How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

[Stereo]

A better way?

I suggest dont. Andersons, while self wiping, simple & robust. Will hold up pretty good in icky environment, are not at all weather resistant. Unless plugged daily, I think you will have dirt & corrosion problem.

Thanks. Any suggestions for how I should make the run, or what connectors to use, given that I want to keep the truck-side connector out of my truckbed in the off season?

 

[Stereo]

A 2008 poster used a spring-loaded, hammer-driven crimper successfully on Andersons. Anyone else tried this unit? $28-$30 with shipping. Weldingsupply.com gives option to ship USPS Priority at cost plus $5. I don't see dimensions but I'm guessing it would fit in a small box. Gopher Industrial sells it too.

 

[6pointslow15]

Exactly what I was looking for, and with pictures, since I had to dictate this text to someone. Can't wait to have camping battery power

 

[dlichterman]

Can confirm, the Harbor Freight hydraulic crimper is not completely terrible.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

2nd the HF is workable if you take your time and check fit the lugs in the crimper before you start. You can't go by the markings on the crimp dies. I am spoiled about crimpers. I am use to using professional high dollar hydraulic crimpers where lugs and crimp dies are color coded. I couldn't afford one of the professional models for the home shop, so I took a chance on the HF model since I had so many crimps to do and didn't want to use the hammer method.

BTW there is a difference in thin wall and thick wall lugs. They use a different crimp size for the same cable size lugs.

 

[patoz]

This is the crimper I bought from Amazon. I haven't used it yet, so I can't say anything about how well it works.

https://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Ba...rect=true&ref_=pe_847900_188958560_em_1p_4_ti


It too has a series on numbers on the dies which made no since to me, but I did find the following info from comments people made about the product. Again, I have not verified any of this yet, but maybe it will help someone to figure it out.


The dies are numbered from 16 to 300.

16 is 1/4" by 7/32".
25 is 5/16" by 1/4".
35 is 3/8" by 5/16".
50 is 7/16" by 3/8".
70 is 1/2" by 7/16".
95 is 5/8" by 1/2".
120 is 11/16" by 9/16".
150 is 13/16" by 11/16".
185 is 7/8" by 3/4".
240 is 1" by 13/16".
300 is 1 1/16" by 15/16".


Short chart:

16.00mm2 (6AWG)
25.00mm2 (4AWG)
35.00mm2 (2AWG)
50.00mm2 (1AWG)
70.00mm2 (2/OD)
95.00mm2 (3/OD)
120.00mm2 (4/OD)
150.00mm2 (250MCM)
185.00mm2 (300MCM)
240.00mm2 (450MCM)
300.00mm2 (550MCM)


Apparently, they stand for the approximate sectional area of the cable with (plus) proper connector. So for example:

6 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 13.3 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 16
4 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 21.1 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 25
2 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 33.6 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 35
1 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 42.4 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 50
1/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 53.5 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 70
2/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 67.4 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 70 also
3/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 85.0 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 90
4/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 107 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 120

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

This is the crimper I bought from Amazon. I haven't used it yet, so I can't say anything about how well it works.

https://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Ba...rect=true&ref_=pe_847900_188958560_em_1p_4_ti


It too has a series on numbers on the dies which made no since to me, but I did find the following info from comments people made about the product. Again, I have not verified any of this yet, but maybe it will help someone to figure it out.


The dies are numbered from 16 to 300.

16 is 1/4" by 7/32".
25 is 5/16" by 1/4".
35 is 3/8" by 5/16".
50 is 7/16" by 3/8".
70 is 1/2" by 7/16".
95 is 5/8" by 1/2".
120 is 11/16" by 9/16".
150 is 13/16" by 11/16".
185 is 7/8" by 3/4".
240 is 1" by 13/16".
300 is 1 1/16" by 15/16".


Short chart:

16.00mm2 (6AWG)
25.00mm2 (4AWG)
35.00mm2 (2AWG)
50.00mm2 (1AWG)
70.00mm2 (2/OD)
95.00mm2 (3/OD)
120.00mm2 (4/OD)
150.00mm2 (250MCM)
185.00mm2 (300MCM)
240.00mm2 (450MCM)
300.00mm2 (550MCM)


Apparently, they stand for the approximate sectional area of the cable with (plus) proper connector. So for example:

6 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 13.3 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 16
4 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 21.1 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 25
2 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 33.6 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 35
1 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 42.4 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 50
1/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 53.5 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 70
2/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 67.4 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 70 also
3/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 85.0 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 90
4/0 AWG cable has a cross sectional area of 107 mm2 and with connector you use the die marked 120

DING DING DING we have a winner. That is exactly what the marking mean. They are metric dies. Wire in Europe is measured in cross section area not by gage size. You did much better explaining the issue with this type of crimper than I would attempt. Your charting is an excellent cross reference. As you can see you may end up with a slight under crimp, but not noticeable except 1/0 and 4/0 cables. I would becareful to check pull out with 1/0 and 4/0 cables.

 

[carbon60]

This is the crimper I bought from Amazon. I haven't used it yet, so I can't say anything about how well it works.

https://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Ba...rect=true&ref_=pe_847900_188958560_em_1p_4_ti

Used that one, it worked.

 

[Stereo]

I would be cautious buying this crimper expecting it perfect out of its box. Overall its a decent enough crimper, it's dies are identified in an odd fashion. You may have to carefully measure the die.

HF has a 25% off one item on July 4, which brings the prices even closer, so you're right; it makes more sense to buy that one. I haven't used a hydraulic crimper before. What do I need to measure to ensure I'm using the right die?

 

[AndrewP]

So before everyone gets too excited about the HF hydraulic crimper, read this to the end where it is discussed and tested:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

With that said, it works OK for very small lugs, but is useless for anything over 4 ga. The wire gauge suggested on the HF crimper dies are a joke. They are basically meaningless. The crimper in the article on the other hand, is spendy, but it works great and allows you to use the much nicer "power lugs" that they reference in the article. It also has a chart to use it with standard battery lugs. I own both, rarely use the HF crimper, though I did use it the other day for some Anderson SB50 lugs. I think it was the "6" die that fit 10 gauge SB50 terminal lugs.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

So before everyone gets too excited about the HF hydraulic crimper, read this to the end where it is discussed and tested:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

With that said, it works OK for very small lugs, but is useless for anything over 4 ga. The wire gauge suggested on the HF crimper dies are a joke. They are basically meaningless. The crimper in the article on the other hand, is spendy, but it works great and allows you to use the much nicer "power lugs" that they reference in the article. It also has a chart to use it with standard battery lugs. I own both, rarely use the HF crimper, though I did use it the other day for some Anderson SB50 lugs. I think it was the "6" die that fit 10 gauge SB50 terminal lugs.

Plain and simple the guy that wrote that had no idea about the metric wire system. That is the only real complaint about the HF crimper is that it is metric wire dies.

 

[AndrewP]

They may be metric wire dies, but they are labeled, inaccurately, in wire gauge sizes. Plus, it's hard to use due to the handle which isn't spring loaded. Plus the retention magnet does not properly hold the dies in place. It works with effort, but it's junk. Typical Harbor Freight. Anyway, I have one, don't like it. The crazy thing is, with properly machined and labeled dies, and a spring loaded handle, it would be a huge winner. That would cost maybe $5 more.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

I have used plenty of professional hydraulic crimpers and punches with pumps like this and none of them have spring loaded handles. I don't know why you have a problem needing the handle to be spring loaded.

Stereo to answer your question that slid by, just follow the chart that was posted and you will be just fine.

 

[Stereo]

The fastest way to figure out where to run your wire to the fuse box is a 12V detector thingamajig. Turn your key to 'ON' (don't start truck) and then start probing empty holes in her fusebox. At some point your thingamajig will light up. Write down all her locations that lit up your thingamajig and turn her OFF. Then start probing those same empty holes in her fusebox that lit up your thingamajig again. Find any empty hole in her fusebox that lit up your thingamajig when she was turned ON but got no light from your thingamajig when she was turned OFF - that's the circuit you want to use (ALL THE TIME, if you get what I'm sayin )

I'm using a CAL-VAN 67 circuit tester to try and figure out what fuse/circuit to wire my solenoid to. The bulb of the tester is OK 'cause it lights up when I put the probe on the battery directly, but it doesn't light up when I try to check the fuses. With the key to "on" but the engine not started, I tried touching the grounded probe to the metal dot on each fuse first. None lit up. I then pulled a fuse and put the probe between the contacts. Still nothing. What am I doing wrong?

Also, I was hoping for an unused fuse spot, but none of my blanks seems to be wired 'cause they don't have any metal contacts. Am I missing something? (Though I understand I can double up on an existing circuit.)

Finally, for those who used the "add-a-circuit" type whatchmacallits, how did you get your wire outside the box? My exit holes are stuffed with wires. I may just do a splice instead though I was hoping for a quick and easy with fewer junctions where things can go wrong.

 

[Stereo]

Get your fuses!!!! ($13)[/SIZE] ... you need one fuse for each battery, trust me on this one Go here are order part number ANB740N0N02, they are 80A ANL fuses + the fuse blocks

https://www.vtewarehouse.com/content/electromech/fuse/html/anl/anlfuse.php

Caution. The part number mentioned here has connection protectors (boots) sized for 3/4" wire which is too big for the 4 gauge wire recommended here. The fuse is the same across all part numbers. The difference between part numbers relates only to wire size/boot diameter and boot color. You will also choose your fuse size.