Battery Charger Clamp Isolators?

[RGEDad]

I am going to install a battery in my trailer. Where I am installing it will make it difficult to get to when I need to charge it. I plan to run a heavy duty cable out to a more convenient location.
The charger I have is a regular three stage charger with standard clamp made to attach to battery posts.

Question is: What is a good way to attach these clamps on the charger to the end of a cable without the clamps touching themselves, or shorting to anything else they may be resting on?

I would prefer to leave the clamps on the charger in case i need to use the charger on the cars, truck etc.

One solution might be to cut the charger cables and install some mating high current capable connectors, then put one of those mating connectors on the cable to the battery - then just disconnect the charger clamps, and connect direct to the battery when I need to charge.

Or - more simply - put some bolts on the end of the cable to the battery, clamp the charger clamps to those, and wrap them up in rubber sheets....Something to be said for keeping is simple - but then again - cable, bolts, battery = Fire hazard??

Just looking for ideas here

Thanks
Tom

 

[4x4x4doors]

Several newer model year cars have "remote" batteries (my car has the battery in the trunk from the factory, daughter's car has it down behind the fender liner in a body cavity from the factory). Anyway, what they do is to run a cable to an underhood location for jumping purposes. The positive is an exposed, hard mounted tab with a plastic sleeve and the negative is just a clean piece metal to serve as a ground with a tab/cover. Something similar ought to be workable for you. Unfortunately neither car is accessible to me for a few days so I can't grab you a picture.

Then just connect the charger to the remote points with the supplied clamps.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Hi Tom.

One solution might be to cut the charger cables and install some mating high current capable connectors, then put one of those mating connectors on the cable to the battery - then just disconnect the charger clamps, and connect direct to the battery when I need to charge.

Yes...Do this >>>>>

1) Buy 3 small anderson plugs rated to handle the current of the charger.

2) Cut the cables of your charger about about a foot back from the clamps . Fit an Anderson plug (a) to the long cables from the charger and another Anderson plug (b) to short cables heading to the clamps. Now connect plug (a) and plug (b) together so you can use your charger as normal again if you need to use clamps on your car battery or lend it to your neighbour or whatever.

3) Run a positive and negative from your battery to the last Anderson plug (c) and fasten it somewhere suitably accessable on the trailer. Make extra sure you protect the wiring so there is no chance of a short or damage. When you want to charge the trailer disconnect plug (a) and plug (b) and reconnect plug (a) into plug (c). Simple and safe. BTW you could also plug a portable solar panel in there just as easily.

I found these pics online if it helps.

We do this at work all the time. All the mining vehicles we build need to have a "Jump Start Recepticle" as a safety precaution so no one can accidently get the red and black jump cables mixed up . This is commonplace here........every vehicle on a mine site must have a large Anderson plug fitted and wired to the battery before they let them in. We simply set our big workshop charger the way I described above and plug straight into the trucks if they need a charge for some reason while we putting them together....and we can still use the workshop charger in a typical fashion with clamps straight onto battery posts just by reconnecting the Anderson plugs in the cables....like when I leave the lights on in the forklift!!!!!

Regards
John.