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Splicing battery cable

Rallylancer122

Well Known Member
Long story, but I find myself with the need to splice a couple battery cables in an airplane I'm repairing. #2 and #4. Obviously this is not ideal, but replacing the wires comes with it's own issues.

Any recommendations on splices? Crimp or solder?

Or should I just give up and replace them?
 
Free opinion, worth what it cost you....
I think soldering them will be really difficult. So I'd discard that idea.

I think I'd use a hydraulic crimper, crimp on terminal ends (4 pieces) and bolt the terminals together. obviously insulation of those joints will need SERIOUS consideration.

I'm not aware of any butt joint crimp barrels in that large size. Maybe they exist. Again, only suitable if you have a hyraulic crimp tool.

I think I'd placard this area to indicate the crimps. And put in the airframe log book. Someone in the future will have no idea.
 
I don’t know if they make them big enough, but a cable swage/crimp sleeve might work, covered by good thick shrink wrap.

Main thing I think is to get lots of surface area shared between them, because the amps are usually high on cable that size, and you don’t want a hotspot.
 
All is lost

Give up and replace them...

Worth exactly what you paid for it! However, I am real life EE when not playing at being a pilot.

Cheers, Sean
 
I don’t know if they make them big enough, but a cable swage/crimp sleeve might work, covered by good thick shrink wrap.

Main thing I think is to get lots of surface area shared between them, because the amps are usually high on cable that size, and you don’t want a hotspot.

That's what I'm worried about. How do you push that much amperage through a crimp.
 
Take your cable size (the copper part) without insulation to a welding supply shop. They will have splices that will carry the current. Installs with an allen wrench.
 
I suggest that if you end up splicing - don't mix cabling types to avoid galvanic corrosion in the splice.
If originally M22759/16-2-9 - repair with that same type mil spec cable.
If it was originally copper welding cable - stick to that same type again.
 
they make a non heat shrink tube for splices. it is a rubber tube on a piece of plastic zip type tube with a sealer in it. you slide it on, make the splice, slide the tube over the splce and pull the zip out. it shrinks down and seals it. the stuff is about 1/8 inches thick so its good and tough. i want to say you can get it at graybar. a welding suppler might also have it.

bob burns
RV-4 N82rb
 
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