What your positive battery cable should NOT look like...

[Mark D]

After reading many threads about battery cable sizes I decided to do some investigation last night on Ruby. I replaced the battery a couple weeks ago and noticed some craking on the cable insulation and this added to my inspiration. So I pulled the battery and wrenched off the nut that holds the lug under the generator. Other than an awkward reach, it was an easy exercize. Once in my hands I instinctively tried to straighten the cable in preparation for measurement. As soon as I tried, the insulation cracked open proving to me that this was likely an original cable. I then grabbed a pair of side cutters to do some further investigation and cut off the terminal head just to see the conductors and to see how good the bond was in the lead. At least 30% of the conductors where loose.

Headed down to the big apple for business tonight, but as soon as I get back to Mass tomorrow, first stop is NAPA for a new 24" cable. Can anyone confirm the OEM size is 1/0, or should I go for the 2/0? By the way ground cable to the starter solinoid looks recent as does the lead to the starter itself. Both of these cables appear to be 1/0 if I where to make a guess from appearance. Should I upgrade those as well?

I also noticed that the OEM battery hold down frame (rectangular in shape) was intermittantly touching the terminals and had evidence of recent shorting. It is coming off the car and will be blasted and dipped in a rubberized coating to prevent this from happening again. In the interim I picked up a cheap $4- "I" shape universal to keep everything in place for the weekends cruising.

- mark

[Young Ed]

OEM is 1 gauge. I run 1 gauge cables from napa on both my flatheads. Thicker ones won't hurt of course.

[Plymouthy Adams]

TSC carries a good selection of 1 guage cables..either with or without battery clamp..without batt clamp, both ends are lugged..priced from 13 to 17 dollars depending on length and lug ends..getting your hand on anything heavier is getting tougher...I called our local auto electric in this area yesterday tring to find 0/00 cable and clamps..forget about it...they do bubble wrap items only anymore..no longer build anything customer specific..get this..their largest cable was a joke at size 2

[Mark D]

TSC carries a good selection of 1 guage cables..either with or without battery clamp..without batt clamp, both ends are lugged..priced from 13 to 17 dollars depending on length and lug ends..getting your hand on anything heavier is getting tougher...I called our local auto electric in this area yesterday tring to find 0/00 cable and clamps..forget about it...they do bubble wrap items only anymore..no longer build anything customer specific..get this..their largest cable was a joke at size 2

Tim, It shows how the world has converted to "just in time" and no one keeps anything in stock anymore. H owever I was at an Autozone yesterday in Framingham, MA and they had a pretty good selection of 00 cables hanging in blister packs. Prices where pretty reasonable too. They where pricing out at about a buck/inch. Guess I should go grab 'em while they still got 'em. I checked ebay last night and there was a complete set of 1/0's on there for $128! Granted they are cloth jackets and all, but I can't see spending that type of money for car that will never be a trailer queen and will likely onlu ever be competing with my 2010 silverado LTZ for best in show.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I think I will venture out at lunch as we have an Autozone local and see what they may have in stock..I am trying to help another person get "up to speed" on their electrical so can go back to driving the car on a regular basis..

they have had a run on batteries at the TSC..seems folks are breaking out from winter storage and sales have outpaced the supply...

[1950 Special Deluxe]

I made mine from 3/0 welding cable. Purchased ends from NAPA and made them up. The welding cable is very flexible.

[james curl]

My local parts house made mine from 2/0 welding cable. I am still using them after converting to 12 volt system with a 6 volt starter. The starter spins the engine with ease.