Can i connect wires on different sides of the same terminal?

[The motor guy]

Im changing out cables and one of the ring terminals is too small in diameter. Is it okay that I have this one wire in a different spot on the terminal?

 

[Jetronic]

yes.

 

[The motor guy]

I got between 7-9 ohms out of that 6ft long 2/0 guage positive cross over cable. Is that a lot? Im back to 14v now on both batteries now and the grid heater wire is no longer hot to the touch. Not sure what the deal was with that. Im thinking the resistance was in the molded terminal on the old cable, because thats where the voltage stopped for lack of a batter term. The voltage wasnt making it through the terminal to the actual battery post.

 

[SC Maintenance]

You are mixing copper and I don't know what the silver one is conductors on the same lead. Possibly you got galvanic corrosion causing the resistance?

If you must use those two I think on opposite sides would be better - you would be adjacent to lead which is pretty stable. You may still end up with galvanic corrosion via the bolt? If you have this problem again you may want to switch both to copper?

 

[The motor guy]

You are mixing copper and I don't know what the silver one is conductors on the same lead. Possibly you got galvanic corrosion causing the resistance?

If you must use those two I think on opposite sides would be better - you would be adjacent to lead which is pretty stable. You may still end up with galvanic corrosion via the bolt? If you have this problem again you may want to switch both to copper?

I didn't think about that. That's the only thing i didnt really like about this pre made kit. I spent $400 for pre cut wire leads and crimped ends. They should have used copper leads like the factory.

 

[The motor guy]

I was really on the fence about whether or not I should just change out the ends or just buy all new wire completely. I bet you most of the issue is in the terminals and not actually the wire itself

 

[supton]

2/0 looks like 80 micro-ohms per foot, or about 0.5 milli-ohms for your 6 foot run. Or in other words... your 7 ohm measurement means something was miserably wrong. Most likely, corrosion on the contacts. Cleaning things up took care of your problem. I'd slather it in dielectric grease, but I'd think about getting plated contacts that may help with not corroding further in the future.

But a quick sanding will got a long ways, and with some grease on it, may be good enough for a few years.

 

[ripcord]

Prolly should at least take a wire brush and glow up those contacts real good.

 

[The motor guy]

2/0 looks like 80 micro-ohms per foot, or about 0.5 milli-ohms for your 6 foot run. Or in other words... your 7 ohm measurement means something was miserably wrong. Most likely, corrosion on the contacts. Cleaning things up took care of your problem. I'd slather it in dielectric grease, but I'd think about getting plated contacts that may help with not corroding further in the future.

But a quick sanding will got a long ways, and with some grease on it, may be good enough for a few years.

No, cleaning the terminals wasnt working anymore. That worked for maybe the last couple years, but the amount of time between cleaning got shorter and shorter. Didnt last a month last time even with new batteries. I think the corrosion is inside the terminal on that last pic

 

[The motor guy]

Is battery acid the only difference between 12v systems and 120/240 house hold systems? Im not inside my breaker panel twice a year polishing up all the contacts. That wire is good for atleast 50 years. Warning: Please dont polish the wires in your breaker box. I won't be held liable

 

[SC Maintenance]

Is battery acid the only difference between 12v systems and 120/240 house hold systems? Im not inside my breaker panel twice a year polishing up all the contacts. That wire is good for atleast 50 years. Warning: Please dont polish the wires in your breaker box. I won't be held liable

Vibration. Humidity. Higher temp under the hood. Hydrogen fumes from charging. Ohh and battery acid.

I think home panels are better designed and installed to begin with as well. Your using a screw terminal directly on the solid wire - no ferrules. But they don't vibrate around all day either.

I think your big issue was the dis-similar metals when combined with all the above. My 17 year old Xterra has all original wiring - only the battery cable end has been changed - once I think?

 

[The motor guy]

Vibration. Humidity. Higher temp under the hood. Hydrogen fumes from charging. Ohh and battery acid.

I think home panels are better designed and installed to begin with as well. Your using a screw terminal directly on the solid wire - no ferrules. But they don't vibrate around all day either.

I think your big issue was the dis-similar metals when combined with all the above. My 17 year old Xterra has all original wiring - only the battery cable end has been changed - once I think?

That first pic was the new military style terminal. The second Pic was oem from the factory. All those oem ring terminals were copper. I didn't start mixing stuff until I bought this kit. I should have just spent $75 bucks on good copper ring terminals and replaced only the ends

 

[SC Maintenance]

That first pic was the new military style terminal. The second Pic was oem from the factory. All those oem ring terminals were copper. I didn't start mixing stuff until I bought this kit. I should have just spent $75 bucks on good copper ring terminals and replaced only the ends

OK, so the new dis-similar metal is the new end? So that was not the problem.

Then no idea. One of the above. Was that OEM terminal end lead? Are your battery posts leaking acid? Try some of those little felt donuts they actually help a reasonable amount.

 

[The motor guy]

OK, so the new dis-similar metal is the new end? So that was not the problem.

Then no idea. One of the above. Was that OEM terminal end lead? Are your battery posts leaking acid? Try some of those little felt donuts they actually help a reasonable amount.

Post #3 is the cable my truck came with from the factory. I tell ya what. I'll cut those ends off the old cable and do another resistance test

 

[ka9mnx]

Loose connection. The wire on the battery post clamping bolt will never be as tight as the bolt on the wire(s) terminal.

 

[55hambone]

In the first picture, the lug on the wire with the red heat shrink is a copper lug that has a tin coating to reduce corrosion. A tinned lug is quite common in switchgear and telecom connections. I have bolted hundreds of those to copper buss bar with no issues whatsoever.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I was really on the fence about whether or not I should just change out the ends or just buy all new wire completely. I bet you most of the issue is in the terminals and not actually the wire itself

I agree there is likely no resistance in the wires. All the resistance is in the varios junctions. However a resistance through a meter once everything is apart is sort of worthless at this point. You need to ohm it out so your path is through all the connections.

 

[The motor guy]

OK, so the new dis-similar metal is the new end? So that was not the problem.

Then no idea. One of the above. Was that OEM terminal end lead? Are your battery posts leaking acid? Try some of those little felt donuts they actually help a reasonable amount.

Post #3 is the cable my truck came with from the factory. I tell ya what. I'll cut those ends off the old cable and do another resistance test

I agree there is likely no resistance in the wires. All the resistance is in the varios junctions. However a resistance through a meter once everything is apart is sort of worthless at this point. You need to ohm it out so your path is through all the connections.

I ohmed it out when it was off the truck laying on the floor as pictured and got 7-9 ohms, so id imagine it would have been even worse left on the truck. Multi meters arent my strong point. This is the first time I've ever used the ohm setting on it

 

[SC Maintenance]

In the first picture, the lug on the wire with the red heat shrink is a copper lug that has a tin coating to reduce corrosion. A tinned lug is quite common in switchgear and telecom connections. I have bolted hundreds of those to copper buss bar with no issues whatsoever.

In that case the tin will loose loose electrons to the copper, and even that probably pretty slowly. I assume your trying to prevent the copper from oxidizing? So that would be good for the copper. Its also likely dry.

However in a engine bay like above you have multiple metals - copper, tin, lead, steel. Add to that acid water at minimum from condensation, hydrogen from charging - and who knows. Not saying it will corrode, but it certainly could. I would have no problem with two tinned ends or two copper ends. Mixing is where things tend to go sideways in the proximity of oxidizing chemicals or water.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Post #3 is the cable my truck came with from the factory. I tell ya what. I'll cut those ends off the old cable and do another resistance test
I ohmed it out when it was off the truck laying on the floor as pictured and got 7-9 ohms, so id imagine it would have been even worse left on the truck. Multi meters arent my strong point. This is the first time I've ever used the ohm setting on it

A short wire should have virtually no resistance, so 7 ohms is a lot. My guess is most of that is in the connector junction itself, and I would agree, there was likely a bunch more where the connector attached to the lug on the truck.