Here is an idea for cheap battery terminals.

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

Product Results - ADR11-21

I bought a pack and installed on my DEKA 9A31 and worked like a charm, all I had to do was drill out the center hole to 3/8" and they bolted right on. The aluminum conducts very well and the screws are easyto tighten and seem pretty resistant to stripping out.

Made the battery install look clean and could probably be made to work with side post batteries.

I bought 2 extra sets and may try it on a side post.

The best part?

$4.60 plus tax for 2 at Home Depot

Click to read more...

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

used them before ,they are ok

 

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

How do you currently have yours set up?

 

[BNolan12 10+ year member]

Nice design. How have they help up?

 

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

just installed them. I went from heavy dimming on 1200 watts to almost none with the 9A31 and they have a good strong connection. It will work well and look very clean when I install all 3 of my batteries.

 

[BNolan12 10+ year member]

I may have to give it a try when I get my new bat.

 

[brandinooooo 10+ year member]

Hmm do they have them in anything other than aluminum? Not a huge fan of aluminum due to its conductivity being only about 60% compared to copper. Ill look for the article to source

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

um, i would go back and check on that. sounds about right figure for ampacity. my friend has tons of those lying around. used them on his install, too. gets them from setting up gen-sets and breaker panels. main ground lugs and buss-bar lugs. if you brush them first before making contact, it will cut down the oxidation barrier fro better contact.

 

[brandinooooo 10+ year member]

um, i would go back and check on that. sounds about right figure for ampacity. my friend has tons of those lying around. used them on his install, too. gets them from setting up gen-sets and breaker panels. main ground lugs and buss-bar lugs. if you brush them first before making contact, it will cut down the oxidation barrier fro better contact.

Me? If so, Yeah I'm looking for the article or w/e on it. I can't seem to find it yet but it compared most metal's resistance, conductivity, melting point, thermal handling etc.. It had a good amount of info if it was relatively accurate.

 

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

Electrical Conductivity of Materials

Aluminum is much better then lead terminals and likely most brass plated terminals and terminal plated with other corrosion resistant metals.

 

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

um, i would go back and check on that. sounds about right figure for ampacity. my friend has tons of those lying around. used them on his install, too. gets them from setting up gen-sets and breaker panels. main ground lugs and buss-bar lugs. if you brush them first before making contact, it will cut down the oxidation barrier fro better contact.

I will probably use a die grinder with a scotchbrite pad to remove the coating and possibly drill the hole out slightly to remove the tin plating.

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

you could., but unless it is visible, a stainless brush will knock down the coat ok. no harm in scuffing better, though. just like when mag brazing aluminum. years back, I've learned about the conductive properties (surface and core) corrosion resistance, thermal limitations, etc. probably the same or similar article. based on actual thorough scientific test data. from what i remember: among most common metals, silver and aluminum rated the highest in conductivity. in fact, aluminum was utilized for half a century in homes and automotive, due to both it's cost, and conductive properties. there would be less of a voltage drop over long runs. however, it's ampacity is real low, corrosion resistance is horrible, and both these factors lead to more of a fire hazard, and short life-span. for example- 1/0, or 2/0, (don't remember which) has a rated ampacity of mere 60a now, copper, is pretty much in the middle of the scale, i believe right above gold, which brings me to the next point. the most surprising thing i have seen to most people, is that gold is altogether not as conductive as you would think. so, why does it make for an excellent terminal/contact coating? well, it's unique properties provide 2 key benefits. first, we all know of it's high corrosion resistance. who has ever seen corroded gold? second, it has an uncanny ability to stick well to itself, literally, the contact it makes forms an electrical bond between 2 pieces, and somewhat of a good bond to other metals. look up magnet wire ratings, and compare the wire resistance of different materials of the same thickness. think about just how short copper mag wire is in a 4ohm coil, and then how long it is in an aluminum coil.

edit: i stand corrected. had to go back and look it up, and mag wire rates aluminum lower than copper. 1.6 times more aluminum than copper for the same rating.... i'll have to research more...

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

Electrical Conductivity of Materials
Aluminum is much better then lead terminals and likely most brass plated terminals and terminal plated with other corrosion resistant metals.

that is marine application, which is quite different ratings and code.

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

Electrical Conductivity of Materials
Aluminum is much better then lead terminals and likely most brass plated terminals and terminal plated with other corrosion resistant metals.

why can't i delete my double post?

 

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

well the metals conductivity ratings are still the same as well as the abundance of cheap plated terminals that have less conductivity.