Buying battery wire online?

[JBotAlan]

I am having a hard time finding a source for more battery wire.

We need to rebuild our set of batteries, as general use (and some poor oversight from mentors previously) has resulted in us having fairly shoddy battery connections.

I see that for 15 dollars a pair, AndyMark will sell me complete Anderson pairs. I'm trying to see if that's a good price, but I can only seem to find 6 AWG wire in bajillion-foot spools on Mouser, and Digikey is absolutely horrible to try to search.

Does anyone have a good source for both Anderson power pole connectors and wire to go with them?

Thanks,
Jacob

[Mark Rozitis]

I am having a hard time finding a source for more battery wire.

We need to rebuild our set of batteries, as general use (and some poor oversight from mentors previously) has resulted in us having fairly shoddy battery connections.

I see that for 15 dollars a pair, AndyMark will sell me complete Anderson pairs. I'm trying to see if that's a good price, but I can only seem to find 6 AWG wire in bajillion-foot spools on Mouser, and Digikey is absolutely horrible to try to search.

Does anyone have a good source for both Anderson power pole connectors and wire to go with them?

Thanks,
Jacob

I can't see in great detail here on the blackberry but maybe this link will help and it looks like you may be able to order online direct from them for some products.

http://store.andersonpower.com/PowerPoles.aspx

m

[eugenebrooks]

SB50 connector, www.powerwerx.com $4
Two megalugs (50 cents each) from spectro wire and cable $1
www.spectrowireandcable.com

One foot of red #6 welding cable, $1.5 per foot,
and one foot of black #6 welding cable $3
http://www.missouriwindandsolar.com

Your materials will cost $8, but you must add shipping.

What will eat your budget is the crimper,
around $100, unless you settle for the hammer
crimper from http://www.missouriwindandsolar.com

The battery wire furnished in the KOP this year was
very good, the best that FIRST has ever served up,
but welding cable has finer stranding and is a little
more limp as a result.

[Bill_B]

I am having a hard time finding a source for more battery wire.
....
Does anyone have a good source for both Anderson power pole connectors and wire to go with them?

Thanks,
Jacob
This might help. http://www.powerwerx.com/wire-cable/red-black-zip-cord.html for the wires. Site navigation is good, so you can also find the connectors easily.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Jacob,
For the few dollars more, the AndyMark cables are the way to go. They are professionally crimped and just the right size.

[sanddrag]

I've had good luck with wire from eBay, and this crimper http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66150. It has hexgonal dies. We also solder after crimping.

[Alan Anderson]

We also solder after crimping.

Why?



While soldering can keep a badly crimped connection from coming apart, it has been my experience that it can also make the connection brittle and prone to actually breaking the wire where it enters the crimp if any significant sideways tension or vibration is present. A properly crimped connection isn't going to fail before the connector or the wire itself does.

[kevinhorn]

Jacob,
Powerwerx is a good source for both wire and APP products. They offer a crimper for 50 amp APPs is just $15 and does a great job. In a pinch you might be able to use the crimper on the Brundy color code terminals as well.
When ordering the 50 amp shells be sure to keep to the red shells as they are keyed by color and only connect to like colored shells. While the you are making an order you might want to pickup some 50 amp contacts that are made for smaller gauge wire to convert your battery charger to direct plug to the battery.
The #6 AWG in red black pair seems expensive but remember that a 25' roll has 50' of wire and the pairing is handy if you place your battery any distance away from your PD.