reference to your cable specs (no success) I suggest you simply take the Nominal Outside Diameter of the cable and check it in a standard cable chart. (Your cable appears to be locomotive specs. Maybe deep in the google depths there's an equal)



For example:



Wire Size (AWG) Nominal OD Weight per 1000' Cir.Mil. Area Square mm Ohms per 1000' Max Amps 18 7/64" 12lb. 1,600 0.823 6.48 20 16 1/8" 16lb. 2,600 1.31 4.00 25 14 9/64" 23lb. 4,100 2.08 2.50 35 12 5/32" 31lb. 6,500 3.31 1.75 45 10 7/32" 44lb. 10,500 5.26 0.98 60 8 5/16" 86lb. 16,800 8.37 0.62 80 6 11/32" 118lb. 26,600 13.30 0.40 120 4 13/32" 178lb. 42,000 21.15 0.24 160 2 15/32" 277lb. 66,500 33.62 0.157 210 1 17/32" 350lb. 83,690 44.21 0.127 245 1/0 9/16" 437lb. 105,600 53.49 0.099 285 2/0 5/8" 549lb. 133,000 67.43 0.077 330 3/0 11/16" 675lb. 167,800 85.01 0.062 385 4/0 13/16" 837lb. 211,600 107.20 0.049 445

















Sounds like you know already that you want marine grade tinned wire/cable.

If you don't find a method/source for the crimped terminals, you do have the option of having the cable terminals soldered, or soldering yourself, but it's critical that that's done to perfection (same for a crimp of course)