Los Angeles -Class Attack Sub(urban), Build / Collected Werks topic - '02 k1500 Z71

[rayra]

My long-time fav jumper cables have a pitifully small wire gauge. I might need to make a better set. I was trying to gauge the gauge of inserts needed for the Anderson terminal lugs. With the intent of cutting the cables to add a set of plugs about 1' from one end. So I could plug the cables into the bumper connections. But the wire is so pitiful I think I want to use much thicker cable.

Skinny little wire in a fat insulator. False advertising. I was expecting them to be thinner than the insulation suggested, but not this thin. Disappointing.

I was checking the gauge with the intent of getting some reducing bushings to put into the 1/0 lugs for the Anderson connectors.

Anderson Power Products Powerpole Reducing Bushings

Optional reducing bushings assure proper fit when crimping contacts to smaller diameter wire sizes. For use with PP75/SB50, PP120/SB120, PP180/SB175 and SB350. Loose Piece.

powerwerx.com

But there's nothing that tiny. Nor do I want anything that small. I can neck down to 4ga. So I'm thinking to just make a new longer set of cables out of 4ga welding cable. <$1.50/ft on Amazon. ...

something to look into after the winch project is wrapped up.

Long been an adjunct to my ideas of having the big power plugs at both front and rear bumper. Part was having cables that plug in at the bumper or some other larger power accessory. Long ago in the Marines the 5-ton trucks had what was termed a 'slave cable', which was in essence a jumper cable that plugged into bumper receptacles, extending the reach. And that idea has always stuck with.

 

[rayra]

These Blue Sea rotary switches are big mothers. 3"x3" at their base and nearly 3.5" from base to top of the switch. Very robust and rated at 300A continuous. 500A intermittent (5mins), 900A cranking (30sec).

I'm going to have to revisit the specs on the lesser brand rotary switch I initially used in the rear power box. It's working for what I do with it now, not sure it can approach those numbers. 1/0 cable is variously rated at 175-300A, depending on source and usage. The winch has a very limited duty cycle and the main powerline fusing is only 150A. My primary and secondary battery cables are 1/0. My runs to the rear are 1/0. I think the winch itself is 2AG.* In comparison, the winch cable extension set that Warn markets is 4AG IIRC. And I've just installed a 1/0 Alternator charge wire on my 200A+ alternator.
And the battery-combining solenoid is rated at 200A continuous and higher surge rating.
So the cable infrastructure I've put in should exceed any demand I can put on it.
And with the vehicle running, with two group 78s combined and high output ALT cranking, I can conceivably burn that winch up without putting any serious drain on my electrical system. Not that I'd ever want to do that.


* I might just make new 1/0 leads for the winch itself, rather than cutting down the factory leads to put the Anderson plug on them. (shrug)

 

[jgaz]

Nice write ups. Thanks for the efforts to post them.

Ive seen that thick insulation BS on jumper cables before. What a crock!

 

[Phreak480]

Nice write ups. Thanks for the efforts to post them.

Ive seen that thick insulation BS on jumper cables before. What a crock!

The other issue is cables made of CCA (copper clad aluminum) which would need to be a few sizes bigger to match up to their straight copper counterparts.

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

My long-time fav jumper cables have a pitifully small wire gauge. I might need to make a better set. I was trying to gauge the gauge of inserts needed for the Anderson terminal lugs. With the intent of cutting the cables to add a set of plugs about 1' from one end. So I could plug the cables into the bumper connections. But the wire is so pitiful I think I want to use much thicker cable.

Skinny little wire in a fat insulator. False advertising. I was expecting them to be thinner than the insulation suggested, but not this thin. Disappointing.

I was checking the gauge with the intent of getting some reducing bushings to put into the 1/0 lugs for the Anderson connectors.

Anderson Power Products Powerpole Reducing Bushings

Optional reducing bushings assure proper fit when crimping contacts to smaller diameter wire sizes. For use with PP75/SB50, PP120/SB120, PP180/SB175 and SB350. Loose Piece.

powerwerx.com

But there's nothing that tiny. Nor do I want anything that small. I can neck down to 4ga. So I'm thinking to just make a new longer set of cables out of 4ga welding cable. <$1.50/ft on Amazon. ...

something to look into after the winch project is wrapped up.

Long been an adjunct to my ideas of having the big power plugs at both front and rear bumper. Part was having cables that plug in at the bumper or some other larger power accessory. Long ago in the Marines the 5-ton trucks had what was termed a 'slave cable', which was in essence a jumper cable that plugged into bumper receptacles, extending the reach. And that idea has always stuck with.

Man those jumper cables look like they've been thru hell and back!

 

[rayra]

Man those jumper cables look like they've been thru hell and back!

yeah, have had them a very long time. 12' long, always got the job done. But looking them over they are pretty beat. Clamps are bear-trap strong still.

but looking around it seems I can get a 20' set with 4ga actual copper for $24. Dug thru the reviews and customer pics and it indeed seems to be actual 4ga copper fine strand wire. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9RNIP...colid=QWZ1BSZYG6VW&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
There's a few unhappy customers with some random QC issues and it looks like a couple tried to pull the cables apart further and tore the insulation open improperly. But there's 3,700 happy customers, so I'm willing to take the chance. Especially for that price, real 4ag and copper jaws.
So I'll probably get these and put the Anderson plugs on them with the Anderson reducers.

About to go wrassle the ~7' of stiff thick strand THNN cable that runs across my firewall. Have to re-shape it to re-mount for the new solenoid location and hopefully it's in the Goldilocks zone so I don't have to do anything to it besides re-bending it. I'll get it and the solenoid control wiring back in place and have my dual-battery / cheap solenoid solution back in place.

Then it's on to fabricating the mounting bracket for the front grill plug. After that's done is just the new cabling extensions for the front and rear plugs and it's done. I have an electrician neighbor that might be able to save me some money on the 1/0 welding cable.

 

[rayra]

Got the dual battery cabling back in place. Worked out nice, didn't have to modify the long 1/0 cable that goes along the firewall. Previously there was a very short run from the solenoid to the Aux (+) and a long run from the solenoid all the way to the start battery (+).
Now, the arrangement is essentially reversed. A short run from the alternator junction box to the relocated solenoid and a long run across to the Aux. The original long cable was just a few inches too long so I bent it downward into a 'U' adjacent to the brake master cylinder.

Still have cabling to add to the Aux for the front plug and rotary switch at the Aux, but for now it's ok. Still need to replace / re-route that primary negative cable for the Aux, too. Likely with a proper fine-strand / flexible cable so I can work it back behind the AC plumbing.

Front grill plug bracket is next.

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

Btw, @rayra, I haven't read the whole thread, just the past few pages, but were you ever stationed on a Los Angeles Class submarine?

 

[rayra]

Nope, Marine Sergeant, Artillery Battalion Operations Platoon Sergeant, FireDirectionControlman. Dad was a 26yr Navy man, surface warfare, Comms and Destroyers
I'm in Los Angeles, The all black Sub, the stealthy mods, it was a play on words that appealed to me.

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

Gotcha, just curious, you probably have more room in there than you would on a submarine!

 

[Buddha.]

I've seen a few sets of jumper cable where they don't even strip the wire before crimping on the clamp. They still transmit some electricity but idk, seems like a crappy product.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Project is looking good! Quick question: on my ‘02 Silvy there is an isolator on the firewall (driver’s side) with an 8ga run back to the bed that used to feed a Lance camper. I want to add an aux battery in the same location as yours, using the isolator that is already there. I notice what looks like a bus bar on the + side of your battery (post #223) for extra connections. Did you fab that up or buy it? Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[rayra]

Project is looking good! Quick question: on my ‘02 Silvy there is an isolator on the firewall (driver’s side) with an 8ga run back to the bed that used to feed a Lance camper. I want to add an aux battery in the same location as yours, using the isolator that is already there. I notice what looks like a bus bar on the + side of your battery (post #223) for extra connections. Did you fab that up or buy it? Thanks in advance for your reply.

That's actually a rotary cutoff switch. That's the 1/0 (+) running to the back of the vehicle. But there are bus bars and all sorts of other arrangements available, depending what you are trying ot assemble.

That cutoff switch is going to get replaced with the 3x50A fuse array as part of the winch kit. And I'll attach the cables to both the front plug and the rear line to the fuses.

side post master cutoff, $12

Amazon.com: Side Post Battery Master Disconnect Switch: Automotive

Buy Side Post Battery Master Disconnect Switch: Battery Switches - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

the aux battery tray for the gmt800 sub/tahoe, I think the p/u is the same, $37

Amazon.com: Genuine GM 15246518 Battery Tray, Right: Automotive

Buy Genuine GM 15246518 Battery Tray, Right: Trays - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

addendum, check the rating on that solenoid and your 8ga will be enough to keep your Aux charging / charged. But if something gets a bad short that 8ga will probably slag. And particularly if you were to run a winch with key on / batteries combined. Depending on your planned uses you might want to beef things up between the batteries.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Yup, winch is being (re)installed and I’ll definitely have to run larger gauge to the aux battery. I’ll probably replace the isolator while I’m at it since it was installed back in ‘02 and I don‘t run a dedicated camper. Also, I like to “baseline” critical parts on any used vehicle. Thanks for the references and advice. ?

 

[Rangadanga]

You've got a great build rayra. Would love to see it if you're back in the Temecula area anytime soon.