Battery Cable Terminals

You can usually find a battery cable the length you want it, but if you have a long run or a unique need you can easily make your own cable ends.

I bought one of these:

Hammer-Style Bench Battery Cable CrimperHammer-Style Bench Battery Cable CrimperHammer-Style Bench Battery Cable CrimperIt's called a hammer style crimper - I've seen them on eBay for $20 or so. They do work well.

But maybe you don't want to spend the bucks. You could go to any battery shop and have them crimp on the cable ends. But I have a propane torch and some solder, so this is my favorite way:

Strip the cable to bare wire and measure the diameter of the wire and the diameter of the stud you want to attach it to. Then go to an auto parts store or Home Depot or Lowes or Tractor Supply or a welding supply or maybe even Harbor Freight and find the end you need that matches the stud and wire diameter. There are many sizes.

Then mount the selected terminal in a vice. I like to clamp it sideways because it requires less heat. Make sure the wire fits comfortably inside the terminal. Trim insulation or wire as needed.

I like to roll up a piece of sandpaper and swish it around inside the terminal to make it shiny.

Now put your propane torch on the terminal and feed in solder until the terminal is almost full.

When the terminal is nearly full, stuff the wire home into the hot solder. Be careful not to splash any solder on you as you push the wire in.

Don't worry about getting the wire all the way in the terminal all at once. You can always apply more heat and push it in further, or take it out and start over.


Now, if you've had the forethought to put heat shrink tubing on the cable before soldering on the terminal, you can sanitize the end with a heat gun.

I like to brighten up the copper with a wire brush before mounting it.

So now you're ready to bolt it onto wherever it needs to go. If that place is on a battery clamp I might suggest The Nickguiver Auxillary Battery Post.

 This clamp extension will allow you to attach several terminals to your battery while leaving the clamping unmolested.