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Battery cables made from welding cables?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by dirty old man, Apr 4, 2009.

  1. dirty old man
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 8,910

    dirty old man
    Member Emeritus

    OK, this is to sorta see if other H.A.M.B.ers are as cynical as I, and to get your opinion on this issue.
    Watching "Two Guys Garage" a week or so ago, Sam was doing electrical work on a long term project vehicle ( I fergit what), and he made a comment that using welder cable for a battery cable was a no-no and would/could cause problems.
    Me? I'm a bit of a cynic, and the fact that on this edition of the program he was shilling for some outfit that made and sold battery cables makes me wonder about the validity of the advice!
    Can't figure how it would cause any problem as long as the insilation was OK and the size was large enough.
    Consequently when his show was on this am, I took note of website URL, went there, registered, etc. Then I found a place to enter "a question for the hosts" and asked for elaboration on that statement.
    Anybody wanta make a guess as to what they say? I'll report back to this thread when they answer.
    Also, anybody got first hand experience with any negative in using welding cable for battery cable? I've done it lots of times with no problem.
    Dave
     
    redlineracer42 likes this.
  2. 61bone
    Joined: Feb 12, 2005
    Posts: 890

    61bone
    Member

    If using welding cable for battery cable, you can't run reverse polarity. It will let the smoke out an we all know that is what electricity is.
     
    redlineracer42 likes this.

  3. There is No 02 welding cable in my old '65 right now, been in use since 2004. I never had a problem with it and now the new owner isn't haveing any problems either. Brings the zot from just behind the cab to the starter.

    I'd be curious as to why they thing there is a problem with the setup. Its a trick that's as old as moving a battery.
     
  4. Mark
    Joined: Oct 5, 2002
    Posts: 181

    Mark
    Member
    from CT

    So what they were saying is that it's better to use a -4 or -6 size chinese wire with a plastic insulation rather than a -0 or -00 stranded welding wire with a nice thick rubber insulation???

    sounds like they are just trying to promote their sponsers products

    relocated the battery on my big block mustang to the rear years ago and bought a size 0 welding cable. not only was it nice, thick and flexible, it wasnt even that expensive to buy it by the foot.
     
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  5. llonning
    Joined: Nov 17, 2007
    Posts: 681

    llonning
    Member

    I have never used welding cable, but a friend of mine did. It was in a Camaro with a BBC, he found if he removed the cable he would gain about 600 RPM. Now I don't know if he had other issues at the same time. He did change over to the Moroso copper clad aluminum cable and didn't have the RPM change. He might have also, unknowingly, fixed another problem at the same time.

    Just what I have seen and heard about. Don't know about the validity of it.
     
  6. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    I don't have any experience with welding cables as battery cables, but I did have a set of jumper cables made out of welding cable once. Best jumper cables I ever had. As far as the wire, maybe he's thinking it's too fine in size to hold up in an automotive application...? As far as the size of the strands go, the smaller size of the strands means more strands for the overall size, and as DC has a tendency to travel on the outside surface of a wire, then I would think this is a good thing.

    But Sam is an expert, I mean, c'mon, he has his own televisions show. For the record, that "rat" rod that they built, pretty much no rat there...
     
  7. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    I see that the second part of your statement didn't come up before, now that I see it I understand:D, before I was thinking that one of us had been inhaling too many fumes...:rolleyes:
     
  8. No problems what so ever using welding cable. Done it for years...
     
    3340 likes this.
  9. cooljunk
    Joined: Dec 18, 2007
    Posts: 423

    cooljunk
    Member

    Used welding cable in my drag cars with bat. in trunk for years, no problem.
     
  10. I use welding cables on just about everthing I can think of,even remote SB-175 connectors on the complete opposite end of the Truck , Hot Rod and even Race Car, as far as I am concerned this is the only way to go!

    just my nickles worth
     
  11. hotrod40coupe
    Joined: Apr 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,561

    hotrod40coupe
    Member

    No problem as long as you use Heavy Duty that is water and oil resistant. Most welding cable is rated at 600 volts.
     

  12. Actually all electricity travels on th outside of the wire, actually if you want to get techincal it travels over the surface of the molicules as I recall from my chemestry class.
     
  13. 460 willy
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 249

    460 willy
    Member
    from wisconsin

    Been using welding cable for many years with no issues
     
  14. gas pumper
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 2,957

    gas pumper
    Member

    Welding cable is the best. The fine strands are theoretically better as a conductor, too.

    When I was a fleet mechanic on buses we used to replace the factory Battery and ground cables on some of the problem units with cables we fabed with welding cables. These were 4/0. And the starter draw was about 1000 amps.

    I have also done this on cars with smaller gauges and never had a problem.
     
  15. badger
    Joined: Mar 24, 2007
    Posts: 132

    badger
    Member

    I've never had a problem using welding cable. It's alot more flexible and often times cheaper than off the shelf battery cables. As long as you make sure the insulation is gas and oil resistant, it should give no problems.
     
  16. IIRC thats just a super high AC voltage.
    I think were talking 120kV and up.
     
  17. If you use any of the info from that retarded show, you get what you deserve.

    Weld cable is the best battery cable.
     
    bobss396 likes this.
  18. lostforawhile
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 4,160

    lostforawhile
    Member

    if it's copper wire,this arguement makes as much sense as your stereo will sound like crap if you don't use the special oxygen removed 5 dollar a foot monster cable for the speaker wires. stranded wire can actually carry more current then solid, the current travels on the outside of each strand, the individual strands have more surface area in the same gauge wire then a solid wire has, i lucked into a bunch of aircraft battery cable wire that is fire resistant, or i would have used welding cable myself.
     
  19. gassman57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2007
    Posts: 194

    gassman57
    Member

    What's in a name? If the cable is capable of carrying the load and is shielded/insulated properly; you could call it 'fusion wire' it would still work. As far as a reply from 'Sam and the boys'.....I'd love to hear what they said. Registered on their site about 6 months ago with a question....never heard a thing!!!
     
  20. Here is a little math for ya,

    Electrical skin effect applies for AC voltages only.
    http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_3/6.html

    DC resistance is the entire cross section of the wire.
    Finer stranded wire bends easier, it's easier to work with, it doesn't carry more current (DC)

    FWIW, -2 welding cable will slide inside the 1/2" poly irrigation hose you can find at the home despot. $8 for 25 feet and it's tough stuff to help guard against abrasion.

    With a little work, 1/2" air lines also fit inside the poly pipe :D
     
  21. I always use welding cable for batteries that are trunk mounted. No problems in 40 years.---Brian
     
  22. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    I saw that show also. I almost choked. All those shows are infomercials. I watch them just to see what is the latest and greatest for the "1-800 send it" set. I could never be a salesman. I could never say that with a straight face.:)
     
  23. Using welding cable in my rod and it works fine. Wire does not get hot, is well insulated, and carries lots of cranking juice from the trunk of my 32 to the starter just fine.
     
    trvguy likes this.
  24. lownslow
    Joined: Jul 16, 2002
    Posts: 1,920

    lownslow
    Member

    yup . got a welding cable running back to my trunk when i moved the battery back there . no problems at all . been that way for years !
     
    fuel likes this.
  25. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    If you want to get really technical, electricity doesn't really travel at all...but I'm not going there today, I have a head cold and I feel like crap. Suffice it to say that DC electricity has a "skin" effect, contrary to what popular opinion may be...and yes, it does travel over the surface of the molecules, as they are the smallest known base of matter (all you quantum physicists stay out of it, with your "foam" and such!).

    ...and if that isn't sufficient to scramble your brain molecules, how about the fact that your battery posts are mislabeled, your "positive" post isn't really positive, and your "negative" post isn't really negative.:D
     
  26. Always used welding cable on 3 trucks that I mounted the battery behind the rear axel in a drop box. Worked perfect. I now have the battery on my 29 roadster in the trunk and am using #2 Borg Warner battery cable because I bought a 25 foot box at a parts house sale, that works just as good. I guess I'd use whatever you can get thats good quality, this has been an age old argument and it seems the only ones that argue against the welding cable are the guys that have something to sell. Just make sure the longer the run is the heavier the cable. Mine is about 6 feet and the # 2 works good, does'nt heat up at all when cranking the engine over.
     
  27. 30dodge
    Joined: Jan 3, 2007
    Posts: 498

    30dodge
    Member
    from Pahrump nv

    I used it all the time when moving the battery to the rear.
     
  28. jusjunk
    Joined: Dec 3, 2004
    Posts: 3,138

    jusjunk
    BANNED
    from Michigan

    Ive used welding cable before but the quality of it now days i dont trust it. The rubber insulation seems to weather check and crack easily.. Last few cars i did i just used speedways cable kit as they had the cheapest price but summit and jegs has nice stuff too.
    Dave
     
  29. Hooligan63
    Joined: Mar 1, 2009
    Posts: 1,343

    Hooligan63
    Member

    I've used welding cable for battery cables before.Great thing about it is you can buy it by custom length,so you can run the cables any length.I always ran 2 gauge cables with no problems,also got gold plated terminals for conductivity.Always a great combo.
     
  30. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,418

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage

    Hell I thought every one did this..and after reading a few posts ..I see alot of people do.
    Ive had welding cable on my 68 Dodge Charger for over 15 years (trunk Mounted Battery)
    granted i dont drive the car much (lately not at all) But when I did, I had no problems what so ever.
    Last fall I went out put a good battery in the trunk and fired that bitch right up..
    so I dont get why they say dont use it..unless its the obvious..They want you to buy their crap
     

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