Battery Cable Repair

BigSwampbuck · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Minnesota

For a lot of personal family problems, I neglected to clean my battery terminals on my 6 volt batteries on my Class A this summer. When I finally decided that I needed to get it done, I found that some of the cable terminals were so badly corroded that one was actually broken off. I have been trying to find a source for the cable ends with no luck. These are big cables. So two questions:
1. Is this something I can repair on my own if I can find the cable ends (ring terminals) for these big cables? Where should I look for the ring terminals and a tool to crimp them?
2. If I don't turn on the aux battery switch on the control panel, can I start the unit to drive it to the dealer for repair? I've been reluctant to start the unit as I don't know if these batteries are required for driving or are the main batteries all that are required?

It is a 2005 Bounder diesel.

Thanks.

g1g · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 92

Most auto parts stores should have cable ends. Try NAPA: if they don't have it, ask them who would. There may be some parts store that specializes in truck repair.

Motor31 · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:44 am Post subject:

If they are 6 volt batteries, they are likely to be the "house" batteries, not the starting ones.

FWIW, if they were corroded so badly as to break, chances are the wires are corroded well into the insulation past the break since corrosion will travel. Merely putting a new end on it will just maintain the corrosion and it will fail again. It will also put a heavy load on the wiring that is conducting due to the resistance of the corroded portion. You are better off just getting new cables. This won't go away otherwise.

You'll also want to check the battery terminals for acid leakage.
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Rocky Larson · Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 31 Location: Jersey Shore

West Marine has the cable and ends and crimping machine. Take your measurements in and cut the cable, pick out your ends and crimp them in the store before leaving. Our local store only has the supplies and no crimper so I travel 8 miles to the next town to one that has the crimper, cutter and all set up on a bench for customer use. We live on the coast so I don't know if inland stores are as obliging.
If you are not in a hurry you should also be able to find premade/soldered cables on the internet.
As noted previously if the ends are bad, so is pretty much of the cable.
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BigSwampbuck · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Minnesota

Thank you for all the help. I was able to find some connectors at NAPA which are very robust. Much more so that what the local RV dealer had. I have repaired several of the ends already. I have checked the wire itself to assure that there was no corrosion within the wire itself. I was able to trim the end to remove that which was corroded.

dvorick · Joined: 24 Sep 2008 Posts: 4

You might want to check why the corrosion was so bad. You didn't say but was the motorhome plugged in all that time? Could be your converter is charging too high and causing the batteries to boil, building that corrosion. Also grease the terminals and battery posts to aid in keeping corrosion from building up. They have products on the market to help with this. Very Happy

BigSwampbuck · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Minnesota

The coach was plugged in for quite a bit of time, but I had unplugged it some time before looking at the batteries to check fluid level and clean the terminals. I am suspicious of the charging. Another bit of news is that the two main motor batteries were completely dead. I mean not a bit of juice. So I may not have switched off the battery breakers or something serious is going on with the charging system.

Thanks for the input.

bandit1538 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 403 Location: Skamokawa Wa

If your batteries are shot, you may want to consider going with AGM batteries (absorbent gas matt). They are a little more spendy but they will last longer and you won't have to worry about cables or posts corroding up as they are sealed and don't give off any gas. The gas is what causes the corrosion.
Pat
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porscheracer · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:06 am Post subject:

Make sure your charger/inverter is capable of AGM charge rates if you do.
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bandit1538 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 403 Location: Skamokawa Wa

porscheracer · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:38 am Post subject:

Make sure the inverter/charger has an AGM setting like this example:

http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/269/DocServe.aspx
_________________
Norm & Janet
'08 Winnebago View 24H / '09 Escape XLT AWD toad
'05 Winnebago Vectra 36RD / '03 Dakota QC 4x4 toad, or a 24' trailer with another car;
Probably somewhere in NA - or maybe on another continent.

Motor31 · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:25 am Post subject:

Also make sure the AGM batteries will give you enough amp hours to do the job. The ratings I have seen indicated they were less capable than the equivalent lead acid. So far I haven't seen them to be worth the additional expense.
_________________
Mike, Nancy and the Fuzzies
2005 MS 38 RL3
2001 Volvo MH (HDT)
2004 R1150RT (piggyback)
1996 Jeep Cherokee (toad)