Battery
cables for the reproduction market have become a controversial issue
lately. Several vendors are now actively producing products to meet
the market demand. Some products are produced with an eye toward quality
and unfortunately, some are not. Therefore, in order to help our customers
in the selection of battery cables we have assembled a list of guidelines
that our supplier uses in cable construction and you can use in cable
evaluation. The technology employed in the production of battery cables
may not be readily apparent when you first look at the cables. Original
designs and our current reproduction designs must address the following
issues:
A.
SPRING STEEL INSERTS
– To comply with original factory specifications, almost all of
our reproduction battery cables employ a spring steel insert molded
directly within the lead terminal. The purpose of the insert is
to maintain the shape of the battery post opening and to keep the
lead from deforming upon repeated opening and closing of the lead
terminal. This insert is molded into the lead terminal head. In
some cases, such as in the original “Spring Ring” design, it is
an integral part of the opening and closing system operation and
is quite visible. Most inexpensive battery cables and cheap after
market replacements do not employ a spring steel insert.
B.
LEAD COMPOSITION
– The chemical composition of the lead is critical to the production
and behavior of the lead terminal. Original factory specifications
call for a very specific mix of elements in the lead terminal. This
mix can affect the strength, brittleness and appearance of the finished
product. Bright lead indicates excellent mold work and a recently
manufactured part. However, all lead oxidizes and will turn dark
over time. Special coatings are available to retain the shine but
are not recommended unless it can be assured that there will be
no coating on the contact surfaces that will prevent electrical
conductivity. Dielectric lubricants are recommended for installation.
C. WIRE GAUGE
– Many reproduction battery cables were produced using 6 gauge wire.
During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, the demands on the electrical
system were not significant enough to warrant larger gauge wire.
However, air conditioning, power seat and windows, high compression
motors, etc., placed greater demands on the electrical system and
the battery itself. Original factory gauge and 2 gauge battery cables
in production automobiles. In today’s world it is foolish to consider
using a 6-gauge cable when a factory heavy-duty 4-gauge cable was
available as an original equipment option. Beware of “heavy wall”
cable that is nothing more than extra PVC insulation over a 6 or
even and 8 gauge cable made to look like a 4 gauge cable.
D.
WIRE COMPOSITION
– While the wire gauge is important, the actual copper wire characteristics
are also important. The copper wire within the cable is made up
of a specific number of individual strands, which must be the correct
gauge. These strands bundled together determine the current carrying
capability of the cable. This is another one of those items that
can’t be seen on the outside but plays a critical part in the quality
of the cable.
E. WIRE COATING
– Most reproduction battery cables were constructed with PVC coating
capable of temperature ranges from –40 degrees to 176 degrees. This
is acceptable for most applications. Unfortunately, there are different
grades of PVC coatings that do not provide this range of protection.
The difference is not detectable to the untrained eye. Wire coatings
are available that provide protection from –60 to 275 degrees that
are only marginally more expensive to produce. These materials are
being used today and in some cases were used in the 1970’s. All
our battery cables comply with or exceed the original factory specifications
for wire coverings.
F.
WIRE SETS – Original
factory battery cables never came in sets. They were always sold
individually. The reason for this is quite simple. Many cables were
used across multiple years and/or multiple applications within the
same year. Inventory maintenance would be a nightmare if all combinations
of cables had to be made as sets to satisfy the requirements of
these applications.
G. MOLD QUALITY
– Simple things like absence of metal flashing, even mold parting
lines, complete crisp lettering, etc. all contribute to the quality
of the finished product. The aesthetic appearance of the product
does not affect its functionality. However, this is not a reason
to compromise appearance for the sake of reducing the initial tooling
costs of the product.
There
are many more technical issues to be considered in the construction
of battery cables, which are beyond this basic discussion. The main
point to consider is that compromises made in the product design
and raw materials do in fact compromise the quality of the final
product. Therefore, when you buy a cheap cable, you get a cheap
cable.
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